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Somewhere between when the robotic trombonists marched onstage and the four-story-tall cyborg/skeleton monster hovered over the band, one thing became clear:
This might be the best rock concert the Bay Area witnesses all year.
Talk about a thrill ride.
Muse took the stage at Oracle Arena in Oakland around 9:20 p.m. March 9 and would spend the better part of two hours delivering a pure rock ‘n’ roll spectacle, filled with amazing special effects, dynamic performances, some two dozen solid songs and plenty of confetti.
Now, the powerhouse British act — consisting of vocalist-guitarist Matt Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme and drummer Dominic Howard — is usually pretty great in concert. Yet, this show — part of the sci-fi/fantasy-themed Simulation Theory World Tour — is special even by Muse’s high standards.
Here's how @muse starts show at @OracleArena @MattBellamy pic.twitter.com/3r1k4Z00Or
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
It’s a sweeping production, which captivates from start to finish. The visuals are stunning, combining to create a towering futuristic world that grows more intriguing as the night progresses. Plus, the set list is stellar, showcasing Muse’s eight-album catalog in a way that underscores that the band deserves to someday be a first-ballot inductee in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Watching the band deliver one amazing moment after another in Oakland, I was deeply reminded of some of rock’s all-time greats.
Mighty @MattBellamy and @muse pic.twitter.com/S6HfEx0LQC
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
Indeed, it’s amazing how much Muse shares in common with the legends of the genre. The band is as ambitious as Pink Floyd, as powerful as Led Zeppelin and, at times, as heavy as Black Sabbath. The musicians can handle an anthem as well as U2, be as artsy as Radiohead, and even toss in a little Prince-style funk on occasion.
And Muse was all those things, plus so much more, in Oakland, without ever coming across as inauthentic or a copycat.
And then there’s Bellamy, who — in terms of pure talent and range — might be the best rock vocalist to come along since Freddie Mercury of Queen.
We will b victorious @muse @MattBellamy @OracleArena pic.twitter.com/6uWFtQQilg
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
The group strongly showcased the tour’s namesake, especially in the first half of the show, with six of the first 10 tracks of the night coming off Muse’s eighth studio album, “Simulation Theory.”
The new songs held up incredibly well next to the classics, the powerful arena-rocker “Uprising” and the funky feet-mover “Supermassive Black Hole,” as the trio and its wild cast of accompanying characters — the robotic trombonists, folks in hazmat suits, spacey “Tron”-like travelers — delighted the full house of appreciative fans, who were on their feet throughout the show.
Super massive black hole @MattBellamy @muse pic.twitter.com/1pFEsqaCZw
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
One of the highlights off the new album was “Thought Contagion,” delivered by Bellamy as a horde of something resembling space zombies followed him out on the catwalk that stretched from the big main stage to the smaller secondary stage placed halfway across the arena floor. Another was the gospel-flavored “Dig Down,” which the band performed in a stripped-down, acoustic-driven setting from the secondary stage.
Everything the band attempted worked — and worked very well — including when Bellamy went out into the crowd to touch hands during “Mercy” and then sang to a skull in his hand, like Hamlet talking to poor Yorick, during “Take a Bow.”
Dig down @MattBellamy @muse pic.twitter.com/nD8uSekbcj
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
Just when you thought the band had completely emptied its bag of nifty tricks — and, most certainly, it’s confetti cannons — Muse unveiled a giant inflatable monster that towered some four stories over the stage, waving one sharp claw at the musicians and showing its teeth in menacing fashion.
It might have the coolest prop since Pink Floyd (or, at least, Roger Waters) built The Wall.
What a night — one that these fans will likely be talking about for years to come.
Madness @MattBellamy @muse pic.twitter.com/Q9R4XmSxqk
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
Wow @muse pic.twitter.com/rNHGg6kQ81
— Jim Harrington (@jimthecritic) March 10, 2019
