Psycho/Drones General Tour Discussion Thread

[Jobby]

I disagree with a lot of those... I mean, it's completely believable that the band thinks they're making good setlists every night. I have a harder time thinking they would intentionally make shit ones..

 

I'm not moaning about the singles or songs I don't like being played, I understand why they do that (thought it would be nice for one or two of them to be rotated so it's not pretty much the same ones every night). I'm saying that it's unfair how some gigs can get a bunch of old, rare album tracks and b-sides while the very next gig can get pretty much nothing other than the standard greatest hits. I don't think they do it on purpose to fuck certain countries/fans off but, shit, balance it out.

 

Also, you said you disagreed with a lot of my examples but you only really addressed the one about inconsistent sets (don't mean that in a shitty way, I'm curious as to which others you disagree with/why)?

 

please point out where he sounds shit...

 

Was pretty noticeable during the Psycho Tour and in the run-up of festivals before Download. Apocalypse Please at Pinkpop was pretty guff iirc.

[serpentsatellite]

Secondly, about his inconsistency, over the last 15 years of top quality muse concerts, you can count on one hand the number of times they were less than fantastic. And if you don't agree, well then I'd kindly ask you to re-read the above, and my other comment above too.

 

//rant

 

I'm not sure you're reading what *I'm* saying, either.

It's because the band has been fucking fantastic that I've found myself disappointed with the Drones gigs so far.

 

And seriously? My opinion is less valid than yours because it's not a positive one?

If you're judging the performance based on "emotion" alone, that's your opinion.

But, why is it apparently incorrect that a technically flawed performance wasn't to my liking?

Maybe I wouldn't have cared as much in person, but sitting at home on my ass the technical issues were obvious, and detracted from the performance for me. That's my opinion, and it's equally "correct."

Probably even more than if I had been able to see it when it streamed live, but all I really had was audio.

 

And I don't considering it a "good" proshot based on the video/audio rip quality.

 

Jobby, sorry, I'm getting frustrated typing on this damn old cell phone.

I absolutely think the uneven setlists are unfair as fuck, but I just think the band doesn't even put thought into it, unfortunately.

As for the Psycho Tour (UK and US) again, I just don't think they even know enough about the situations to be considerate or not, hell, they probably thought they were doing something nice for the fans (and promotion) and didn't think much past that, let alone to how shit the ticket sales situations were, limited locations, etc.

 

They do seem to hate Sweden, for some reason.

Edited June 30, 2015 by SerpentSatellite

[aleximo]

But, why is it apparently incorrect that a technically flawed performance wasn't to my liking?

Maybe I wouldn't have cared as much in person, but sitting at home on my ass the technical issues were obvious, and detracted from the performance for me. That's my opinion, and it's equally "correct."

.

 

It's not "incorrect", I just think that you are placing too much emphasis on hitting the notes. If you were to choose between matt singing live (badly lets say) and a midi file that hits the notes spot on, which is more moving, more emotive, more powerful, "better"? Music isn't about hitting notes in sequence, its about expression. The notes are there only to serve the music, If some of the notes are less than perfect, it doesn't affect the emotional output whatsoever, at least for me, hence my analogy of the russian pianist Horowitz. Of course if he's hitting kanye west-levels of shittyness then yeh, it will affect it.

[Finn.]

I think they know what they are doing, during the T2L era they aimed for a pop star style and the summun of that was Rome. Now they want to return to the rock. But all that was done on purpose.

 

Why they do that? i don't know, maybe marketing reasons, maybe they do what they think is right at the moment.

 

As for Sweden, it doesn't matter, nobody cares for Sweden. I was surprised Matt didn't tweet two hours before the show: "Sorry guys, we won't be playing tonight in Sweden because i'll be in my house playing with my dog instead, best regards, Matt"

[serpentsatellite]

It's not "incorrect", I just think that you are placing too much emphasis on hitting the notes. If you were to choose between matt singing live (badly lets say) and a midi file that hits the notes spot on, which is more moving, more emotive, more powerful, "better"? Music isn't about hitting notes in sequence, its about expression. The notes are there only to serve the music, If some of the notes are less than perfect, it doesn't affect the emotional output whatsoever, at least for me, hence my analogy of the russian pianist Horowitz. Of course if he's hitting kanye west-levels of shittyness then yeh, it will affect it.

 

I fully understand what you're saying, but I think the "Matt live vs midi file" isn't a good comparison.

I've found myself being taken out of the performance during the strained/out of breath parts, and they're terribly noticeable when you're not actually watching it live, at least to me. Like I said, I'd probably enjoy it more in person, in the end, where the emotion really comes across.

Sitting on my chair eating a salad (and not being able to see the video) I was disappointed. I'd rather have not been, but I can't force my brain to not focus on the notes, apparently.

It wasn't an intentional expression of emotion, really, either. It was Matt having blown out after Micro Cuts, which was my original complaint - if this is something he could have improved by working out a little bit, why wouldn't he have done that...?

 

The Sweden thing really seems to have gone beyond the possibility of coincidence, though, doesn't it?

[Jobby]

As for the Psycho Tour (UK and US) again, I just don't think they even know enough about the situations to be considerate or not, hell, they probably thought they were doing something nice for the fans (and promotion) and didn't think much past that, let alone to how shit the ticket sales situations were, limited locations, etc.

 

I think my main problem with the Psycho Tour was that it was nearly £50 for 15 songs. Not many people moaned about it at the time because I think we were just happy to be seeing the band in an intimate venue but, in retrospect, that's really shitty imo. You might have a point on the band not necessarily knowing too much about that stuff (ticket prices etc.) but either way, 15 songs is pretty poor and I think it was mainly a result of their/Matt's lack of fitness and the band's attitude of 'the smaller the venue, the shorter the set' - both of which are inconsiderate towards fans who've paid to see you.

 

It's not "incorrect", I just think that you are placing too much emphasis on hitting the notes.

 

I don't think she's actually specifically focusing solely on Matt hitting the notes bang on. When he's out of breath, he struggles to hold the notes or put much power behind them, thus resulting in some songs sounding weak (again, AP at Pinkpop is a decent example).

[aleximo]

Sitting on my chair eating a salad (and not being able to see the video) I was disappointed. I'd rather have not been, but I can't force my brain to not focus on the notes, apparently.

 

Learning to appreciate music beyond missed notes is difficult, but it is definately something you can learn to do. I was brought up on classical music as opposed to rock music so maybe I've just grown up with this mentality, I'm not sure.

 

It wasn't an intentional expression of emotion, really, either. It was Matt having blown out after Micro Cuts, which was my original complaint - if this is something he could have improved by working out a little bit, why wouldn't he have done that...?

 

I dunno, maybe hes trying to fatten up

 

The Sweden thing really seems to have gone beyond the possibility of coincidence, though, doesn't it?

 

No idea, I don't pay that country any attention. Let's be honest, it's no Norway, is it.

[aleximo]

 

I don't think she's actually specifically focusing solely on Matt hitting the notes bang on. When he's out of breath, he struggles to hold the notes or put much power behind them, thus resulting in some songs sounding weak (again, AP at Pinkpop is a decent example).

 

And The Handler at Werchter abso-fucking-lutely does not fall into that category. Fantastic power, especially in the post-solo part.

[serpentsatellite]

The "shorter sets at small venues" and big bands and small venues being so expensive do piss me off to no end, but it's far from exclusive to Muse, so I guess I didn't even think of that.

There's been some bands at small venues I really wanted to see, and had to pass on due to the $200-300 price tag. There's always some bullshit about how the higher price puts off more "casual" fans and gives more chance to people who REALLY want to go, because you're less likely to shell that out unless you're in love with the act. Find a better way to do it, then. Sell more than 50 tickets during the fan pre-sale, for a start.

I mean, I guess that's probably correct... but it's still pretty shit, especially when coupled with short sets.

 

I haven't done many gigs in the last decade, but I feel like Muse in general plays short sets, and honestly concerts in general seem shorter than they were when I was young. I've seen too many 90 minute arena venues for big $$, and now I don't go unless it's a favorite band, or someone else is paying. I'm very certain gigs for major bands were not that short when I was young.

I'm still a bit sore that Werchter had more songs than all three arena gigs I've seen.

 

Same interview, btw, they complain about 2 hours being too long a set... get on the damn treadmill, dammit. 8 hours a day hauling boxes up a ladder is a long set, too, and I take home $40k a year (on a good year.)

Edited June 30, 2015 by SerpentSatellite

[Jobby]

And The Handler at Werchter abso-fucking-lutely does not fall into that category. Fantastic power, especially in the post-solo part.

 

I didn't mention The Handler at Werchter His falsetto did sound pretty strained in that performance though from what I remember.

 

I'm just saying that it's understandable for people to be disappointed in Matt's lack of fitness affecting his vocal performances, because it does.

 

Same interview, btw, they complain about 2 hours being too long a set... get on the damn treadmill, dammit. 8 hours a day hauling boxes up a ladder is a long set, too, and I take home $40k a year (on a good year.)

 

Yeah, I laughed at that when I saw it. Thing is, they rarely even play for a full 2 hours. It's usually only around just over an hour and a half, and even then you've got jams and encores and breaks between songs, not to mention the fact they're usually a few minutes late on.

Edited June 30, 2015 by Jobby

[aleximo]

The "shorter sets at small venues" and big bands and small venues being so expensive do piss me off to no end, but it's far from exclusive to Muse, so I guess I didn't even think of that.

There's been some bands at small venues I really wanted to see, and had to pass on due to the $200-300 price tag. There's always some bullshit about how the higher price puts off more "casual" fans and gives more chance to people who REALLY want to go, because you're less likely to shell that out unless you're in love with the act. Find a better way to do it, then. Sell more than 50 tickets during the fan pre-sale, for a start.

I mean, I guess that's probably correct... but it's still pretty shit, especially when coupled with short sets.

 

Muse have absolutely fuck-all say in how much their ticket prices are, I can guarantee you that.

 

I haven't done many gigs in the last decade, but I feel like Muse in general plays short sets, and honestly concerts in general seem shorter than they were when I was young. I've seen too many 90 minute arena venues for big $$, and now I don't go unless it's a favorite band, or someone else is paying. I'm very certain gigs for major bands were not that short when I was young.

I'm still a bit sore that Werchter had more songs than all three arena gigs I've seen.

 

Depends on the venue, the city, curfew, if its an urban area that cant play past a certain time. I've been to werchter, its in the middle of nowehere. I'm guessing the areans you've seen them in are in quite built up areas yeh? (Are you in America, btw?)

[aleximo]

I didn't mention The Handler at Werchter His falsetto did sound pretty strained in that performance though from what I remember.

No, but the person whose comment you were defending did. And yeh, it was very strained, but brilliant, better than Download.

[serpentsatellite]

Depends on the venue, the city, curfew, if its an urban area that cant play past a certain time. I've been to werchter, its in the middle of nowehere. I'm guessing the areans you've seen them in are in quite built up areas yeh? (Are you in America, btw?)

 

I've been to Muse gigs in two cities in the US, and the ones in my town were several songs shorter than other US gigs. I've wondered if it has something to do with rules at the venue or something, but it was a bit crappy. I think most arenas are in built up areas in the US, but I guess I haven't looked into every state. The 10 or so states I've traveled to, they've been right downtown.

 

I don't think Werchter was longer, timewise, I think they just had less down time inbetween songs. My last Muse gig, in particular, there was just an excessive amount of time between many songs; didn't feel good for the flow, either.

I found myself wondering if Matt was suffering from the high altitude or something.

 

No, but the person whose comment you were defending did. And yeh, it was very strained, but brilliant, better than Download.

 

And yes, unfortunately I didn't enjoy that performance of The Handler as much due to how strained it sounded.

I'm just used to Muse sounding pretty fantastic, and it bugged me.

[Daekdroom]

Good lord... Last night's gig still sounded better than most of The Resistance tour, and back then we could never bet on Matt managing to sing a sequence as difficult as MC -> The Hander -> DI -> Uno... That was the time he should've bothered with singing lessons before touring (although they'd always be better than doing no prep at all).

 

I don't know why complain now that he's improved so much since the first few gigs, specially the falsetto (and the very same thing had happened in T2L tour, which had the falsetto sound tons better after months despite him getting his voice very tired towards the end).

 

But Micro Cuts is indeed an odd-pick to play live. I wouldn't mind if it gave room to Dead Star, Hyper Music, Assassin and other Drop-D stuff. It surprises me that Matt insists on singing that very song, just like it appeared in T2L arenas while people were requesting Dead Star... Uno did seem a weird choice back in Psycho Tour as well, but we've been getting a obligatory Showbiz-song revival since TR...

[aleximo]

But Micro Cuts is indeed an odd-pick to play live. I wouldn't mind if it gave room to Dead Star, Hyper Music, Assassin and other Drop-D stuff. It surprises me that Matt insists on singing that very song, just like it appeared in T2L arenas while people were requesting Dead Star... Uno did seem a weird choice back in Psycho Tour as well, but we've been getting a obligatory Showbiz-song revival since TR...

 

have you seen this forum when they play it live? place goes apeshit

[serpentsatellite]

I was always really curious what the story was behind that US Micro Cuts on the T2L tour. People were holding up signs for Dead Star, and Matt hands a sign with Micro Cuts written on it to a fan, and has him request it the next night?

 

I love the song, but I'd much rather they pick a different rarity, tbh.

[aleximo]

I was always really curious what the story was behind that US Micro Cuts on the T2L tour. People were holding up signs for Dead Star, and Matt hands a sign with Micro Cuts written on it to a fan, and has him request it the next night?

 

I love the song, but I'd much rather they pick a different rarity, tbh.

 

I call bullshit.

1. How did Matt know that fan was going to be at the next night?

2. If he did know he was there, how did he find him among thousands?

3. Why give the fan a sign instead of telling the fan to make his own?

4. He's Matt Bellamy, he doesn't need a fan to tell him its ok to play microcuts.

 

Going back to a different thread, I wouldn't call microcuts a rarity. Deadstar is probably one.

[Jobby]

Going back to a different thread, I wouldn't call microcuts a rarity. Deadstar is probably one.

 

Not sure how you're arriving at that.

 

Since 2008, Micro Cuts has been played around 8 times while Dead Star's been played roughly 21 times. If you wanna go more recent, since the T2L Tour, Micro Cuts has been played about 6 times while Dead Star's been played about 11.

[aleximo]

Not sure how you're arriving at that.

 

Since 2008, Micro Cuts has been played around 8 times while Dead Star's been played roughly 21 times. If you wanna go more recent, since the T2L Tour, Micro Cuts has been played about 6 times while Dead Star's been played about 11.

 

My rationale being that when I first got into Muse, Microcuts was a staple. I've been brought up with that being a normal track to hear at a gig. Whereas deadstar has always been this treat that they decided to dole out only when theyre feeling particularly frisky. My point in that original thread was that what one considers a rarity is based largely on when you first started seeing Muse live.

 

EDIT: You need a hobby if you have all this time to go back over gigs and count how many times tracks have been played

[Jobby]

My rationale being that when I first got into Muse, Microcuts was a staple. I've been brought up with that being a normal track to hear at a gig. Whereas deadstar has always been this treat that they decided to dole out only when theyre feeling particularly frisky. My point in that original thread was that what one considers a rarity is based largely on when you first started seeing Muse live.

 

Well...no, not really. I think most people define something as a rarity based on the current state of setlists within recent years. Map of the Problematique was a staple when I first saw Muse, as was Unnatural Selection, but I recognise that those songs are pretty much rarities/semi-rarities nowadays.

 

EDIT: You need a hobby if you have all this time to go back over gigs and count how many times tracks have been played

 

It took like two minutes to double check.

[aleximo]

Well...no, not really. I think most people define something as a rarity based on the current state of setlists within recent years. Map of the Problematique was a staple when I first saw Muse, as was Unnatural Selection, but I recognise that those songs are pretty much rarities/semi-rarities nowadays.

 

 

 

It took like two minutes to double check.

 

I've seen microcuts 4 times and never seen deadstar. I'd be delighted to see deadstar now rather than microcuts, despite it not being "as rare currently" because to me deadstar is a rarity and microcuts, not so much... thats the logic with which im thinking.

 

Where are you checking this shit? :L

[Jobby]

Where are you checking this shit? :L

 

Setlist fm.

 

It's not 100% reliable, hence why I use words like 'around' and 'roughly', but it's close enough to give a pretty accurate representation.

[serpentsatellite]

I call bullshit.

1. How did Matt know that fan was going to be at the next night?

2. If he did know he was there, how did he find him among thousands?

3. Why give the fan a sign instead of telling the fan to make his own?

4. He's Matt Bellamy, he doesn't need a fan to tell him its ok to play microcuts.

 

Going back to a different thread, I wouldn't call microcuts a rarity. Deadstar is probably one.

 

I probably couldn't find it if I tried, but I've seen the video. The man involved used to be a frequent poster, for a while.

 

Matt asked him if he was going to be there the next night, which Matt had done before to the fans holding up signs for Dead Star (he would ask them if they would be there the next night, and then the roulette would come up green, and they'd play the song.)

These fans were pretty commonly at the front. Matt recognizes a lot of them.

 

So, the video shows these fans holding up Dead Star signs (which they had done at many previous gigs) and Matt walking up to this one particular guy, and handing him one of those signs, except with Micro Cuts written on it in pen, and says something like "tomorrow."

Then, the next night, roulette comes up green, Matt asks for requests, everyone yells Dead Star, except (I assume) this one guy, and Micro Cuts it is.

 

I promise there's a video of this. Or there was.

 

*edit: it occurs to me this was in Montreal, so not even a US Micro Cuts.

Edited June 30, 2015 by SerpentSatellite

[Finn.]

"The Micro Cuts Conspiracy"

Is actually a pretty good name for a book.

 

They should play whatever they want, fuck everybody else, if they want "Micro Cuts/Guiding Light/Killing in the Name/Starlight" then is fine, they are the musicians.

[serpentsatellite]

 

This isn't the right angle, but at about 2:21 you see Matt take a sign from one fan, walk down, and give it to another.

There used to be a vid taken from over that second fan's shoulder, and the sign had Micro Cuts written on it in pen.