Tour Diary, June 2000 (Showbiznet page)

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Saturday 3rd June 2000 - Sheffield Leadmill

Whenever I am about to see Muse I suffer form an overwhelming sense of anticipation and excitement. Today was no different.

I arrived at the venue at 5.50 pm and was relieved to discover only six other fans waiting for their pride of place at the front. Time dragged by, another hundred fans arrived; I glanced at my watch and was disappointed to discover that it was still only 6.45 pm. Then a burly, middle aged security guard politely informed us that we could go into the bar, have a drink and wait there.

A-ha, a change of scenery. What a significantly more entertaining change of scenery it was too. As through the doors we got to watch them set up. Boring you may say? However whilst this was going on Dom was on his BMX practising handle bar turns and bunny hops. To begin with his success rate was zero. What became apparent though is his obvious determination to succeed. I expect it was this drive which makes his drumming so exceptional.

Anyway, after half an hour he'd perfected these moves; then be moved on to croggy Chris around the venue, until they both fell off!!

Coldplay strolled on at about 8.30 pm. I managed to snap up their set list which went:-

Spies
Don't Panic
High Speed
Yellow
Trouble
Shiver
Everything's Not Lost

It was the second time I'd seen them and I have to say they are brilliant. Their set was compassionate, enchanting and you cannot deny those tunes, oh, their melodies are refreshing. Even Dom watched on impressively from the side of the stage. If it was any other band than Muse that had to follow that I'd have been very worried for them indeed.

However Muse came on at 9.45 pm and were greeted by an enthusiastic, wild crowd and we were greeted by a technical problem! Matt tried to sort it out with the roadies but then suddenly, he ran off. To be honest, I didn't think he was coming back. Just for a minute I believed he'd been struck by the obnoxious rock'n roll star disease!!

Proving me wrong he sauntered back on after five minutes, strapped on his guitar, positioned himself behind his keyboard and began an anger fuelled, spinechillingly ferocious set. The crowd were insane; the crowd surfing frequent and the screaming ceaseless despite continual minor technical difficulties throughout.

We are rewarded with Chris stage diving, Matt attempting to blind himself and the total destruction of the kit at the end.

I didn't get the set list tonight as my pen was knocked out of my hand in the mayhem. Nevertheless they played New Born, Plug in Baby and an untitled track; b-sides Minimum, Yes Please and Ashamed and various album tracks including Cave and Showbiz. The biggest shock of the set was their cover of Nina Simone's "Feeling Good," as diverse to the original as you'd expect yet remaining very soulful...well psychotically soulful!

I have come home confused. Can they get any better? I say it every time and every time they do.

Sunday 4th June 2000 - Wolverhampton Civic Hall

Aarrgghh Oh, my God. I can only begin by saying tonight was better than last night. I arrived a little later tonight at 6.10 pm but it made no difference as a friend of mine, Leanne, was at the front already.
There was a truculent race for the front row tonight, the girlies fighting for a good view of their Teignmouth Adonises!

Crikey, I never thought it would have come to this ���. well, I suppose deep down I always knew!

The expectancy in the atmosphere was irresistible. Coming on at 8.15 pm Coldplay took full advantage of this tonight and played another blinding set, pulling us immediately into their beautiful harmonious world.

Chris was on top form tonight; before �Shiver� he said �the person to jump the highest during this gets a prize ��.. I don�t know what yet though ���

He is a charismatic frontman possessing the qualities to hold us in the palm of his hand. How he does too!!! Oh, Dom was there again ��

Muse were on at 9.05 pm and undoubtedly gave the best performance of their lives. Well, the best that I�ve ever seen anyway!

I write down the set list tonight which went:-

New Born
Uno
Sunburn
Falling Down
Razor Blades/Natural Disaster ?
Feeling Good
Ashamed
Cave
New song?
Muscle Museum
Plug In Baby
Fillip
Yes, Please

encore: - Unintended
Minimum Showbiz

There was nothing obviously different about Muse tonight but something had changed within them Maybe they were mentally sucking our energy; draining us, taking us through their frustration, ideals and demons. As I said I am not entirely sure what it was but they had something different tonight.

Every song was either delivered with monstrous, hypnotising energy or soothing, enchanting sincerity.

Again tonight �Showbiz� ended with the demolition of the kit. Matt skipped with his leads, Chris ran around like an extra from Gorillas in the Mist and Dom sat down just ��laughing, until ��

Well, Chris and Matt preceded to destroy the kit but Dom fell and landed slumped across his bass drum. Matt saw this as a great opportunity to pour a bottle of water over him; so Dom pulled Matt onto the floor and they began fighting.

Feeling left out Chris joined in and the three had a very comical wrestle. Dom survived leaving Matt and Chris lying battered in each other�s arms. Just like we were ��but what fun they had in the process.!

I�ve come home tonight and I believe Muse are like a tornado. They pull you in, tear your world apart but you rebuild it, setting new standards, leaving it stronger than it ever was before.
Muse are 4 real and you�d better believe it.

Tuesday, 6th June 2000 - London

I suppose this entry isn�t 100% relevant as I didn�t actually go to the gig tonight: I went to see the Deftones instead at Brixton Academy. However, my friend Kim and I waited with some friends outside the Astoria where I met some new people and spoke to a Muse roadie called Sean (the one with vivid red hair) whose �phone number I now possess for future reference!
The Deftones were amazing and the new songs are as fierce as previous material despite the rumours of them �mellowing out�.

On the bus home I sat near a man who�d been to see Muse. He informed me it was his first time and said he was �gobsmacked at their power and I now think they�re brilliant�. An average Muse gig then ��

The fans outside the Astoria (7th June 2000)

Daniella (age 20), Sabine (age 19) and Simone (age 19) from Germany.

Q: How long have you been into Muse?
A: One year - heard them at our local club.

Q: How many times have you seen them?
A: Twice

Q: What time did you arrive today?
A: 4.00 pm

Emily (age 22)

Q: How long have you been into Muse?
A: Since Sept �99 after seeing a recommendation on an Unbelievable Trust mailing list.

Q: How many times you have seen them?
A: Four times.

Q: What time did you arrive today?
A: 5.30 pm

Anna (age 21) from Berlin

Q: How long have you been into Muse?
A: Since Oct �99 when I saw the Muscle Museum video on TV and it made me cry, as Muscle Museum was Muse�s first single in Germany.

Q: How many times have you seen them?
A: Three times

Q: What time did you arrive today?
A: 4.30 pm.

Kate Scott (age 49)

Q: How long have you been into Muse?
A: 3-4 months after seeing the �Sunburn� video on MTV Brand:New.

Q: How many times have you seen them?
A: This is the first.

Q: What time did you arrive today? 5.00 pm

Rachael (age 19) from Nottingham

Q: How long have you been into Muse?
A: Since May last year when they supported 3 Colours Red

Q: How many times have you seen them?
A: Eight times.

Q: What time did you arrive today?
A: 5.30 pm.

Wednesday, 7th June 2000 - London Astoria

I met up with some friends for this one. Tonight was great as I was guest-listed and didn�t need to queue. But I started queuing at 7.00 pm anyway, as I wanted my usual place down the front and would have hated to have missed My Vitriol.

Ah, yes, on they came at about 8.00 pm to a very hungry Astoria audience. My Vitriol in industry terms are a very new band which tonight showed in the band members� personal stances. This does not mean their music is at all shy. In fact this personal shyness makes My Vitriol very seductive indeed and made their musical fierceness truly shocking to this audience. During their opening song �Always Your Way� the girl next to me said �Oh my God I had no idea this was them, they�re fucking brilliant.�

As their performance progressed we were pulled in, on a comparable level to that of the headliners here tonight. My Vitriol produce a gargantuan, intense noise but with masterful tunes; the underlying melodies and the lyrics are truly intimate, wildly tugging at your heart strings.

Mmm, noise with tunes and a reasonably shy band �� sound familiar? If I didn�t dislike making comparisons I�d mention the �N� word here.

Throughout the performance they all revealed more. Seth is confident, his guitar work unfaltering; Carolyn is bewitching and statuesque and Ravi is riveting, constantly smiling and communicating with us! Then there�s Som, a cluster of bombs exploding randomly. He screams, twists, contorts and throws his guitar around the stage. Feel his pain and feel My Vitriol.

Get this, My Vitriol are as genuine as you get and hit me over the head with a sledgehammer if they don�t mean it. Catch on now and be there proud when they�re here headlining next year. Som is full of surprises; he�ll reward you and believe me you�ll want to be there when he finally explodes.
Their set list tonight went:-

Intro
Always Your Way
Cemented Shoes
Pieces
Intro
Losing Touch
Tongue Tied

Normally your average band would be terrified at the prospect of being sandwiched between the two high-powered, explosive bands that were on tonight.
Coldplay, as I�ve said before, are no average band. They came on at 8.40 pm, played the same set again but remained as equally beguiling to me as previous nights. I found myself singing along tonight; their gorgeous, heartening songs growing on me like bees around a honeypot on a scorching summer�s day.

We were won over again tonight. It appears Coldplay are beginning to do that with abundant ease.

�Look at the stars, look how they shine for you ��

Coldplay are pure, luminous and unlikely stars. Put your telescopes down and watch triumphantly as they fly!!

Now, if only July 10th would arrive so I can finally possess and cherish those songs for good.

Muse were always going to be good tonight weren�t they? But how good? I�ll put you out of your misery. They were mind possessing, transferring your brain to the euphoric land of Muse. If you�ve been misfortunate enough not to have seen the live experience, picture this ��

The sexiest man/woman you�ve ever seen comes up to you, kisses you and informs you that they�re been searching for you their whole lives. They then give you �10 million pounds, a car and a mansion. You then find out their their parents are God (���.. just image OK?) and they put all the world�s problems to right immediately. A dream world right?

Well, just for 70 minutes that�s the land Muse take you to. A land where nothing else matters, just for that 4,200 seconds everything else equals zero. Can you imagine how monumentally idyllic that feels? Now imagine having one of your teeth pulled out at the same time and you�re just about there!�

Strange but true �� or maybe that�s just me being flattened at the front!!

The set list differed from Wolverhampton and went:-

New Born
Overdue
Sober
Intro
Sunburn
Falling Down
Feeling Good
Agitated
Cave
Muscle Museum
Plug In Baby
Fillip
Unintended
Uno
Minimum
Showbiz

The customary kit trashing had a slight twist as Matt fell off the drums and over his amp. Chris and Dom walked off to deafening hysteria but Matt just lay there motionless. He was still there 10 minutes later �� then finally dislodged himself after 17 minutes! Proving yet again that Matt is honestly and realistically on another planet when he�s on stage �� to watch he�s phenomenal.

Summing it up I believe Matt has evoked the spirits of the following: Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Buckley, Kurt Cobain and Leatherface �.. yes, that Leatherface from the Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Muse is the freshest, most relevant, electrifying and schizophrenic band in the world today. Can I hear laughter? Yes, I did say that, and I�m a girl who, at times, has a tendency to listen to death metal!

Muse are prodigious superstars in the making. If they continue to consistently perform at this standard then they�ll finally reach their own personal dreamworld destinations.

Aftershow

Now, most of it is a blur but I can remember some parts.

It was held at a swanky club around the corner and they even had a lady in the toilets to help you wash your hands (I�m not used to this!). Beer and wine was available free of charge. Additionally I drank Mr Bellamy�s (he he) champagne which was of superb quality. He revealed that the new song titles aren�t finalised yet and will inevitably change. He�s had a fantastic, enjoyable tour and told me that I psyche him up during the shows! Whoopie, oh my God �� I suppose I do go into that world!

My Vitriol, Coldplay, Brian Molko, Bellatrix, Dark Star, Crashland, co.uk, Twist and various Melody Maker and NME journalists were all there. I spoke to nearly everyone (Dom and Chris included) and they all had a great time.

The funniest and most bizarre thing was Brian Molko and his boyfriend asking me back to theirs! (ha ha). Showbiz eh? Not what you�d imagine.

The above review was written by the great Rachael Shipley. (Thankyou!)

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