The first time Muse toured Australia way back in the dim-darks of the late 1990s, virtually no-one knew who they were – just another three-piece from the UK peddling three chords and a solid rhythm section. Yet there was something about the group even then that hinted at an amazing ability to connect with an audience – Bellamy played guitar like a demon, had the voice of an angel, and ruled the roost with a cover of Feeling Good in the Nina Simone style. Now Muse have (nearly) made it their own – 6,500 Sydneysiders happily bellow along with former Broadway number.
The obvious criticism to make of the band is that Muse have a template and they stick to it: it’s either a tub-thumping rhythmic propulsion or more sedate pacing for the slower numbers. Whatever, as the star is clearly Bellamy – the way he sings is phenomenal, hiccupping from bass tones to falsetto on the hook of Plug-in Baby, which has, possibly, the BEST sounding bass intro known to music – a massive slab of meaty thudding, as Chris Wolstenholme twirls on a spot, and drummer Dom Howard pounds out what is, essentially, a dance beat, with synth sound provided by new touring member Morgan Nicholls.
The crowd jumps around, most definitely up for it on big numbers like Sing For Absolution, Starlight, Supermassive Black Hole, and a deliriously mental Newborn. There’s no doubt that there’s something of a prog-rock vein to Muse, but what makes the group stand out is just how memorable the songs are – laden with hooks and strong melodies, it’s almost impossible not to love what are the group are doing with their sound. It’s not rocket science. It’s music, pure and enjoyable without any burdens of expectation to change the world upon it.
To check out the pics from the gig click here
Silver Surfer
said on the 30th Jan, 2007