Future Perfect - Melody Maker (february 2000)

Muse at the Colloseum in Munich - gig revieuw. There's nothing to be afraid of. It's just the future. Hold on, strap down, extinguish your cigarettes and gasp. Gasp like suffocating guppies about to be thrown back into the live-loving water. Gasp with joy. Like razor-blade systems witch dispense their own foam, like recordable DVD units and personel skycars (coming soon, really). Like isotonic cold capsules, Internet-accessing mobiles and the sweet, sweat dream of 1.000 genetically cloned Christina Aquilleras (hose me/her/them down). Muse are an amazing thing turned better. Muse has moved from magic trick to miracle, from mirage to oasis, from two to three to who knows how many dimensions. From promise to delivery. Muse were always going to become a great, great band. Tonight, it's almost scary how exhilarating they are. it's a short set. In a facelles, freezing warehouse. In front of Bush fans. In Germany. But it's pure theatre in here, it's the 'Showbiz' they named their debut album after. It's frontman Matt Bellamy screaming through mechanical appliances on opener 'Uno", making the sound of a nuclear war with his thtoat; It's utterly inspiring. But it's calm and serene too, Matt's soft, soft stroking upon his shrieking guitar as fluid as the salive of a kiss. It's the way he trashes it around his body without brakingsweaat but nearly breaking bones. It's the way he's violent but gentle at the same time. He has become a total star and I find myself in absolute awe of him tonight. So this is one of the five best gigs I've ever been to. It really is. The molten downpour of 'Sunburn' cutting right through the wax in our ears wich told us not to feel music and more. The everest of sound called 'Falling Down' reminding us just how we've let our standards slip in recent months, before raising them back up towards the God-kissed heavens. The sinister, Latinstalking of 'Muscle Museum' invading us, conquering us, burning our personel villages into soot. And best of all, a new song called 'Plug in Baby' which is Elvis swallowing asteroids-so beautiful it stings, so electric it'd re-animate the dead And throughout this all our eyes are glued to Matt, a manor-born hero signing his name boldly, deeply and darkly into the history books. He's a bewitching guitarist, for sure-he's practically reinvented the dear old thing- but he's an even greater soldier, a ridiculousy cocky, short-arsed Napoleon, fighting on our side for a change. Napoleon mixed with Freddie Mercury in that twitchily spooked 'I'm Going Slightly Mad' video, perhaps. And a fair bit of Bowie with balls. And a voice that could disintergrate the doves in the sky. Oh, and he's not like Thom Yorke after all. He's better than that. Well, tonight at least. And Muse, right now, are better than anything, anywhere. They've just gone and reinvented the wheel. Let them mow you down. Robin Bresnark

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