Kerrang! 2008-03-29 – Dubai Desert Rock
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The following is an excerpt of Kerrang (26 Mar 2008)'s cover story about Dubai Desert Rock 2008, which featured bands like Machine Head, Muse, Killswitch Engage and Velvet Revolver.
Words by Tom Bryant
"All that remains is for Muse to finish the show. This is a gig that, as Matt Bellamy put it before he arrived in the country, "We are just playing for fun really, it'll be a bit like a holiday. When we're on tour these days, we tend to have clean fun most of the time. Then, occasionally, we'll go crazy and have some dark fun. Dubai will definitely be dark fun..."
When they emerge from their cabin, they do so in splendid style. Drummer Dom Howard is resplendent in lime green, skin-tight trousers, bassist Chris Wolstenholme sports a magnificent porn-star tache, while Bellamy has a steely look in his eye. They march past Matt Sorum, who pats Howard on the back and gets a friendly "Hi" in return, before they pass Weiland, who ignores them until the minute they round the corner. Then he drops his cool and races after them to get to the side of the stage before they play their first note.
And from that first note, the peeling riff of Knights of Cydonia, until the last, they absolutely destroy the stage. Mosh pits erupt left, right and centre while, at the side of the stage, Velvet Revolver's Dave Kushner bangs his head frantically. Muse are the band he listens to on his headphones to psych himself up before he steps onstage, and, standing alongside them, he looks thrilled to be in their presence.
Meanwhile, in the sound booth in front of the stage, Machine Head bassist Adam Duce is standing with his mouth open at the spectacle.
"Jesus Christ," he shouts, staring at Bellamy. "The dude has such an awesome voice and he's such a badass guitar player, he almost makes you want to kill him! The bass player's no slouch either, it's pretty incredible."
In fact, the only low point of the show is when Muse unleash their trademark confetti-filled balloons into the crowd. Not a single one makes it over the barrier, leaving an annoyed Howard to moan later that "it looked like the bloody bloke carrying them was trying to pop them himself."
Still, it's a set of incredible skill and one that leaves the crowd breathless. The final touch is a flurry of fireworks overhead that Muse watch from backstage just minutes after finally stepping from the stage.
"Now that was a fun show," says Howard. This summer's all about enjoying ourselves and doing a few leisurely gigs. I can't think of anywhere better to start than here."
Then, as the final firework explodes, he turns with the rest of his band and steps into his dressing room with a wide smile of someone who knows a job has been done well. As the last remains of the crowd file out, there's not a single person who would argue with him."