The NME posted this... Pale Waves - 6.05pm Tom Morello - 7.05pm Muse - 8.30pm Curfew 10.30pm

Some of the finest shows I've been to. The songs on the wheel changed regularly and it wasn't just songs on the wheel. Sometimes it was a theme or word linking several songs

Good points but isn't that the Catch 22 with most bands? Either you alienate older fans, or fans who prefer the riffier stuff, by playing the 'pop' singles. Or you alienate the potentially bigger audience by throwing in a rarity or 5 that only gets a limited response. I'm 59 years old, been going to gigs regularly since I was 14, and certainly over the last few years I've noticed a huge shift in audience reactions to bands, not just Muse. People seem to go to the 'bigger' gigs just so they can check in on social media. They might know a hit or two but spend most of the gig chatting or going in and out for drinks all evening. It might be different down the front but those days have gone for me. I need a seat but you end up letting people in and out all show. I'm sure this must also effect the atmosphere and get picked up by the band. I've made a conscious decision to curtail my gig going from next year when I'm 60 and that is mostly because of the audience attitude. Gigs like Saturday restore my faith but they a few and far between nowadays. (switching old man mode off )

No, I thought it was very cringy. Maybe it works with other bands? I don't know the kid. He might be 12 or he might be 20? He might have discovered Muse last week or 10 years ago? Maybe the early stuff doesn't float his boat? I'm just surmising.

I haven't posted on here for about 8 years as I find it sometimes gets a bit fan boyish. Certain people think their opinion is more valid than anyone else. But hey, we'll get over it. I felt I had to post just to say how blown away I was by the SBE gig. Near perfect setlist, in my opinion, and the crowd was the best I've seen at any Muse gig bar none. I was at the War Child gig at SBE a few years ago and the TCT gig at the RAH, which was my favourite up until Saturday. I've seen them 15 times now but even I thought I was late to the party having first seen them in 2003 on the Absolution tour. I think it's been fascinating watching them develop and change over the years. I can understand people get frustrated that they aren't the same band they first fell in love with but it happens with most bands. Popularity and critical acclaim are different things. Muse have developed and progressed to stadium rock. The majority of their current worldwide audience will have little knowledge of anything before BH&R and want to hear 'the hits'. There was a kid on the front of level 1, stage right, holding up a banner all night that read, 'Matt I play Supermassive like a pro. Get me up on stage. Chris Martin does it'. My first thought was I didn't think Chris Martin would get him on stage to play Supermassive, and I didn't think there was any chance of it being played at this gig. But the kid looked young, probably only been listening to Muse for 5 or 6 years, and wouldn't have a clue to most of what was being played. Anyway, I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but what I'm saying is people should appreciate what they have had. The band aren't going back to what you want them to be unless the bubble bursts and they become their own tribute act on the way down. I remember seeing the Clash in 1977 and thinking my life had changed and nothing would be the same again. About 4 or 5 years later I was bitching they had become a parody of the band I had first seen and saw them a lot less. Looking back now I wish I'd gone to see them more