(MUSE) Blissful bit of rock 'n' roll hysteria

Belfast News-Letter
Monday 23rd February 2004 

REVIEW 
Muse @ The Ulster Hall 

HAD it been Carnegie Hall, let alone the Ulster Hall, the explosive rock sound of Muse would still have swallowed the venue whole, not even spitting out the bones. 
  The scale of the show by this superb three-piece was pulsating stadium rock at its finest in a venue where you can still see the whites of band members' eyes. 
  Spiky-haired singer Matt Bellamy, bassist Chris Wolstenholme, and drummer Dominic Howard made their presence felt in every corner of the venue. Indeed, the band seemed like giants on the stage, covering every inch of it, throwing themselves into the magnificent, soaring rock sound, which is almost operatic in parts, Matt's vocals rising effortlessly to the top notes. 
  From the TNT distortion of opener Hysteria, they barely paused for breath, apart from the odd nod of appreciation to the sell-out audience, so engrossed in the musical odyssey they were unleashing. 
  On the three-screen backdrop came sunsets, full moons, and journeys through space, while Matt's six-string showmanship pulled out every trick from Hendrix to Page to Townsend, to an assault of strobe lighting. 
  That, however, it not all, as Matt's not bad on the ivories as well, stepping behind a bright disco-light keyboard to add the classical overtones to their urban, frenetic rock cache such as the epic Time is Running Out and roaring crowd-pleaser Muscle Museum. 
  It was all rounded off in splendid OTT fashion as black balloons were released onto the audience amid whoops and screams for more from the band.
  This was a pure, undiluted, cranked-up slab of entertaining rock the way it should be - all without the aid of catsuits. Fans of The Darkness, please take note. 

(Gary Gilliand)

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