Just saw MUSE tonight, meh...

[takayanagi97]

They've been playing the same general gigs that they have for like the past 2 years. Ever since Drones was released they played a lot of similar stuff. It was almost like they played "big hits" from all of their albums. The only thing they played from OoS was "Plug In Baby." and not even a signature track from that album like Citizen Erased.

 

They played only their biggest and easily likable songs. Meaning the easy ones. Knights of Cydonia, Time is Running Out, Hysteria, Dead Inside, Madness, Supermassive Blackhole, Stockholm Syndrome, etc....

 

What's missing: Showbiz, Megalomania, Muscle Museum, Screenager (Rachiminov version), Microcuts, Hyper Music, Fillip, and Cave.

 

So disappointed that the British for some reason get to hear some of the goods songs but not the Americans. We get the generic songs lol.

 

Also, I have a question, what's with their new guitars? It doesn't have that raw amp sound that they used to do back in the analog days. The new guitar Matt was using tonight sounded like this guitar hero thing and while Matt played the damn thing fantastically, the damn guitar sounded so flat and plain. Whatever it is the new guitar sounds really synthetic and doesn't sound as good as their older guitars.

[Jobby]

You sound surprised, dawg. Have you not seen them for a while or kept up with their touring habits? That was actually a hella good set by US standards with TAB, SS and especially Butterflies.

 

Also the tone thing isn't down to the guitars themselves, just Matt's current rig setup. Fair amount of people have the same complaint thought - too washed out/'damp' and probs too fuzz + phase reliant as well. Shame 'cos Chris and Dom sound brill.

[MartianSpaghettiRider]

You sound surprised, dawg. Have you not seen them for a while or kept up with their touring habits? That was actually a hella good set by US standards with TAB, SS and especially Butterflies.

 

This could be a pretty good sign for US fans actually, showing that maybe the complaints about the sets haven't fallen on deaf ears.

But maybe it's a bit too late, considering there are just few American gigs left.

[Jobby]

Nah, there's been complaints about US sets for yeeeeeeears. Don't see why they'd change their mind towards it now.

 

Biggest sign of that is NKOK coming back. Dropped it for the UK gigs 'cos they knew it'd actively get a bad response but just aren't as fussed for US gigs.

[MartianSpaghettiRider]

Nah, there's been complaints about US sets for yeeeeeeears. Don't see why they'd change their mind towards it now.

 

Biggest sign of that is NKOK coming back. Dropped it for the UK gigs 'cos they knew it'd actively get a bad response but just aren't as fussed for US gigs.

 

I should've added "this time" after the first paragraph.

If I were to attend the Shoreline Amph. gig, though, to me TAB, SS and BAH would have made up just right for NKOK.

[01FromFinland]

They played only their biggest and easily likable songs. Meaning the easy ones. Knights of Cydonia, Time is Running Out, Hysteria, Dead Inside, Madness, Supermassive Blackhole, Stockholm Syndrome, etc....

 

What's missing: Showbiz, Megalomania, Muscle Museum, Screenager (Rachiminov version), Microcuts, Hyper Music, Fillip, and Cave.

You new here?

[takayanagi97]

You sound surprised, dawg. Have you not seen them for a while or kept up with their touring habits? That was actually a hella good set by US standards with TAB, SS and especially Butterflies..

 

Yeah, been stalking their set lists since Drones Tour in 2015. After looking at their recent shows in Reading 2017 and Leeds 2017 though, I was low key praying for at least them dropping some old school gems like Showbiz and Citizen Erased though. I'm not surprised though, I think the crowd last night ruined the chance for any other Showbiz/OoS era stuff to be played last night. Why? Because Matt told everyone to sing along with him during Plug In Baby and NOBODY was singing along and it seemed like no one even knew what Plug In Baby was.

 

My girlfriend and I were the only ones singing it and people were turning around looking at us like "wtf?" because we were the only ones singing it lol. Ironic, I found it funny that when "Mercy" and "Knights of Cydonia" or "Uprising" came on, everyone went insane because they knew those ones. This just simply meant the majority of the stadium didn't listen to older stuff.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention Starlight. The crowd went insane during Starlight but no one knew Plug In Baby. It seemed like most fans last night were only aware of MUSE's BH&R-current day stuff but nothing else.

 

As a matter of fact I talked to some of the fans and most of them just seemed to acknowledge MUSE as a band with a big reputation and decent skills, but not many of them were like deeply invested into all their music. Would this be considered 'casuals' ?

 

The people there last night weren't bad but just observing the crowd reaction I instantly understood why MUSE plays all the easily likable songs or whatever.

 

When they played Stockholm Syndrome not many people were singing along as well. The part where he goes "This is.... the last time I'll.... forget you!" it was like quiet lol.

 

It could be because where I'm from in northern California we have lots of hipsters and wannabe tryhards. It maybe because lots of people who were there were for 30 Seconds to Mars. Who knows...

 

You new here?

 

 

Lmao

[That Little Animal]

Yeah, we know. Welcome to the sad reality of the American Muse fan.

 

Try and catch a gig in Europe if you ever have the chance. The setlists still won't be nearly as good as they could be, but there's a good chance of getting something better, same with the crowds.

[Lord Fusspot]

They've been "meh" for the best part of a decade now to be fair.

[Jobby]

It could be because where I'm from in northern California we have lots of hipsters and wannabe tryhards. It maybe because lots of people who were there were for 30 Seconds to Mars. Who knows...

 

OOS didn't come out over there for a fair few years tbf, so PIB was never really the huge song it is most other places. Black Holes and TR were what started to kick them into the US limelight as well so I guess it'd make sense for the crowd to mostly react to stuff from then onwards.

[smoledman]

Muse have been 'meh' ever since their hiatus after 2008 to record 'The Resistance'. The last great Muse gig was 2008's Royal Albert Hall which featured the big church organ on "Megalomania".

[White Heat]

No you are all wrong, they sold out in 1997.

[That Little Animal]

They've been "meh" for the best part of a decade now to be fair.

 

But now they're extremely meh.

[Butterflyfan]

That Little Animal, Smoledman, Muse have never been "meh" and will never be!!

Have a look at the Reading gig! I was there and their perfomance was really good and Matt's voice during Showbiz (and all the other songs anyway) was flawless and left us (the people around and I) speechless! I have seen them 7 times and I have never been disappointed. I have seen many other bands or singers but nobody can compete with them.

 

Yeah, been stalking their set lists since Drones Tour in 2015. After looking at their recent shows in Reading 2017 and Leeds 2017 though, I was low key praying for at least them dropping some old school gems like Showbiz and Citizen Erased though. I'm not surprised though, I think the crowd last night ruined the chance for any other Showbiz/OoS era stuff to be played last night. Why? Because Matt told everyone to sing along with him during Plug In Baby and NOBODY was singing along and it seemed like no one even knew what Plug In Baby was.

 

My girlfriend and I were the only ones singing it and people were turning around looking at us like "wtf?" because we were the only ones singing it lol. Ironic, I found it funny that when "Mercy" and "Knights of Cydonia" or "Uprising" came on, everyone went insane because they knew those ones. This just simply meant the majority of the stadium didn't listen to older stuff.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention Starlight. The crowd went insane during Starlight but no one knew Plug In Baby. It seemed like most fans last night were only aware of MUSE's BH&R-current day stuff but nothing else.

 

As a matter of fact I talked to some of the fans and most of them just seemed to acknowledge MUSE as a band with a big reputation and decent skills, but not many of them were like deeply invested into all their music. Would this be considered 'casuals' ?

 

The people there last night weren't bad but just observing the crowd reaction I instantly understood why MUSE plays all the easily likable songs or whatever.

 

When they played Stockholm Syndrome not many people were singing along as well. The part where he goes "This is.... the last time I'll.... forget you!" it was like quiet lol.

 

It could be because where I'm from in northern California we have lots of hipsters and wannabe tryhards. It maybe because lots of people who were there were for 30 Seconds to Mars. Who knows...

 

 

Lmao

 

Nobody went insane when they played Butterflies and Hurricanes? WTF??

 

But it's sure it's different from the European crowd. In Reading, but also everywhere where I went to see them, the whole crowd was singing all the songs.

[Lord Fusspot]

Your signature says your first Muse gig was 2013 so perhaps had you seen them 5 years earlier you may feel differently. They're good but they're not great any more, sadly.

[kueller]

They're good but they're not great any more, sadly.

 

Well then I guess it's settled.

 

Nobody went insane when they played Butterflies and Hurricanes? WTF??

 

But it's sure it's different from the European crowd. In Reading, but also everywhere where I went to see them, the whole crowd was singing all the songs.

 

The US crowd, as a whole, does not show any widespread care until Madness anymore. A few individuals can't make up for thousands. European crowds are another world entirely.

[takayanagi97]

.

 

Nobody went insane when they played Butterflies and Hurricanes? WTF??

 

But it's sure it's different from the European crowd. In Reading, but also everywhere where I went to see them, the whole crowd was singing all the songs.

 

Apparently I must be considered a die-hard MUSE fan (I hate labeling myself a fan of such in anything or anybody) but I must say that I have habits of doing stuff diehard fans would do. Prior to you posting this I already had watched the entire Reading and Leeds setlists on YouTube and watched everything and even imagined myself being there. The crowd went nuts and it seemed like everyone knew what was up. The crowd singing to every melody and lyric to their songs is implication they "had lots of listening" to those songs!

 

Over in my place there was barely anyone who knew Plug In Baby. Butterflies and Hurricanes was also barely noticed by anyone. Except me of course. I love Butterflies and Hurricanes but my best memories with that song is back in 2005 haha. I heard NOBODY besides me singing to Butterflies. It was awkward but I didn't care.

 

It seemed like the crowd was just like "ooooh and aahhhh" during the piano moments. It's like they never would've imagined this guy could play the piano well. Even though Matt has played the piano superbly in his previous live shows like Hullabaloo.

 

Fun random fact: At the very end the concert, there was intense traffic because everyone was leaving at the same time. So there were hundreds of cars and pedestrians walking by to get to their cars after the concert. I decided to "gauge" all the hundreds of people walking by my car and see how they would react if I rolled my windows down and played some older MUSE songs live. I played Showbiz, Microcuts (Haullabaloo version), Muscle Museum (Hullabaloo version), Screenager (Hullabaloo w/ Rachiminov intro version), Fillip, Plug In Baby, and other oldies. No one seemed to turn their head and look over to me car, no one even reacted. Either they were in a rush to get home or they simply just aren't that much into MUSE I guess. Only one girl reacted to me playing Showbiz and that was it lol.

 

Am I crazy?

Edited September 20, 2017 by takayanagi97

[kueller]

I wouldn't have paid much attention to someone playing Muse songs in their car with the prospect of having to wait over an hour just to leave the parking lot, which is what I had to do.

[musefanva]

Consider yourself lucky, OP. Look up the sets from Nashville and Atlanta this year and you'll see what I got (although I was glad to get the Handler). Also the show I saw in Norway in '13 was pretty much the only show on tour that didn't get any of Bliss/New Born/Maps. So sometimes you can get dicked on European shows, too.

 

That being said, I've always had a great time at a Muse show and will still go when they come back to the states.

[takayanagi97]

Consider yourself lucky, OP. Look up the sets from Nashville and Atlanta this year and you'll see what I got (although I was glad to get the Handler). Also the show I saw in Norway in '13 was pretty much the only show on tour that didn't get any of Bliss/New Born/Maps. So sometimes you can get dicked on European shows, too.

 

That being said, I've always had a great time at a Muse show and will still go when they come back to the states.

 

Actually you got The Resistance! My girlfriend and I recently got into it and she LOVES TR (song). I enjoy it a bit too so I think you got a bit lucky there! It says you got Globalist too and I wish I could've heard that. I love Globalist.

 

I wouldn't have paid much attention to someone playing Muse songs in their car with the prospect of having to wait over an hour just to leave the parking lot, which is what I had to do.

 

That's probably right. It was like midnight and people wanted to get home. But why would people be so moody over that after the show? I was still pretty happy like a good hour or two after the show.

[That Little Animal]

That Little Animal, Smoledman, Muse have never been "meh" and will never be!!

Have a look at the Reading gig! I was there and their perfomance was really good and Matt's voice during Showbiz (and all the other songs anyway) was flawless and left us (the people around and I) speechless!

 

Well. Kid. Trust grandpa when he says that compared to the creative and energetic three-piece powder keg they were back in 2000-2008 it is hard to not see their current comparatively lackluster 15 song Muse-by-number playback-infused US sets as meh.

 

I did indeed watch the Reading gig, as well as the Shepherd's Bush gig. They were pretty damn great indeed. Have you, in turn been to any gigs in the US? Were you at the snooze fest that was their latest Oakland show? Have you been to the show the OP referred to?

[JessicaSarahS]

That's probably right. It was like midnight and people wanted to get home. But why would people be so moody over that after the show? I was still pretty happy like a good hour or two after the show.

 

I magically got out of that parking lot in 10 mins when it usually takes me 1-2hrs. I absolutely loathe the escape from that place and I'm always in a bad mood right after any show I go to at that venue. But we were screaming with joy this time around because of our record time!

 

And I ignore people blaring any music from their cars. It's a nuisance and doesn't even sound good unless you're inside the car.

[Nicklord]

When I saw Muse in 2007 they did 15 songs where one of those is Soldier's Poem which is like 2 minutes long so it's not like they always played long sets. That was always the thing with them.

 

The show I saw in 2015 at Rock Werchter is the best I've seen them so far.

[Butterflyfan]

Well. Kid. Trust grandpa when he says that compared to the creative and energetic three-piece powder keg they were back in 2000-2008 it is hard to not see their current comparatively lackluster 15 song Muse-by-number playback-infused US sets as meh.

 

I did indeed watch the Reading gig, as well as the Shepherd's Bush gig. They were pretty damn great indeed. Have you, in turn been to any gigs in the US ? Were you at the snooze fest that was their latest Oakland show? Have you been to the show the OP referred to?

 

Kid? I'm older than you!

I admit I would have loved to see them before. Even if I have known Muse since 1999 I have really been into them since 2010 but I haven't seen them before 2013, that's true.

I'd like to see them more. But I live in France and I'm not rich enough to buy ticket planes (+ hotels and ticket concerts) to see them in the US. My trips to England, Germany and the shows I attended in France far from my home cost me an arm and a leg. But I know I will go and see them again when they come back.

Concerning the songs they played during the Drones Tour you can't say The Handler (and the crazy visuals), Reapers, Psycho, the Globalist, Bliss, Stockholm Syndrome, Hysteria, Apocalypse Please, USoE, Assassin, TAB, MOTP, KOC are lackluster. And personally I like Starlight, Revolt, UD, Dead Inside, etc... so no problem for me.

During the Unsustainable Tour and the festivals in 2015 I also had Citizen Erased, Uno, Blackout and Unintended, among others, which hadn't been played for many years. That was great and people were insane and amazed by the show.

 

A good show also depends on our personal tastes, I don't like half-naked musicians on stage (that will never happen with Muse hopefully), high or drunk singers (hello the Libertines!!). I know in advance that with Muse I will have a perfect musical (and visual) performance and that jumping Matt will always sing in tune. They have fun on stage. I don't care if Matt doesn't break a guitar or throws it on Dom. When Brian Johnson came on stage in Reading Matt was happy like a kid and that was visible...and I was at the front (crushed but happy!)

Edited September 20, 2017 by Museaddict74

[Jobby]

A tour can look great when you list songs like Assassin, TAB, AP, Map, Stockholm and Bliss as being featured but you'd be considered v lucky to see any 2 or even 1 of them at a single gig, let alone the nigh on lottery odds at US gigs.

 

Your average gig's absolute highlights were probs Psycho, The Handler...Dead Inside(?) and maybe Reapers if you were lucky. Then whatever you happen to still be into out of the hits, which obvs varies from person to person.

 

And that's just taking the songs at name value - if you caught the band on a night where they seemed like they weren't really bothered, it was easy to feel turned off no matter what you normally like.