I had the opportunity to see the opening night of Muse's North American tour this past Saturday night in Atlanta. The band — who've achieved royalty status back home in the UK — are on the verge of attaining A list status over here, and to seal the deal they made the last-minute decision to fly over (well, float over, actually) their much-heralded 360-degree sound and light show for the tour, which hits the ACC next Monday (March 8). While sampling favourites from their past four albums, the show's tone and feel is built around the epic prog-pop grandiosity that began with 2006's Black Holes and Revelations and was taken up on notch on last year's worldwide No. 1 release The Resistance. The show finds the band in constant motion, bashing out elaborate arrangements on a stage that morphs from set-to-set and backdrop-to-backdrop throughout the two-hour show. That the power of the bands music doesn't get lost in the maze of sound and light is a testament to the thought and expense that has gone into the production.
The beloved Silversun Pickups kicked the night off with a 45-minute blast of their sonic soundscapes, and left no doubt that they'll be topping arena marquees themselves not too far down the road. A limited number of tickets for Muse's ACC show have been made available thanks to the new open-concept stage set-up; unfortunately, the late inclusion of the new configuration means Silversun Pickups will mostly be heard rather than seen, so just close your eyes and enjoy the ride.
NEW MOON "FRIENDS" RETURNING
Muse is also featured on the soundtrack to New Moon, and with the vampire diary set to get the DVD treatment later this month, look for the track "Friends" by Band of Skulls to be the next single off the set. The Southampton trio are hitting the road this spring with Black Rebel Motercycle Club and will then hook up for some dates with our second favourite band from Athens, Georgia, The Whigs. Band of Skulls are currently supporting their latest single, "Death by Diamonds and Pearls," from their fine, blues-rockin' release, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey and will make a return to town April 28 at the Mod Club.
WHITE BLOOD CELLULOID
If you haven't seen the White Stripes' new Canadian road-trip documentary Under the Great White Northern Lights, you'd better hurry. Though the film will see release on DVD and as part of an elaborate Stripes box set on March 16, it's a must-see on the big screen. The film screens nightly this week at 7pm at The Royal Cinema (608 College) until this Thursday (March 4).
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