Muse / National Bowl / Milton Keynes

Jun 27

Jun 27 Muse / National Bowl / Milton Keynes

A barmy summer Sunday night, and a 100 mile trip down the M1 to Milton Keynes in 32 degree temperatures – air con blasting, for the first rock show to be held at the National Bowl for 7 years, as prog rock megastars Muse come to town. I’ve read a few reports since about traffic horrors with some queuing from just 3 miles away at 4pm, to still miss the Royal Blood support at 7. Clearly somewhat rusty (to say the least) it still took me 2 hours to get in, only just getting to the pit intime for The Warning…

But nothing could dampen my enthusiasm for this one, and I’m sure things will improve as they start to host more shows, and wow, what an amazing outdoor venue it is, with it’s grassy banked amphitheatre form.

So first up, on the huge stage at 18:05 we had The Warning. Three sisters from Monterey in Mexico, Daniela (vocals and guitar), Alejandra (bass) and Paulina (Drums) Villarreal Velez, who play a hard hitting alt-rock style. Opening track Z has a powerful drum intro courtesy of Paulina, and crisp clear and powerful vocals from Dani. It sets the scene for the whole set, full of energy.

Next up is their most recent single More which has a great blues-rock feel to it in places mixed with some great distorted guitar riff chorus sections. The Villareal Vélez sisters are the real deal. Choke feels different again, with a much harder edge to it.

For money Dani took up a bright yellow Manson guitar, which has apparently been given to her by Muse’s Matt Bellany. Alejandra plays a mean bass, and gives their sound its depth and power. Thjere was even a brilliant interpretation of Metallica’s classic Enter Sandman. Top stuff !

The set closes with Evolve a pacey strutting anthem of a track, with a power chorus that just screams to be sung back.

A thoroughly entertaining set, the sisters haver a skill level that belies their youthful ages. Already incredibly popular worldwide, watch out for The Warning, one I’d love to see headline in the UK soon.

Set List

Choke

Money

Enter Sandman

Error

Disciple

Evolve

Nice to be able to sit in the shade to the side of the stage, as the gear is packed away, and set up for Royal Blood who took to the stage at 19:00. Basically a duo with Mike Kerr on bass and vocals and Ben Thatcher on drums. Formed in Worthing, West Sussex in 2011 they play a style of alt/indie rock.

It must be hard for a duo to command such a gigantic stage but I have to say Royal Blood did a brilliant job, with Ben on drums getting to his feet and encouraging the fans at every point he could. But it’s the quality of the music for me that fills a venue, and the boys made this feel like a 2000 capacity Rock City. The sound quality was spot on, and the music reached every corner of the park, with heavy beats and deep powerful, raw bass driving the tracks, it had the huge crowd shouting and cheering throughout.

Opening track Out of the Black is a great example with razor like bass and loud sharp toms supporting powerful vocals. It’s amazing the depth of sound the guys can make with so few instruments, Mike using pedals to lay down a groove track and then performing riffs over the top to add depth. The unrelenting pace continues with Come on Over, both tracks form 2014’s “Royal Blood”.

I loved the live version of Boilermaker (from 2021’s “Typhoons”) with its gritty riffs and beat that blast out at the audience. For me, the highlight track was the title track from their 2017 album How Did We Get So Dark?

Royal Blood were brilliant and really set the crowd up for what was coming next.

Set List

Out of the Black

Come on Over

Boilermaker

Lights Out

Trouble's Coming

Mountains at Midnight

Little Monster

How Did We Get So Dark?

Figure It Out

A chance for a drink and a rest before 20:30 and the arrival on stage of Muse. As I headed out into the pit to take some photos I looked round and the place was packed. Security told me it was round about 50,000 ! You couldn’t see a spare blade of grass anywhere.

Hailing from Teignmouth in Devon Muse were formed back in 1994 by Matt Bellamy (vocals and guitar), Chris Wolstenholme (bass) and Dominic Howard (drums). With a unique brand of melancholic progressive rock, they have released a string of classic albums including “Origin of Symmetry” (2001), Absolution (2004) and “The Resistance” in 2009. Their latest album “Will of the People” came out in 2022 and sold over 51,000 copies in the UK in it’s first week and was their seventh album to top the UK Album Charts.

The smoke started up and out they walked dressed in all black with shiny chrome like robotic face masks. The first bass notes were so deep and powerful, you felt it more than heard it as the logo at the back of the stage erupted into flames as they started with the new albums opening track Will of the People. This was followed by the ever popular Hysteria from 2004’s “Absolution” as the crowd join in with the “I want it now” chorus. There’s a delicacy and intricacy to Muse’s music, but the sound tonight was exceptional, allowing all the elements to shine through…. Crisp loud beats from Dominic, with heavy bass riffs galore from Chris, and of course the tight, crystal clear guitar work from Matt Bellamy.

The delicate introductory arpeggiated keys signal the start of Bliss and the crowd scream as one as Bellany’s vocals drift over the crowd.

The stage was covered in lighting rigs, with chrome like mirrored panels suspended from the roof reflecting the light down. Visually it was an incredible set with the giant face and glove representing the theme of the latest album. What with streamers and pyrotechnics galore, it’s truly a mammoth presentation. Not to mention the monster inflatable demon at the end of the set !

All the tracks you’d want to hear were on display, with Supermassive Black Hole sounding more powerful than ever with it’s stabbing introduction giving away to power riffs and then creamy vocals. It’s something to behold seeing such a big crowd singing along to the chorus.

The squealing guitar is a give away to the start of Plug In Baby my favourite Muse track, a great illustration of how they balance soft and complex tones with rich, raw power. Definitely a favourite with the crowd too. Throughout the show both Chris and Matt would walk down the long ramp top perform solo on the end stage for the crowd to huge cheers, with Matt pausing on the return to squat down and play guitar for the crowd close by to huge cheers.

Uprising from 2009’s “The Resistance” with it’s anthem like chorus wowed the crowd before the main set rounds off with a rendition of Starlight from “Black Holes and Revelations” from 2006.

We enjoy a short encore with the sirens introducing the killer track Kill or Be Killed from the latest album “Will of the People” with it’s sharp, dramatic power riffs, followed by the fan favourite closing track Knights of Cydonia from “Black Holes and Revelations”. The perfect end to a show with racy guitar track. Who could forget the futuristic wild west video. The track actually sounds like future cowboys racing across the desert plains as the crowd join in with the classic line “No ones gonna take me alive, time has come to make things right”.

But all the glitz and razmataz in the world does nothing if the music isn’t any good. No worries there then…… Muse were simply stunning. Just WOW…. Wow that’s all I can say.

The selection of support bands could not have been better, with both The Warning and Royal Blood pulling out all the stops, and Muse were simply sensational. The light show, pyros and set design were massive, but what made it so special, was the sound. Their music shone through as exceptional.

With road closures in place after the show, it took some time to get on the main road home, but I don’t think one soul would have cared one jot after such a breath-taking performance.

Muse have added some new tour dates for the autumn, stopping in Dublin (3Arena) on 27/09, Manchester (AO Arena) 29/09, and then the London O2 (01 and 02/10). And if you needed any other excuse to grab a ticket while you can, along with Royal Blood, they will be supported by the mighty Nova Twins too…

Set List

Will of the People

Hysteria

Psycho

Bliss

Resistance

Won't Stand Down

Compliance

Thought Contagion

Verona

Time Is Running Out

The 2nd Law: Isolated System