Muse @ Fort Canning Park, 16 Jan 2007

I still remember, the first time i heard Muse's music, i thought, it's the kind of music that's bound to sound 100x better live than recorded. Not that I don't like their recordings, I do! (A lot) It's just that, well, there's the magic of a live that can't be captured on the CD. For some bands, it doesn't matter, but for Muse's brand of dramatic rock, I was sure something else would be found in their lives.

Boy, was I right! Singapore was lucky enough to be one of their stops during their current tour, and on 16 Jan 07, at Fort Canning Park, they blew the crowd away, i tellya. Since it was after work, I could only arrive at the venue just minutes before the scheduled starting time of 8pm. But there was still a long queue to the entrance, so by the time I got in, it was about 8.15pm. The band didn't come out till about 8.30pm. There was a sizeable crowd, but it wasn't packed full, imagine that! They were still selling tics at the door! This is the band whose live at the UK Wembley Stadium was sold out within 1 hr of release!

The show focused on the music, with minimal lighting or other special effects. They only let loose a bunch of huge confetti-filled ballooons into the audience halfway through the show, and i think there were also some fire sparkles at the end. But really, with the band's charisma and stage presence, there wasn't a need to depend on effects. My eyes were rivetted to the members all the time. Matthew's guitars were totally mersmerizing! As were his piano solos! What intensity! I also didn't expect his vocals to sound so clear live.

Yes, I was moved close to tears at some parts of the live. Sometimes at the most unexpected parts! (like during the guitar solo in "Invincible", this is the first time I think, that I've been moved to tears because of a guitar solo in a song like this!)

The setlist was a mix of old and new songs:
01. Knights Of Cydonia
02. Hysteria
03. Map of the Problematique
04. Butterflies & Hurricanes (YESH!!!)
05. Supermassive Black Hole
06. New Born
07. Forced In
08. Bliss
09. Feeling Good
10. Sunburn
11. Invincible
12. Time Is Running Out
13. Plug In Baby

Encore
14. Soldier's Poem
15. Starlight
16. Stockholm Syndrome

It's amazing what came out of these three people (+ support keyboardist). For a glimpse, there are 3 short video clips up on www.stomp.com.sg. Here's one: Hysteria.

The members didn't speak much to the crowd. But at the end, I thought i heard them say "See you next year!". Did they??? I hope so! Muse is a band i'd consider travelling to watch. Too bad their shows in Malaysia and Taiwan fall within the dates I'll be in Japan!

I went to check out the tour mechandise only after the live, but many items were already sold-out, so i didn't manage to get anything, sob! The mad squeeze out amongst all those sweaty Singapore men was just un-tahanable... but, by that time i was already grinning from ear-to-ear and lightning could have struck for all i cared, i was already thinking, the ticket's totally worth every cent!