2010 was a big year for music in Perth with massive international acts coming to our small city to play to thousands of fans. One of the highlights was definitely Muse. Promoting their album, The Resistance the trio performed at Steel Blue Oval, Bassendean on the 19th December as part of their tour.
The Resistance is an album about liberty and refusing to be controlled by the powers that be. MUSE have, and continue to make open statements on how the world is being run. Frontman, Matt Bellamy has even voiced his opinion on the September 11th attacks in New York.
“September 11 is clearly an inside job,” he said “there's massive evidence that suggests that it was either allowed to happen or even worse, deliberately made to happen.”
One need only listen to the tracks Uprising, United States of Eurasia and MK Ultra to see that MUSE are a band who are unafraid to call people out, educate their fans and to break new ground.
Perth fans braced themselves upon arriving at Steel Blue Oval, flocking to the multi level stage to be greeted by three sky-scraping towers. The 'buildings' on-stage showed faceless silhouettes walking up stairs in a repeated loop of movement until the buildings burst into bright lights and lasers while Uprising kicked in over screams from the crowd.
Each band member stood atop their own podium, complete with giant screens, giving everyone at the venue a great view as they played. Along with flashing the words to choruses, the screens provided a fair share of close ups of Matt Bellamy's silver reflective suit and futuristic, light up, blue sunglasses.
The delighted crowd sung along to favourites like Supermassive Black Hole, Hysteria and Map of the Problematique before attempting the Queen-styled vocals of United States of Eurasia, which the band says was inspired by a book called, The Grand Chessboard and George Orwell's, 1984. Both books refer to a landmass where the super powers of the world are combined, losing their sovereignty in a bid to control resources.
One of the highlights of the gig was Dominic Howards' light up drum kit, supplying the perfect focal point among green lasers as the familiar drum machine-like beat of Undisclosed Desires exploded into the air and drew the crowd into a spellbinding rendition of the currently charting hit. With the inclusion of the Keytar halfway through, the song was even more dreamlike, emphasising the perfect mish-mash of orchestral and electronic components.
Matt Bellamy's absolutely amazing vocal range did not falter during songs that would challenge even the most trained falsetto when performed live. The first song played in the encore was part one of Exogenesis Symphony, and proved his voice is never-ending, creating a magic across the oval that had most of the crowd more sedate than they had been during previous songs. Bassist, Chris Wolstenholme's backing vocals brought a complimenting harmony to Matt Bellamy's high register brilliantly, making the performance of the song even more jaw dropping.
Knights of Cydonia, arguably one of Muse's finest pieces of work, was last on the menu, serving up a wicked beat, brilliant guitar riffs and the powerful, system-aware lyrics Muse are famous for.
“No one's going to take me alive, the time has come to make things right. You and I must fight for our rights, you and I must fight to survive” scrolled across the podiums in bright lights while the stage darkened and eighteen thousand fans sang along.
Leaving the venue, the sea of tired, sweaty but elated fans were greeted by local activist group, We Are Change WA, who handed out flyers in relation to some of the things MUSE display concern for in their music. Like-minded fans snatched these up, proving that the band's influence regarding important political matters and current affairs does reach our isolated city. MUSE's music has the power to promote thought and action as well as ensure gigs that go off and Perth fan's sure got an experience that will no doubt be hard to forget.
