No One Like You in the Universe.

I once again got to go see MUSE in concert in Las Vegas. They played at Mandalay Bay Events Center and it was a fantastic time! It's been two days since the concert and I'm the square that can't bring myself to take off my GA wristband. I will wear it like a piece of jewelry. The nice thing is that it's a color I rather like and it has M's all over it so I can say it stands for Mary, MUSE or I suppose what it's supposed to be which is Mandalay.

Here are our tickets, which we were not able to have in our hands until 5:30pm the day of the show.

A long time ago I purchased glow in the dark hair gel for Ragnar but it didn't come in time for the one I wanted it for and I never used it for any others. This stuff was starting to become years old and I decided that if you can't use glow in the dark hair gel at Vegas then where in the world could you use it? So I bit the bullet and attempted it. It worked for the first 30 mins of having it on. After that it was just SUPER stiff and wet looking hair. FAIL!

The show begins....

I'm still learning this camera thing okay so some shots are eh.

This one here is where I learned that maybe I should look at the shot first and make sure they are facing you.

I love their shows!

Matt is playing on Chris' side of the stage!

I read someone once say that Matt has the voice of a space angel, so here is the cosmos to prove it.

The big fire filled finale!! Somewhere in all that light is MUSE. 

 Now before all this started though I thought I had taken a picture of all our wristbands. Apparently I didn't push the shutter button all the way down. I'm still learning plus I was still sick. I blame those reasons. So insert a picture of 3 hands wearing our sweet wristbands because it was these two ladies who made the night that much better. They helped me with my hair, they allowed me to be that person who takes pictures, they didn't laugh when I timed Knights of Cydonia wrong and started early but most of all they stayed right there next to me the whole concert. I'm sure I was annoying but anytime I looked they were standing right there.

And this part is mostly for me but I want to be able to easily recall the set list so I'm posting it here, for me. *source www.musewiki.org*

1.  Isolated System
2.  Supremacy
3.  Map of the Problematique + Dead Star riff
4.  Supermassive Black Hole
5.  Resistance
6.  The Star-Spangled Banner + Panic Station
7.  Man with a Harmonica + Knights of Cydonia
8.  Montpellier Jam + Explorers
9.  Follow Me
10. United States of Eurasia
11. Liquid State
12. Madness
13. Time is Running Out
14. Undisclosed Desires
15. Stockholm Syndrome + Freedom outro

ENCORE 1

16. Unsustainable
17. Uprising (extended)

ENCORE 2

18. Starlight
19. Survival

Until we meet again MUSE.

Please don't stop the music

I know it is blasphemy for me to say this but there are other artists, other than MUSE, that make my toes tap, head bop, heart go pitter patter. People who could just read the phone book and it would be lovely. Strum their fingers in the air and produce an interesting melody. Of course, MUSE, can do those things as well. Better than anyone, in my humble opinion. Nonetheless I am interested in artists music.

I have never understood why an artist doesn't release the entire album of songs. Why create an album of 10-15 songs to only release 4? And how do you go about choosing which songs are then released? I have always wanted someone to spend the time it would take to release an entire album. Show that every song they invested time and heart into is worthy for the ears. In this vein, I'm compiling my list of albums that deserved full exposure.

To make it easier I'll just tell you now that every MUSE album is on this list.(6 albums) Every Matt Nathanson album as well.(6 albums) Dido.(3 albums) Garth Brooks.(7 albums, I consider everything after that awful Chris Gaines thing to not be him.)

These are in no particular order:

Kim Richey - self titled - released 1995
I came across this album from the song titled, Let The Sun Fall Down, after it appeared in an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. A lot of my music comes from tv shows but when 1 song prompts me to buy an entire album, then it must be good. Kim has such a way with saying tough things but making it sound beautiful. Her songs have been rerecorded by numerous artists but she sings them better. I've actually dubbed Just My Luck as my life theme song.

Dar Williams - The Beauty of The Rain - released 2003
The title track off of this album was featured on an episode of Alias. Which was a gold mine for pretty heavy, beautiful, poetic music. If you only want to listen to one song choose The One Who Knows. Whispering Pines is very eerie and peaceful and introduced me to Cliff Eberhart.

Fiona Apple - Extraordinary Machine - released 2005
I liked songs of her before this album, but never the full album. This was the first time her full album caught my attention. What appealed to me was the delay in its release. I got it on sale at Target for $10. One of the best Alexander Hamiltons I ever spent. I would listen to this album if it was nothing more than the melody. Fiona just adds to it greatness. The playfulness of Extraordinary Machine, the piano on Parting Gift and the grandeur of Waltz(Better Than Fine). I will waltz to it, I promise.

Oleandar - February Son - released 1999
I used to fall asleep to a cable broadcast radio station, which is where I heard Stupid. At the time cdnow.com was the place to buy music online. (They later joined with amazon.com) I immediately purchased this album. They cover The Cure's 'Boys Dont Cry' and it was one of the first remakes I heard that rivals the original. I find this album to be a great running soundtrack.

Poe - Haunted - released 2000
Written as a tribute to her father and as an accompaniment to her brothers novel, House of Leaves. I always found the album haunting, pun intended, and am nervous about ever reading the novel. But I love her style on this album. One of the first concept albums I ever listened to. The first 9 songs are so different from the final 7 but it works as a whole. Spanish Doll, Amazed, Control and Terrible Thought. Take a listen.

Benny Benassi Presents the Biz - Hypnotica - released 2003
One of my all time favorite electronic albums. As the title suggests I go hypnotic when I listen to it as a whole. Again an awesome running soundtrack right here. I came across this album as I was researching what songs appeared at the Berlin Love Parade. If anyone can catch that reference, let me know. I also find this album to be great to clean to because I just keep going right along with the beats. Never stopping.

Patty Griffin - Impossible Dream - released 2004
Folksy women singers are my favorite. In case you hadn't started to see a pattern. Patty Griffin is no exception. I ran the Ogden Marathon to this album. It marked the first time I had ever used an MP3 player during a race. Again I heard Kite Song on an episode of Joan of Arcadia. The lyrics are just wonderful and inspiring.

Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes - released 1992
I remember my older sister having this album but I didn't listen to it until it was several several years older. I was intrigued by the lyrics of "But what if I'm a mermaid?" in Silent All These Years. Then I heard China and Crucify. I bought the album, my own copy. I listen to it heavily still.

The Von Bondies - Pawn Shoppe Heart - released 2004
I heard C'mon C'mon on X96's top ten at 10 when I would drive home from working at the Clearfield Pool.(Which as a side note was how I discovered MUSE as well.) I purchased the album from Virgin Records, which is now long gone and at the time the clerk asked me if I was going to the concert the next night. No I wasn't but I so considered it. I love the garage feel the album has to it. Again, they cover Try a Little Tenderness to near perfection.

Lostprophets - Start Something - released 2004
I dont recall how I ever heard of this band. I just know I love how the songs end then go into something different. Nearly each song. I love trying to stay caught up with the fast paced that most of the songs have as well. I'll never forget how I really didn't know the lyrics to I Don't Know. I thought they were saying "I suck at it all and cant find my way home" which later turned out to be "I'll stop getting lost and find my way home". I also think that they write some wonderfully complex stuff on this album.

Keane - Hopes and Fears - released 2004
Piano heavy music, what is not to love? This album slowly built on me. But I'm glad I kept giving it time to seep into my mind. I loved the music video to Somewhere Only We Know. I enjoyed this album so much that I made sure I purchased the follow up, Under the Iron Sea. Not quite as good but maybe I haven't given it time.

Remy Zero - Villa Elaine - released 1998
I love the names they give their songs. I bask in the ego that I feel that Prophecy put outs. Gramarye? Never heard of it. But I checked into it. Will you? The bipolar disorder of Hollow, starts off slow-ish and ends fast-ish. Life in Rain, lyrically superb. Motorcycle makes me want a black motorcycle. Just listen to this album already folks. I read a bit ago that they decided to disband and it made me sad. 

I did not include compilation cd's on this list because of course Erasure, Pop! 20 hits would be good. It contains all their synthesized gloriousiness. But I'll admit I don't stray from that album because I have most of the best of them. Perhaps I am missing better, maybe not. I also didn't include Chris LeDoux or Patsy Cline because they are legends and should never be categorized. MUSE is on their way there, it's only a matter of time.

A Night to Remember

Yet another great night has come and gone. Yes, I did see MUSE but four very long months ago in Vegas but this show was different. Big Stadium vs. Small Club. Both terms are used loosely. Now to fulfill the trifecta, I'll be attending a show in Europe. Who else is in? Hello. Is this thing on?

Anywho, as we waited for the concert to start I remembered why I generally don't do general admission. I never realized Utah had so many giants living here! Who like MUSE enough to go the concert, none the less. But MUSE took to the stage thankfully on pedestals. See all the giants heads in the way?

I know I said after the Vegas show that I would bring a better camera. Well I didn't. So I get the crappy shots from my phone. I knew I should've gotten the phone that had the 10 MP camera. But perhaps next time I'll make better on my promise.

I love the columns by the way. They did all sorts of tricks with those things! The graphics they had of Matt playing his guitar, excellent. The beautiful shots they had on them during Feeling Good, gorgeous. And last but not least the falling pieces they had during Knights of Cydonia, epic. Plus it allowed me to see them over the giants.

I'm typically not the kind of person who wants to be stuck in the middle of a crowd so we hung back a ways. But then MUSE started playing New Born and I wanted to be closer. At that point I was glad we did do general admission. A friend and I took off from the other 2 in our group and made our way into the crowd. Later I realize we did not make it that much farther. We were like maybe 10 feet away from our original position. Oh well, I had fun being right in the middle of the action.

Before the concert started, a friend and I were discussing lights during a concert. We both stated that sometimes we can drift off looking at all the fantastic things people will do with said lights. This concert was no exception. Thinking back on it now though, I believe they only ever used the color green. Why not use others? This is The Resistance tour and the album is chalk full of color.

Of course, I was happy with everything they played. I was extremely happy that they played New Born, it riled me up as it always does, Map of the Problematique, a genius work of art, and Stockholm Syndrome, purely because I had never heard it live before. And I do have a lot of recordings of their live stuff.

They really mixed the show up between new stuff and old classics. I wish that we would've gotten the Cross-Pollination part of Exogensis but I still found it awe inspiring to hear the Overture. Here is a link to the set list for anyone who wants it. Plug in Baby was played and Matt twirled and twirled around whilst playing guitar and I wish I would've gotten video of that. Dom's drum jam before Undisclosed Desires was fabulous. I just need to list the entire concert don't I? I'm sorry, sometimes I let my mind run away.

The day after the concert I got a lot of questions of "how did you like it?" And I summed it up(which means I took it from one of my favorite movies) best to one friend: "I had an experience. I can't even explain it. I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever. I wish I could share that. I wish that everyone, if even for a moment, could feel the awe, humility and the hope. That continues to be wish." So even if MUSE isn't your cup of tea, then find something that is.

Click here for some SLTrib photos from the event. You'll see what I mean about the 3 columns. I'm getting a new background picture! 

And again I ask, who is with me for Europe, Wembley Stadium Sept. 10, 2010. How come I didn't turn this thing on?