Amazing, A-MUSE-ing

**If you haven't already, check out the Blog Party post! Update coming soon!**

Muse may very well be the best live band on tour today. Spectacular. Seriously amazing. We had decent seats in the loge section at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine, and we had the good fortune of having no rain, despite the 50% chance warning. It seemed that the heavens above saw fit to wait until the show was over to let the waters pour. We were in our [previously very dirty] car and well on our way home when the deluge fell. Woohoo!

You can read my previous raving about Matt Bellamy's talents, but I have to re-emphasize briefly just how talented Muse is, especially Bellamy. The man is incredible on the guitar, on the piano, and vocally. I wonder if there's anything this little guy can't do. I am so in love with Bellamy's pimped-out Kawai MP-8. It's a digital stage piano housed by a black grand piano shell with a clear acrylic lid and MIDI-controlled lights. So. Damn. Cool. I wish I had one of these!

I strongly encourage you to view the following clip of last night's performance of "Butterflies and Hurricanes," my all-time favorite Muse song. It really showcases Bellamy's abilities. The best part, in my opinion, starts at about 3:15. If you don't get chills by around 4:05, there is something wrong with you. By 4:55, the whole place is singing along. Loudly.

Here's another clip of a song you may recognize, "Starlight," which has been on the radio. It's shot from farther away, but the sound is remarkably good, considering it was likely recorded on a point-and-shoot.

And...the setlist (as best as I could recall):

Knights of Cydonia
Map of the Problematique
Hysteria
Supermassive Black Hole
Butterflies and Hurricanes
City of Delusion
Sing for Absolution
Feeling Good
Apocalypse Please
Soldier's Poem
Invincible
Starlight
New Born
Time Is Running Out
Plug in Baby

Encore:
Take a Bow
Stockholm Syndrome

It should be noted that Muse played homage to both Rage Against the Machine (with a short Tom Morello riff before "Hysteria") and John F. Kennedy (with a clip of a speech before "Take a Bow"). That's the kind of band this is. If you're not a Muse fan now, you should become one.