V Festival Staffordshire
Only when preparations are being diligently finalised to the backdrop do you realise that the four concave bowls that have bordered the stage since this morning are in fact satellite dishes for Muse’s elaborate stage set up. As the site descends into darkness the satellites menacingly rotate and project beams of light to dark and desolate drones. Either this is strategically planned to terrify fans into paying attention or Matt Bellamy has been watching far too many science fiction films for his own good. Either way, as Map Of The Problematique marks the beginning of their set do not expect subtlety from Muse. Is that the Sun imploding? No. Merely the opening rumbles of Supermassive Black Hole.
Coupled with the epic sonic performance is a stunning visual show. Whilst most bands are content with a few split shots of various members and crowd shenanigans, here green lasers probe and cloak the night sky. Whilst eyes are patrolling above wondering what other optical delights await the real warning is coming from Bellamy and his quickfire fingers. For instant beguiling effects one guitar even features a Kaoss pad just in case the ballistic riffage for Hysteria fails to suffice, of course it conquers all before it. The only obstacles here remain the mud underfoot and drizzling rain above yet as the outside world teeters on the brink of another Cold War tonight has its own battle cry in the form of Invincible complete with military esque drumming.
With Bellamy excelling on the piano and providing abounding vocal operatics the performance has the feel and evident sound of a trip to the theatre. Even if this would readily soundtrack the apocalypse. How just three men and a keyboardist can create such a destructive wall of sound remains a fascinating mystery, especially when wielding a shock and awe inspiring rendition of Stockholm Syndrome. Is that the sound of a UFO hovering overhead? No. Just the throbbing electro loop serenading the arrival of Take A Bow. As entertaining as this seems, it is sufficient to give young children nightmares. Not that anyone is complaining when the band saunter off for a well deserved break leaving their audience to recover to their senses.
The encore begins far more generously; Starlight providing gentle yet foreboding relief. A mangled siren pre-empts Plug In Baby and all hell breaks loose again, complete with giant balloons released into the crowd. All that remains is a majestically crushing finale. Bassist Chris Wolstenholme worryingly blows into a harmonica and forget the mud, the arena suddenly seems like a sand bowl western. Anyone who has seen the video will know this signals galloping drums and the last screeches of Bellamy’s six string for Knights of Cydonia.
Whilst superpowers boast about their arsenals of nuclear weapons few would underestimate the powers of sonic warfare, not with a performance like that.