T on the Fringe: Muse and My Chemical Romance @ Meadowbank Stadium, August 24

A colossal concoction of old and new.

Article by Finbarr Bermingham | 13 Sep 2006
Meadowbank Stadium at 17.30 bore more resemblance to a day out in Butlins than a rock concert. Full families, middle aged men and underage creatures all united by the universal slipper of rock; the Converse. So many minors present may be indicative of the unbounded appeal of Muse. It could also be the Pied Piper factor that is My Chemical Romance. Sporadic misplaced expletives and El Diablo hand signs galore flanked each angst filled number as the kids get a well needed day in the sun.

As the sun fades in the sky, the stage is set for Muse to take their own brand of nihilistic paranoia to Edinburgh. In an act perhaps aimed at dispelling some confusion as to how they would tackle it (and the rest of the Black Holes album) live, Muse open with proggy extravaganza Knights of Cydonia. A crunching guitar riff soon allays any doubts, whilst also emphatically proving that Muse's patented wall of guitar sound can live in harmony with their recently befriended machines. The sheer frustration that inks Matt Bellamy's pen is taken to a whole new level in the live arena as he minces about the stage, donning a face that's worth a thousand "fuck offs". You know who you are. Fitting a blast of Status Quo in between a colossal concoction of old and new may not have gone unnoticed, but given the quality of performance on show tonight, it will surely be forgiven. [Finbarr Bermingham]
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