“Reapers,” from Drones, was the most viscerally exciting six minutes of rock on record this year, and served the same function in concert, opening with “Eruption”-style noodling from Bellamy and going into a series of shifting riffs that James Hetfield and company might feel hard-pressed to keep up with. Bellamy, for his part, though, still does a fairly stunning job of being this band’s Freddy Mercury and its Brian May, with short, devastating solos that would make him a guitar hero if that were his sole function in the unit. The other touchstones are musical: Muse has always been dogged by, or benefitted from, comparisons to Queen, though these came to mind less often at Staples, if only because the stacked harmonies on record couldn’t be reproduced live with bassist Chris Wolstenholme as the sole background vocalist. (December shows set for Las Vegas and San Diego were at the last minute pushed back into January, with “unforeseen logistical and technical challenges” cited as the culprit.) Things really got Floydian when a black bomber emerged and circled the entire arena, which can’t help but echo the moment when Waters has a WWII warplane crash during his Wall shows. These globes were a marvel of stagecraft - and you could see why there could be complications of the sort that caused a recent Muse show in Texas to finally go drone-less after being delayed by a couple hours. The FX centerpiece of the show is a dozen floating orbs meant to represent the impersonal war machines that are a recurring lyrical motif in the band’s recent Drones album, albeit outfitted with handsome mood lighting that actual defense contractors tend to leave out of their unmanned aircraft. As emphatic political messages go, Bellamy prefers to let the giant floating gizmos do the talking. Muse Aims High But Hits Somewhere in the Middle with ‘Drones’: Album ReviewĪn even more relevant staging comparison than U2 is Pink Floyd, or Roger Waters, since singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy avoids any Bono-style rapport with the audience (his remarks were limited to a couple of murmured thank-yous). It makes for a pleasing, if not fearful, symmetry, with the 20,000 fans (in a very Muse-friendly market like L.A., anyway) all getting a pretty good 360 deal. In this case, though, the show is completely in the round, rather than having a main stage at one end, and the screens are a succession of willowy, transparent sheets, rather than LEDs. Presumably strictly by coincidence, the production design of the Drones tour bears a basic similarity to U2’s stage setup on their 2015 tour, with a long runway that basically bisects the entire arena in two, or at least for the full length of the floor, with big screen effects frequently descending over the ramps. The staging alone at Staples brought up two most-mentioned touchstones. Usual promotion rules apply, see For further information, please write to Customer Care, Evening Standard Limited, Northcliffe House, 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT.Talking about Muse’s own muses is a subject that bears addressing early and often, since the easy comparison points to various classic rock acts are what devotees and detractors find most or least attractive about the band. The prize is non-transferable and there is no cash alternative. Prize excludes other expenses such as transport in the UK, travel insurance, food and drink, personal expenditure and incidental costs. There is no meet and greet available as part of this prize. A visa may be required upon arrival in the United States. A valid passport is required for each participant. The winner will be the first entry selected at random after the closing date and will be contacted by Tuesday 6 October 2015. Two nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation in a three-star minimum hotel, transfers in Los Angeles and £300 spending money. The prize includes return flights from London or Manchester. There is one prize of a two night trip to Los Angeles to see a pre-tour rehearsal by Muse. Terms & Conditions: Promotion closes at 23:59 on 4 October 2015. I would like to receive further offers and promotions from Kilimanjaro Yes No New West End Company BRANDPOST | PAID CONTENT.
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