 Muse
are supported by The Joy Formidable, a new group
from Wales (Which was certainly appreciated by
a certain drunk girl who was stood behind this
reviewer!) They had the unenviable task of warming
up a crowd for one of the biggest live bands in
the world, but took on this task admirably with
their blend of atmospheric rock, very similar
to Arcade Fire. The problem was, the songs did
get a bit samey after a while, and many in the
audience were getting impatient for what was to
come, but they certainly would have gained a few
new fans on the night.
 It’s
not often you see a drummer wearing a red ninja
suit at a gig. Then again, Muse have never been
just your standard live rock band. From their
early days they were notorious for smashing their
equipment on-stage - it was this act which got
them noticed at one of their first ever gigs,
in a Battle Of The Bands competition in 1994.
Flash forward 18 years, and Muse have a reputation
as one of the best live bands around, synonymous
with impressive light and laser shows, giant spaceships,
exploding balloons and alien acrobatics..but underneath
all of the gloss? What sets them apart from many
other bands and elevates them to Pink Floyd-esque
status, is the fact that they’re actually
bloody good musically, never afraid to push boundaries
and try something new
 On
their latest album, The 2nd Law, this tendency
to experiment divided fans somewhat, with many
questioning the dubstep influences on some of
the tracks, and crying out for the days of Plug
In Baby again. On the live stage, however, there’s
no question that Muse are still on top of their
game. Matt Bellamy, a man always of few words,
seems to have been rejuvenated of late, interacting
with the crowd more than ever.
Of course, the music speaks for itself, with the
audience treated to a two hour mix of old and
new material, spanning all 6 of their studio albums,
from Sunburn from their debut Showbiz, to recent
single Madness, to fan favourites ‘Stockholm
Syndrome’ and ‘Knights Of Cydonia’.
These days there’s no guitar smashing on
stage, but on this tour there’s a pretty
cool giant video pyramid which comes down and
consumes the band, and a banker fighting ninja
drummer. Muse don’t do subtle, and long
may that ethos continue.
The Joy Formidable 3/5
Muse 5/5
Review By Paul Bodman
Photos By Robert Lawrence
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