Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
Arts & Entertainment
Opinionist: Muse @ Hammerstein Ballroom
By
Jeff Baum
Published Aug 4, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
By
Jeff Baum
Published Aug 4, 2006
Modified Mar 7, 2008
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
There was a time, not too long ago, when I believed that Muse was the best live band on the planet. I was in Ireland at a music festival in the summer of 2004 and witnessed what was one of the most impressive concerts of my life. There were grown men crying beside me shouting "Matt Bellamy is a God!" at the top of their lungs. It just unbelievably surreal.
A few club shows later in the states and I was brought back to earth. Sure they were still pretty great, but they had built themselves up in my mind to unmatchable heights. It's like watching the same surprise movie ending more than once. Sure, it's still impressive, and it gives you the chance to look deeper into how it worked, but you can never replace the genuine thrill of the first time.
I walked into the theatre after a long day with my expectations significantly lowered. And I was kind of happy I was tired and wanted to go home. I'm glad I wasn't going into this show expecting the greatest thing ever. Cause if I had, I may have been disappointed.
With that said, I can confidently now state that Muse still is the most exciting live band in the world. I wouldn't have said that 24 hours ago I don't think, but last night's show reconfirmed it for me. It was a slow build, however, with a stronger mix of the weaker new songs pushed out of the way early. But after hearing a few hits off Absolution and a surprise revival of their epic Nina Simone cover "Feeling Good", I was right back into it. The set continued to build more and more momentum, foregoing many more new songs for the tried and true classics such as Plug In Baby and the quintessential set-closer Stockholm Syndrome. By the second swoon of "this is the last time I'll abandon you", I was right back in Ireland. Nothing could top this. Only an encore that included "Time is Running Out" into their latest triumph "Knights of Cydonia" would be appropriate here, with the urgent final lyrics projected over their heads in giant letters for an emphatic sendoff.
It's very fortunate that a band this massive and triumphant has attracted a fan base that can fill a space the size of Hammerstein. These three seem so much more comfortable when they are not outplaying the confines of the room. Perhaps the clubs for the last US tour were too small to really compliment these guys. Whatever it is, last night was a necessary reminder that Muse is the greatest live band on the planet. Judging the 3,500 people who packed into Hammerstein last night, I’m excited to see more and more people have figured this out.
(picture via The Modern Age)
Tagged
And I
baby
clubs
General Admission
Matt Bellamy
muse
Music
nina simone
people
running
the modern
The Modern Age
us
Jeff Baum
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE arts-entertainment
Will Barnes and Noble in the East Village spell doom for smaller shops? It's complicated.
Independent booksellers are grappling with whether the big-box chain is a threat or an ally in the fight against Amazon.
By
Sonia Rao
Published Oct 16, 2026
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
Arts & Entertainment
Can eligible NYC singles find love with 30 minutes and some really spicy food?
We went to the Spiciest Supper Club singles night to take the temperature of New York City's dating scene.
By
Elizabeth Shwe
and
James Ramsay
How the NYC Marathon has changed in the last 50 years
By
Hannah Frishberg
A visit to Art of Play, the Brooklyn store in an animatronic bird beef with Kelly Clarkson
By
Sonia Rao
The hottest way to show you're an authentic New Yorker is… riding a Citi Bike?
By
Lindsay Lee Wallace
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .