Concert Review: Muse - Minneapolis, MN (With Opener: Dead Sara)

I've never written a concert review before so bear with me while I stumble through this process. I bought tickets to this concert the minute they went on sale and have been eagerly been awaiting it's arrival for six months now. As expected, I have a serious case of post-concert depression now that it's over. What do I even have to look forward to anymore? Cue melodramatic violin music.

Sort of unrelated note: Can I start out saying that Target Center is one of my least favorite venues to hear a concert on earth and this is why I was adamant to get GA floor seats. The nosebleeds in that arena make me want to jump to my death (which could be accomplished by leaning forward just a bit...they're that steep) so I'm curious to see how the concert looked from up there.

Anyway, Dead Sara were the opener and they opened the shit out of the show. There aren't enough words to describe how dynamic this group is. I like to think of myself as a closet punk-rocker meaning the music is amazing but I'm incredibly uncool (example: calling myself a "closet punk-rocker") and feel a bit out of place listening to metal or metal-ish music. That being said, I enjoyed the crap out of it. Any musician that likes to climb on top of amps and scream their lungs out is good in my book. Emily Armstrong, the lead singer, has a voice that could raise the dead. The power that comes out of her is unlike anything I've heard and her rasp just adds this extra cool factor. Immediately after getting home I downloaded their self-titled album and while it's amazing, I highly suggest seeing them live. From what I've experienced, usually a band is better on their album than live but the opposite is true for Dead Sara. They ROCK in person and I don't think I could bold the word "rock" any more. So much emphasis on rock. Basically, go see them live. I don't remember the last time I was so excited about an opening act.

Favorite tracks: Lemon Scent, Test on My Patience

Super Grainy Picture Taken By Me On My Super Shit Camera

A good hour after the opener (ugh) Muse took the stage. I may or may not have let out a squeal or two when the lights went dark. I WAS THAT EXCITED. Muse opened with Unsustainable, my favorite, and everyone else's least favorite, track from The 2nd Law. Unsustainable is the perfect track to open a show to and I was so into it. Really, I don't want to get into every song or whatever because the whole show was literally perfect. The only gripe I have is that they completely ignored Origin of Symmetry. It's my favorite album and New Born definitely should have been included in their setlist. They did have a good variety of music from all their other albums including two personal favorites, Stockholm Syndrome and Knights of Cydonia.

Shit Instagram Photo Taken By Me

Shit Picture of Awesome Lighting

Muse can definitely keep their title of being one of the best arena bands in the world and I can't say another word about anything without mentioning the lighting. I knew it was going to be good...I read the other reviews...I've seen the videos... but seeing it in person is beyond words. All I can say is that I'm glad I don't have epilepsy so I can experience the magic of lasers and strobe lights. It might have been nice to be a couple feet back from where we were to experience the full show of lights but there's a fine line between being too far back to see the band and too far up to miss the lights. I guess I'd rather look at Matt Bellamy even though he reminds me of an ostrich...a super talented ostrich.

The crowd was pretty good. It seems as though I can't go to a show without there being at least one psycho bitch who is drunk-crying, yelling at people and threatening to punch out her boyfriend. Get it together, girls. Of course, I also had a mega douche mosh his way directly in front of me two seconds before the show started. He stayed there for about three songs, strung out of his mind, phone up in the air blocking my view and his rock arm smacking me in the face. I did the subtle "push you in the back like people are pushing me but really I'm trying to move you as far away as possible" move and he got the picture and moshed his way closer to the stage. Seeing a mostly male, 18+ crowd, was a nice change from what I've gotten used to lately. There's just something infinitely better about guys at a concert than screaming (read: shrieking) 13-year-old girls. I'm even willing to put up with the extra height and body odor. Minnesotans are known to be slightly...reserved...so I was happy to see people jumping around and singing. There was a really good energy to the crowd that night and I was so happy to be a part of the front group of Muse fanboys and girls.
The only thing bad thing I have to say is that I was getting so frustrated at the amount of people recording things on their cell phones. Please take a minute and realize that by holding your cell phone you are literally blocking the view of everyone behind you. I don't care if you take pictures or video or whatever...I'm a concert photographer for fuck's sake...but be subtle and considerate about it. Your 10 minute cell phone videos are going to end up shit anyway. I guarantee someone will have a better video of the exact same thing on YouTube. Just enjoy the damn concert and put your phone down.

See? Phones. Go Away. (says the person taking a picture with a phone...it wasn't above my head though)

Overall, Muse were one of the best live acts I've ever seen. I feel like I say that after a lot of concerts I go to but there was really something extra special to this show. Maybe it was a combination of the energy, lighting, and sheer talent of Muse. I really can't say but I would recommend seeing them live to anyone and everyone. Even if you aren't a fan of their music the spectacle is worth the money alone. This show wasn't even sold out. Are you kidding me? America, get your shit together.

The best picture I could get out of my shit camera.