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CONCERT: Muse/Razorlight
Venue: The Sphere, Buffalo, NY
Date: Thursday, April 21, 2005
Reviewed by Bill Holmes
Before my daughters were born, I fantasized about the lessons in rock and roll that I would impart. As they sat cross-legged on the floor, wide-eyed and innocent, I'd fan out the albums of one musical icon after another ("Girls, this is Frank Zappa. Be not afraid!") and fill their heads with sound. I'd pass along the years of cultural wisdom I had soaked up from every cool magazine from Creem to Uncut until they, too, were teeming with musical factoids and immersed in obtuse musical statements. They would each be my rock and roll Mini-Me, my progeny, my legacy...
Fortunately I outgrew that little Nazi nightmare and let the girls follow their own path. One of the thrills of being a parent is watching your children discover and develop their own pop culture, even though it occasionally (Spice Girls) can be a painful (TLC) experience. A little osmosis never hurts, of course (Rule One - he who drives, selects the CD that plays in the car), and eventually those planted seeds are rewarded - like when they ask to borrow some Dylan or Ronnie Wood. A greater reward, perhaps, is when the tables are turned and the student becomes the teacher. Such an event happened last summer when Lizz, my younger, asked me to take her to a Muse concert and promised I'd like them. Smart girl. This time around, I was as excited as she was.
And why not? You'd be hard pressed to find a better trio of musicians than Muse. Imagine if someone who could actually sing fronted Rush, or if Emerson Lake and Palmer tossed away the prog indulgences and decided to craft some shorter melodic pieces. Matthew Bellamy's powerful falsetto is comparable to Radiohead's Thom Yorke in that it is an acrobatic instrument as vital to the band's sound as a guitar or keyboard (both of which are masterfully played by Bellamy as well). Drummer Dominic Howard and bassist Chris Wolstenholme provide a seamless bottom end that can explode like a thunderstorm but tiptoe below a delicate melody if appropriate. Tracing Muse through four albums and a flood of singles and videos shows (ahem) progressive improvement; their strongest is arguably Absolution, last year's breakthrough album and the source of much of the set list's highlights.
Although it was part of an MTV2 Campus Invasion Tour (albeit at a downtown theatre that has nothing to do with the area colleges), by concert time there were no cheesy aftereffects of that lame channel to be found. Instead, from the opening strains of "Hysteria," the sellout crowd was energized by the power of music, pressing the stage and singing in unison at every opportunity. Hard to pick a favorite, although "Butterflies and Hurricanes" was strong and "Time Is Running Out" almost brought the roof down. Bellamy would end each song with a sustained chord, which the guitar tech would also strike on the replacement guitar. Brilliant! The transition was seamless and one song would segue into the next - I can't believe no one ever thought of this before! Kudos also to the band's sound and light crew who craft a unique and memorable multimedia presentation for each performance. Too many bands either outgun their production or drown in a sea of annoying visuals meant to convince the audience that they are witnessing something worth their inflated ticket price. The crew supporting Muse wisely use their tools like instruments supporting the song and create a memorable atmosphere that enhances the band's performance. And did I mention a very reasonable ($17.50) ticket price? Do not miss this band, especially while you can see them in a 1500 seat club instead of The Enormo-Dome.
Opening act Razorlight played an impressive, impassioned set that was unfortunately disrupted by an annoying buzz from a drum microphone (it's a kick drum - couldn't you just turn the mic off?) that eventually drove lead singer Johnny Bornell from the stage in frustration. The audience, engaged beforehand, never recouped the moment; their attention focused upon cocktails and idle chatter for the remainder of the show. Too bad...songs like "Rock And Roll Lies" and "In The City" show the band has true promise, and the band looks capable of living up to the hype. But being heralded by the Brit press is no sure ticket in the States; for every Radiohead there's...well, Oasis.
© 2005 - Bill Holmes