Gig: Muse @ Festival Hall 31/01/07

Last night took a very unexpected turn from the ridiculous to the sublime.

We rocked up to Templebar on Smith Street to enjoy an evening of "Spag and Drag" with Neale, Andrew, Zoë and the Bens and before we'd even ordered Bens mentioned they had to leave early to reach Festival Hall in time to catch Muse.

"You lucky bastards, I really wanted to see them tonight!"
"Oh, we've got two free tickets, if you want them..."

So in the time it took to blow off our other friends and sit through an amusing rendition of "The Girl With Emphysema", we were sitting centre-stage watching Supermassive Black Hole.

How's that for a nice turn-around.

Muse absolutely rocked. The rocked so hard they were almost a parody of themselves. But that is why I love them so. At one stage I looked down and thought - all this kick arse sound is coming from those three unassuming Brits and their insignificant little instruments. Thank SBLJ for electricity!

The boys were flanked by two huge LED screens and spotted by scores of scores of cameras that threw their images up, all psychedelically altered. The lighting and stage setup was phenomenal. Every glittery piano note was mirrored by a pretty light flash.

Lots of glittery piano notes = lots of pretty light flashes!

And the crowd ate it all up. Being in seats we were a little removed from the action but it was interesting to see the spread of the mosh pit and the waving sea of rock hands.

To add to the spectacle, at the first break, as Plug-in Baby screamed to a halt, massive, clear rubber, confetti-filled balls were released into the auditorium. Nice touch (until the lighters came out).

Revved up on their fit of destruction, the crowd set about clapping to Starlight. One of those brilliant "we're all in this together moments".

Clap - clap clap - clap - clap clap clap!

Priceless.

Setlist:

Take A Bow
Hysteria
Supermassive Black Hole
Butterflies And Hurricanes
Map Of The Problematique
City Of Delusion
Citizen Erased
Sunburn!!
Apocalypse Please
Invincible
Time Is Running Out
Plug In Baby
(Release crowd balls here)

Soldier's Poem
Starlight
Stockholm Syndrome

Knights Of Cydonia

The Killers tomorrow night.

Same bat-place. Same bat-time. Shittier bat-seats.