Muse - NEC - 14th November, 2006

As a keen music lover I have been fortunate enough to see well over 100 live acts up and down the country. They have ranged from dire to undescrible in the affirmative. So when I got the nod for a couple of freebies to review Muse I had no expectations. Why? Well i'd never really taken much notice of the band. Sure i'd heard the singles on the radio and thought them to be excellent but i'd not really been drawn to seeing them live. What a mistake. A sell-out NEC Arena crowd were treated to a spectical of pure world-class live rock performed by a band with intense originality and perfect stage prescense. They transcend the pinnacle of what live music shoud be and I can now see why their fans are some of the most passionate around. The stage itself was gorgeous. Overhead projections of ambient images from the stage, an amazing half octagonal capsule from which the drums emerged and a fantastic light show simply added to the atmospheric perfection that these three guys produced. From the brilliant opener "Take A Bow" to the second encore climax that was the new single, "Knights of Cydonia", Muse had the crowd in the palm of their hand. Highlights also included Hoodoo, Invincible, Starlight and Hysteria bit it's not inaccurate to say that every track was unblemished. If you ever get the chance to see Muse live, even if you're on the fence about the band, do not hesitate. That's an order. Simon Rickards