Muse, Birds of Tokyo @ Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne (06/12/2013)
The worst thing about seeing Muse live is that every gig that comes after feels incomplete. Shows come and go but a void remains that can only be filled by the irreplaceable magnificence of the night you shared with the world’s upper class of music innovation and excellence. These words are carefully chosen, as you literally cannot describe the show with anything other than praise, the night was one that for any fan who attended, will never forget.
It only helps that the homegrown favourite Birds of Tokyo supported for one of the most excellent two-for-one deals any Melbourne muso could wish for. Their set was well chosen and portrayed in a full, mature and accomplished version of the band we all know and love. Kudos to the crowd for a truly special and spontaneous moment in which the recent hit, ‘Lanterns’ was accompanied by the swaying arms of hundreds of fans clasping their lit up phones across the stadium.
Though, when the unmistakable and grand introduction of Muse began, the roar that ensued was biblical.
As the pyramid of screens fell from the roof of the stage, dark figures moved about beneath it spurring on the cheers as new track ‘The Second Law: Isolated System’ echoed across the stadium. Then, the lights flashed on to the groovy, even James Bond like tones of new hit ‘Supremacy’, which rocked the airwaves and thousands of adoring fans screamed with excitement.
Recounting every special moment of the night would require vast volumes of well documented pages, which no one has time for. So, imagine for a moment that you are lit up by expensive lasers and lights, while the most haunting harmonica introduction hums in your ears. This ‘Man With A Harmonica’ introduction is to any Muse fan, the unmistakable howl of the coming hit ‘Knights of Cydonia’, which received the most energetic response from the crowd conceivable for a lifetime.
As the night progressed amazing moments like lead singer Matthew Bellamy’s funky ‘television glasses’ that displayed the lyrics to the hit single ‘Madness’, a single blue laser that reflected the colors of the rainbow across the stadium and a revealing morph suit harnessed by drummer Dominic Howard, were often and frequent throughout the night.
It is therefore, that the words “gig” or “concert”, or even “performance” aren’t fitting for the wondrous night that accompanies the presence of Muse. The only way to describe it, is a show. A show with entertainment, music, laughs and energy beyond imagining. After mere moments, one can understand why they’re described as the world’s best.
Unforgettable moments piled on as tracks such as ‘Hysteria’, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ and ‘Explorers’ came one after the other. Old fans were treated to a comedic introduction to the fan favourite ‘Citizen Erased’, which was unfortunately according to Bellmay,“fucked up” for Perth fans days before.
Muse’s showmanship was put on show for their final song ‘The Second Law: Unsustainable’, which progressed with the darkest and most epic light show imaginable that boomed and hissed with lasers and pyrotechnics as each new beat came about. However, the brief encore that came next, filled with the hungry roars of the crowd, was so, so much better.
A fitting dedication to the deceased Nelson Mandela of the song ‘Starlight’ gave an intimate element to the night, while having the adverse effect of causing each member of the crowd to sing louder than ever with their parched and strained vocal chords. A beautiful moment for a man who graced our world with the desire for peace and equality.
The night closed with recent Olympic theme song ‘Survival’, which left the crowd with a fire for more from this genius trio from Devon, England, which leaves only one thing further to say. Perhaps the void that is left with us after a Muse gig isn’t the worst thing about it, perhaps it’s the fact we have to wait for at least another one or two years before these virtuoso’s bless our shores with another one of their unbeatable and flat-out brilliant shows.
Jack White
It only helps that the homegrown favourite Birds of Tokyo supported for one of the most excellent two-for-one deals any Melbourne muso could wish for. Their set was well chosen and portrayed in a full, mature and accomplished version of the band we all know and love. Kudos to the crowd for a truly special and spontaneous moment in which the recent hit, ‘Lanterns’ was accompanied by the swaying arms of hundreds of fans clasping their lit up phones across the stadium.
Though, when the unmistakable and grand introduction of Muse began, the roar that ensued was biblical.
As the pyramid of screens fell from the roof of the stage, dark figures moved about beneath it spurring on the cheers as new track ‘The Second Law: Isolated System’ echoed across the stadium. Then, the lights flashed on to the groovy, even James Bond like tones of new hit ‘Supremacy’, which rocked the airwaves and thousands of adoring fans screamed with excitement.
Recounting every special moment of the night would require vast volumes of well documented pages, which no one has time for. So, imagine for a moment that you are lit up by expensive lasers and lights, while the most haunting harmonica introduction hums in your ears. This ‘Man With A Harmonica’ introduction is to any Muse fan, the unmistakable howl of the coming hit ‘Knights of Cydonia’, which received the most energetic response from the crowd conceivable for a lifetime.
As the night progressed amazing moments like lead singer Matthew Bellamy’s funky ‘television glasses’ that displayed the lyrics to the hit single ‘Madness’, a single blue laser that reflected the colors of the rainbow across the stadium and a revealing morph suit harnessed by drummer Dominic Howard, were often and frequent throughout the night.
It is therefore, that the words “gig” or “concert”, or even “performance” aren’t fitting for the wondrous night that accompanies the presence of Muse. The only way to describe it, is a show. A show with entertainment, music, laughs and energy beyond imagining. After mere moments, one can understand why they’re described as the world’s best.
Unforgettable moments piled on as tracks such as ‘Hysteria’, ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ and ‘Explorers’ came one after the other. Old fans were treated to a comedic introduction to the fan favourite ‘Citizen Erased’, which was unfortunately according to Bellmay,“fucked up” for Perth fans days before.
Muse’s showmanship was put on show for their final song ‘The Second Law: Unsustainable’, which progressed with the darkest and most epic light show imaginable that boomed and hissed with lasers and pyrotechnics as each new beat came about. However, the brief encore that came next, filled with the hungry roars of the crowd, was so, so much better.
A fitting dedication to the deceased Nelson Mandela of the song ‘Starlight’ gave an intimate element to the night, while having the adverse effect of causing each member of the crowd to sing louder than ever with their parched and strained vocal chords. A beautiful moment for a man who graced our world with the desire for peace and equality.
The night closed with recent Olympic theme song ‘Survival’, which left the crowd with a fire for more from this genius trio from Devon, England, which leaves only one thing further to say. Perhaps the void that is left with us after a Muse gig isn’t the worst thing about it, perhaps it’s the fact we have to wait for at least another one or two years before these virtuoso’s bless our shores with another one of their unbeatable and flat-out brilliant shows.
Jack White