Muse revel in art of showmanship
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Muse kicked off their Australian tour at Perth Arena last night. Picture: Sean Middleton
Source: News Limited
MUSE kicked off their Australian tour with a spectacular, supersized stage show at Perth Arena last night.
The UK rock group effortlessly proved why they are considered one of the world’s best and biggest modern bands, breathing new life into live arena rock shows with an epic stage setup featuring an enormous pyramid of LED screens with high definition video, strobe and laser lighting, smoke effects, explosive sound and genuine vocal and instrumental skill.
Frontman Matt Bellamy gave a master class on vast vocal range, specialising in haunting highs and holding flawless notes throughout the two-hour set.
The band’s already impossibly tight instrumentals took on a loud, larger-than-life quality in the live environment, with each guitar chord radiating through the chests of the near-capacity crowd.
The banded wowed with its impressive stage setup. Picture: Sean Middleton
Source: News Limited
2006 super-hit Supermassive Black Hole, recent track Panic Station, from their sixth studio album The 2nd Law, Resistance and Hysteria made early appearances in the set.
But the show began to gain even greater momentum during songs such as Knights of Cydonia, which featured Ennio Morricone’s Man With a Harmonica riff played by bassist Christopher Wolstenholme on harmonica, and Citizen Erased, featuring Bellamy on piano.
Bellamy snaked his way though the crowd at the front of the stage during Undisclosed Desires, the electronic sounds of Madness came into their element on stage and the crowd went crazy for Time is Running Out.
The set included old favourites and new hits. Picture: Sean Middleton
Source: News Limited
Muse is one of the few bands ever to have gotten the seated public at Perth Arena to their feet in the year since it opened and their fans really rocked out to closer Uprising.
A three-song encore, including Starlight, from their 2006 album Black Holes and Revelations, received a thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
Muse undoubtedly nailed the elusive balance of showmanship, spectacle and musicianship – the golden triangle of any truly epic live rock show.
Muse had the Perth crowd on their feet for most of the night.
Source: News Limited
Earlier in the evening, Birds of Tokyo did their hometown proud, opening the show with a polished, high-energy performance.
There was a buzz in the air as the band took to the stage and the crowd surged towards them in a show of support.
Formidable front man Ian Kenny’s awesome vocals impressed as he delivered songs including Silhouettic, When the Night Falls Quiet, Broken Bones, Wild at Heart, This Fire and Plans to the enthusiastic audience making their love for the band known.
The homegrown rockers finished their set with their hit Lanterns, the crowd lit up the Arena, using their mobile phones to create the illusion of thousands of tiny stars swaying to the beat.
Muse, who are touring in support of The 2nd Law, will next play at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on Wednesday before heading to Melbourne, Brisbane and Sydney.
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