Music
28 Sep 23

Live Report: Muse deliver a spectacular show at Dublin's 3Arena

Muse at 3Arena. Wednesday 27th of September 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

You could never call Muse understated, but that same sense of excess is what makes their live shows so jaw-droppingly captivating.

If there was ever a band that deserves an arena tour, it’s Muse. Despite the 3Arena’s capacity clocking in at 13,000 people, it’s barely big enough to keep Muse contained. Muse seemed determined to put on a show with as many elements of grandeur as humanly possible, and as a result, delivered an event that was unlike any other gig I’ve been to.

Muse at 3Arena. Wednesday 27th of September 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

The show had so much sensory input that there was nothing to do but submit yourself to the experience. The exultant audience was greeted with complicated pyrotechnics, overwhelming light shows and a massive statue of their music video character ‘Will the Hacker’ that looks like it just stepped out of a video game. I’m going to emphasise that in case you thought you read it wrong: a gigantic rotating head and glove towered over the members from the back of the stage, and it’s a testament to how epic Muse’s music is that all of this show didn’t overpower the elaborate nature of the music itself.

And there’s no other word for it. Muse is epic, from frontman Matt Bellamy’s unwavering rocker-falsetto to Dominic Howard’s heartbeat of a drumline, to Chris Wolstenholme’s shredding- and I mean absolutely SHREDDING– on the bass. They played crowd favourites like ‘Psycho’ and ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ that had even seated ticketholders on their feet, screaming along with the lyrics as if their lives depended on it.

Muse at 3Arena. Wednesday 27th of September 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Apologising in advance in case they messed it up, they also played three songs off of their 2004 album Absolution that they hadn’t played in over six years. It’s an addition to the setlist ahead of the upcoming rerelease in honour of twenty years of the seminal album. The confidence in which they delivered their grandiose tracks to the world stuck out upon its release, and it paved the way for a career that has lasted nearly two decades.

However, as someone who discovered most of Muse’s music in one go, their most recent album sticks out to me as some of their best work. While a lot of artists’ later albums and tours can be experimentally misguided, 2022's Will of the People is a great example of how to keep it relevant and modern while sticking to the sound that you’re known for.

Muse at 3Arena. Wednesday 27th of September 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

Muse’s sound is recognisable from just a note or two: heavy bass and ferocious anti-establishment lyrics with relentless production that makes you feel like you’re in a sci-fi movie is a niche Muse found and easily made their own. They did this twenty years ago with Absolution, and they’re doing it now– and yet it doesn’t feel dated. Its themes are relevant, almost too relevant, and despite a lack of guitar music in the current mainstream Muse’s unique brand of rock is timeless.

Muse is also clearly keeping an eye on the future– openers Nova Twins are the future of rock music, with their hardcore sound and fearless songwriting destined for arena headlining. They’re not new on the scene, but the rock duo is finally getting recognition and it’s a breath of fresh air.

Muse at 3Arena. Wednesday 27th of September 2023. Copyright Miguel Ruiz.

I don’t normally give live shows a rating, but if I did, this would be an easy ten out of ten. Muse gave us two hours of rock excellence, and you can forgive the admitted ridiculousness of the visuals because of the confidence and genuineness of how it was presented. I truly hope they never stop playing shows, because I find it hard to believe that this niche they’ve created will ever be badly received.

Muse is the past, and Muse is the future.