Muse Royal Albert Hall
London for The Princes Trust
3rd December 2018
This show is going to be the show of the year, with 'Muse playing another small capacity sell out show at 'Royal Albert Hall' (ticket's sold out in minutes) but 'Muse Snob's' came out good for each other again as this is a Lead Booker only event. I've secured my place and so now in mild rainy 'London' '3am' I'm no 24 in the queue.
Doors are 6.30pm it's dark again queuing to be let in with my fellow Lead Booker , as we line up and go through, I find myself standing left of the middle front stage, the stage is low and small in width, it reminds me of those early academy gigs in '2001' with '2015's Psycho Tour being the only time they played academy's since the early days.
Gigs this size are usually special, but the band played here in '2008' for 'Teenage Cancer Trust' and again in '2009' for a couple of songs on 'Children In Need'.
Support tonight is from 'Yungblud' he has so much energy as he bounces onto the stage with 'Indie-Rock Pop' abandon, he is leaping and jumping all over the place and shows the love for us #Musers.
After the interval we are all waiting for the Band to finally assume position on the adequate welcoming stage, tonights is the first showcase type live event in the UK for 'Simulation Theory' so I'm bouncing with adrenaline.
As the lights go down the band make their approach from stage left, the dry ice in overload purple and pink lights shine out to our face as 'Matt' walks on with those shades, he's wearing a plastic wet-look black jacket, and his red jeans, he heads straight for the keyboards in the corner as 'Algorithm' begins it encapsulates the room like a 'Movie Soundtrack' think 'Hans Zimmer'.
The roar of the crowd when the chorus "This Means War! with your creator" simply turns the volume up.
I'm already in awe and leaning almost on the barrier I'm just behind a fellow #Muser the view onstage is most spectacular with 'Chris' on right and 'Dom' waiting on drums as it's back to business with the heavy riffs of 'Psycho' the floor is bouncing the crowd are pushing on like a giant steamroller, fists aloft, Horns aloft with no means of escape, I never want to leave here.
'Matt' takes off his jacket to show off a new t-shirt which says in spaced out gaming design 'Bring On The Night' Game On !! as he launches straight into 'Showbiz' 'Matt's wavering vocals belted out in full range that by the crescendo of the song the crowd are in a moshing frenzy 'Matt's becoming his younger reckless self tonight , just what we came here for.
Then the band surprise us again with an Earquake version of 'Break It To Me' trust me it is a beast live, the surprise though is in the riffage going back to the old skool 'RATM' riffs he does so well on one of his custom made 'Manson' guitars.
We then go back to the showcase with 'Dark Side' during 'The Uprising' there was a demonstration along the front row and up at the sides 'Vips Are Killing Hardcores' a protest at the stadium tour ticket prices for Early Entry packages are between £185-£300 with a Virtual Reality Game no meet & greets with it, as loyal fans like to queue for a good place at the barrier this will be like people with more money fast tracking through.
After a brief moment of realisation from 'Matt' at the fuss his slightly puzzled expression it was back to business with 'Unsustainable' and the 'Pressure' and Matt teasing us with Wah wah riffs it's got to be and is 'Plug In Baby' and its getting even better with 'Supermassive Blackhole' intro from 'Close Encounters'.
It's now 'Dom's turn on the drums which are fitted with the new 'Simulation Theory' skin on the front bass drum he stands with drum sticks in hand for 'Isolated System', then all 3 back onstage for 'Thought Contagion' the whole room singing the chorus sprinting further forward for 'Time Is Running Out' of which that foot shuffle of 'Matt's makes an appearance kind of a half moonwalk.
Just as we are left reflecting on how awesome the show is so far they hit us with 'Stockholm Sydrome' which is actually interweaved into a 'Metal Medley' with 'Assasin'/Reapers/The Handler/ Dead Star and Microcuts ending with 'New Born' with 'Ashamed' outro finishing with 'Matt' on his knees trashing the guitar neck down into the Marshall Speaker not even I have heard anything that continuous in one 'Muse' gig it was Epic.
Then they were off only to return minutes later to echoes of "More"! stamping feet until the guys walk back on 'Matt' takes the mic and says "Thank you very much London you've raised over million for the Princes Trust charity,the Princes Trust helped us get our first gig and we are so grateful Thanks for coming".
He pause's before saying "Hands In the Air C'mon" as 'Starlight' begins whole crowd are clapping in time with 'Matt' in his element as a frontman looking into the eyes of the eager and dedicated crowd he's smiling in that moment.
There is only one way they can finish can you guess ?? well yes 'Knights Of Cydonia' the crowd bouncing up off the floor fists aloft one last time one more mosh then...
By the end of the show I'm completed drenched from head to toe still standing where I began with my hair frazzled like a toilet brush in short I look a mess, but I'm utterly exhilarated and 'Matt' says "Thank you see you next year" waves and 'Dom' grabs the mic and says his thanks and Goodbyes and 'Chris' smiling and nodding before the band were gone.
Boy fans are in for a treat next year on the stadium tour but tonight was so special it was bolder and edgier than 'Shepherds Bush' last year and that was already a historic show as we all know .
What can I say 'Gig Of The Year', 'Band Of the Decade' !!
Speechless see you all the other side of Christmas !!
Merry Xmas Musers !!!
Lmi xo
