Muse invades The Metro
By Neil Miller Jr.
FOR THE RECORD Column, IV Leader Music Critic, May 6, 2004
Muse, sometimes called a “prog-rock” band from the U.K., can sound extremely grandiose at times. Their music has been compared to everything from Radiohead to Wagnerian operas.
They’ve been touring Europe almost non-stop since their inception back in 1999, becoming massive to the extent that they can’t perform an arena show in Europe without selling it out. The interesting part of their career, which spans roughly 5 years, is that they’re only becoming recognized in the United States this year.
Touring in support of their first decently promoted release, “Absolution”, Muse has accomplished selling out quite a few dates of their tour in the U.S.—including their stop at the Metro in Chicago.
Coming from a Muse fan of 5 years, I can honestly say that I expected far better. While the show definitely had its highlights, a lot of the flaw can be blamed on the size of the Metro and the acoustics of the venue. A band that’s used to playing arenas and outdoor festivals can’t rightly be expected to sound decent in a venue as miniscule as the Metro (which seats 1100).
Regardless of the sound factor, the band was in perfect form, riding the wave of their current single, “Time Is Running Out,” which inevitably led to the band selling out this particular show. The set list varied greatly, switching rapidly between new songs like “Stockholm Syndrome,” “Apocalypse Please,” and “Hysteria” to older songs previously unheard stateside (unless if you’ve forked out $30 for an import copy of their 2nd album, “Origin Of Symmetry”) like “New Born,” “Plug-in Baby,” and “Bliss”.
For those new to the larger-than-life-sounding Muse, I’d strongly recommend researching their catalog before going to a live show. I say this because the live show seems appropriate only for the hardcore fans who don’t mind not being able to hear any part of the music.
Overall Rating – 3 of 5 stars