The Brits never seem to disappoint. Such was the case when English rock band Muse touched down in Brooklyn and rocked the Barclays Center a show of sensory overload in the form of lights, music and of course, drones.
Formed in 1994, Muse consists of lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist and principal songwriter, Matt Bellamy, bassist and backing vocalist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer, percussionist and co-producer Dominic Howard, and they know how to put on a show.
Their new album, Drones, was the theme of the night and after an excellent hour of entertainment from opener X Ambassadors, the crowd was ready.
(Photos by BB Gun Press)
The band opened with “Drones,” the final track off their new album of the same name. Quite the tone setter, creepy and ethereal in both sound and context, the choral piece featured nothing but Bellamy’s overtracked voice, which distracts the audience as 12 spherical radio-controlled drones made their way down from the rafters, encircling the stadium.
Muse played selections from their new album including “Psycho,” “Mercy,” and “Dead Inside.” They also played big hits like “Hysteria” and “Time is Running Out” from the album Absolution, as well as their biggest U.S. hit “Uprising” off of 2009’s The Resistance. Even riffing a little AC/DC’s “Back in Black,” defining the band’s hard rock influence.
The show was filled with the signature Muse eclectic-ness like Wolstenholme’s LED light inlayed bass, Howard’s electronic synth drums and Bellamy’s signature guitar touchpad/digitizer. The band played on a rotating circular stage, reminiscent of U2’s 360° Tour in the middle of the stage with pathways coming from each end to two mini elevated stages.
It wouldn’t be a Muse concert without Bellamy busting out the grand piano and banging out classic Muse epics like “Apocalypse Please.”
Drones once again made their descent as the band closed the show—much to the immense delight of the crowd—with “Knights of Cydonia” off the album Black Holes and Revelations.
Sound-wise, Muse sounds as good as ever with touring musician, keyboardist Morgan Nicholls, the always solid and driving rhythm section and Bellamy’s signature vocals and guitar playing, which made for an easy conquer of Brooklyn.
A true show of talented musicians, feeding off a crowd, rocking out and doing what they love. Now that is a rock concert.
To read about X Ambassadors, see X Ambassadors: A Showstopping Opener.
