Written by Athena

Everyone has that band that got them into music. I was about ten years old when I played Guitar Hero III at my friend’s house and heard the song “Knights of Cydonia.” The exquisite melodies and dramatic roller coaster of instrumentals, paired with the inspiring lyrics, were enough to get ten-year-old me hooked. Fast forward, and I made the connection to the Twilight movie baseball scene when “Supermassive Black Hole” played in the background of one of the most iconic scenes. I just knew I had to have their new Resistance album downloaded and played on repeat on my iPod Nano. Ever since then, and for the last 18 years of my life, Muse has been my all-time favorite. (Next to My Chemical Romance, of course.)

This was my sixth time seeing them, and of course, they did not disappoint.

Muse played at the Cascades Amphitheater in Ridgefield, Washington, on August 22. They debuted their tour for their new album, The Wow! Signal, which was released in June. Compared to their last album, Will of the People, it brought back the classic Muse sound that we all love. Listening to The Wow! Signal was a breath of fresh air as a longtime Muse fan. It opens with an absolutely cinematic banger that transports you through a cinematic world.

When I listen to it, I picture a dramatic movie scene of riding horses through the deserts of Arabia while something evil chases you in the distance. I literally dropped my jaw the first time I heard this song. It quickly unfolds into dark, Hans Zimmer-style cinematic undertones. Finally, it becomes almost metal and pairs with chanting, which I have never heard them do before. It is truly iconic. Then there are the more beautiful and slow, melodic ones like “Space Debris” and “Shimmering Stars.” Muse has always had this beautiful dynamic range that I've always admired about them. They are able to make pure art rock and transport you to a different world, as well as make you emotional and think. This album does just that.

Unfortunately, the setlist did not have “The Dark Forest” or “The Sickness in You and I,” as a lot of people had hoped. But it did cover a wide range of classic Muse songs, along with a spread of new songs from the album. Something Muse does beautifully live is the production. They always seem to mix it up while keeping their same cinematic masterpiece on the stage. It is crazy how alike they always sound to the recordings. It blows me away how three people can make such powerful music.

Muse never fails to put on an extraordinary show while making each album tour its own, yet cohesive with their brand. If you have never seen Muse live and love a great stage performance, they will surely blow you away!