Live review: Muse unleash a sonic assault of electrifyng space rock

It’s a bitterly cold night in Manchester and over the Pennines inside the cavernous Co-op Live arena, British rock icons Muse are raising the temperature with a dazzling sonic assault of space rock, soaring anthems and a light show that would outshine Blackpool Illuminations.

One accusation that can never be levelled at Matt Bellamy and co is that they don’t bother putting the effort in when it comes to putting on a show.

On the opening date of the UK dates of the European tour in support of latest album The Wow! Signal. Muse pull out all the stops. Then they find some more stops and pull those out too.

Then they add in a wall of noise, massive production, a spectacular stage set and one anthem after another. And then they pull out a few more stops.

Put simply, a Muse show is everything you’d want and expect from a huge arena gig - and then some more.

They are a band who know no bounds musically and visually - and from the opening notes of Hexagons to the closing refrains of encore Take A Bow, its a dazzling attack on the senses.

You’d think on such a night, the band might play it safe and stick to the big hitters - but it’s a set carefully balanced with new material and those big, throaty singalong anthems we’ve come to know and love.

It’s an asbolute feast for the eyes. Huge red catwalks stretch out from the main stage to a smaller platform in the middle of the arena.

Bathed in lights, a central podium rises up, elevating Bellamy to God-like status as he throws guitar shapes and delivers those trademark vocals that send a shiver down the spine.

Meanwhile, back on the main stage, there’s rocky backdrop with stunning visuals of robots, space and a light up coil hovering perilously over the audience right down the front.

Oh. And Bellamy dons a rather natty light-up suit. And a pair of fancy specs with the lyrics on.

It’s that kind of show.

Free light-up wristbands handed out before the show add to the dizzying spectacle of lights, with the devices twinkling around the arena at key points througghout the night. It makes for an amazing sight as thousands of lights bring sparkle to the cavern that is Co-op Live.

But what about the songs?

Well, Muse certainly aren’t in need of lights and dramatics - they simply add even more drama and spectacle to a canon of mighty songs.

As previously mentioned, they are not afraid to dip a toe in with debut airings forThe Sickness In You And I and The Dark Forest, which are given a warm reception and lapped up by a truly adoring audience.

Naturally, the big hitters draw the biggest singalongs of the night - the vocal histrionics of Plug In Baby and call to arms Uprising are yelled back by an enraptured audience as Bellamy and bassist Chris Wostenholme scamper up and down the catwalks.

Meanwhile, back on the main stage, power house drummer Dominic Howard and touring keyboard player Dan Lancaster deliver the beat that allows Bellamy free rein to go full on rock star.

The 25 song set is non-stop in its attack - Hysteria, Supermassive Black Hole, Time Is Running Out and Knights of Cydonia all draw huge roars and singalongs as those light up wristbands dazzle all around.

There’s a dollop of disco thrown in with Nightshift Superstar and a main set closer of the wondrous Starlight, which delivers yet another sonic punch.

Quite simply, Muse were made for arenas and arenas were made for Muse.

Tonight was a band on the absolute peak of their form who let the songs do the talking in among the non-stop barrage of lights and dramatics.

If you’re lucky enough to have tickets to see the band on their UK dates, you’re going to have one hell of an evening.

And if you haven’t, grab hold of one. They are playing Leeds’ Roundhay Park next summer - and you can guarantee its going to be another simply spectacular event.

Muse 10/10. And one louder.