Concert review: British rockers Muse go for it with bonkers Target Center show

Ross Raihala, Pioneer Press
·2 min read
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Maximalist British rock trio Muse returned to Minneapolis’ Target Center Sunday night for their first local concert in nearly a decade.

What have they been up to since we last saw them? Well, singer/guitarist Matt Bellamy has fallen out of the tabloids after splitting with his fiance Kate Hudson in 2014. (They reportedly remain friendly and share parental duties for their son.) He’s also abandoned his belief in conspiracy theories, which was always a stain on the group. As for prolific bassist Chris Wolstenholme, he’s added two more kids with his second wife and took in two more from her previous relationship, bringing his brood to a total of 10.

As for their music, Muse is touring on the back of their ninth album, last year’s “Will of the People.” The band’s label wanted a greatest hits collection, but Bellamy decided instead to make a record of new songs that sound like they’re already hits. As such, the 10 tracks — most of which they aired live Sunday — sound like snapshots from Muse’s past works, which dabble in everything from prog rock to electronic dance music.

When Muse hits the mark, they craft thrilling, dramatic miniature epics that sound custom-made for budget-busting blockbuster movies. Think “Hysteria,” “Supermassive Black Hole,” “Time Is Running Out” or “Knights of Cydonia,” all four of which proved to be highlights Sunday night. Unfortunately, the band’s misses manage to somehow come off as both overheated and underbaked at the same time, which describes the bulk of “Will of the People.”

In concert, though, Muse manages to sell the lesser stuff thanks to their sheer strength of will and a performance style best described as everything, everywhere, all at once. Sunday night, the band’s stage shot streamers, confetti and fire, with a dazzling array of lights, lasers and fog adding to the atmosphere. All of it served one over-the-top number after another in a blur of crush and grind. (That said, their totally magical take on 2012’s “Madness” offered brief relief from the clamor.)

Bellamy, Wolstenholme, drummer Dominic Howard and new touring member Dan Lancaster tore through every song as if it was the last. Bellamy’s voice is as terrific as it’s ever been, and he can still effortlessly slip into falsetto on the turn of a dime. Bellamy, backed by Lancaster, makes a ton of noise, but Wolstenholme’s muscular playing ensures he never gets lost in the mix. The bassist really went for it during the utterly thrilling “Uprising” near the end of a totally bonkers and wildly entertaining evening.

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