Muse give warning at AO Arena in Manchester of dystopian future already here

Will of the People, also the name of their latest tour, is far more than the sum of its parts.

The individual songs are all polished, emotive, catchy and will stand the test of time. But together, they made up an anarchistic and artistic picture that was awe-inspiring and captivating for the thousands of fans at the AO Arena in Manchester last Friday.

A mix of heavy metal, soothing indie rock, and ballads bring this melting pot of musical artistry into a breathtaking message of hope and despair. The album would make a fantastic soundtrack for George Orwell’s 1984.

Some of the lyrics of the second song of the show, Compliance, are worth repeating…

No more defiance

We just need your compliance

Just give us your compliance

We won't let you feel lost anymore

No more self-reliance

Fall into line, you will do as you're told

The show was pure gluttony for the senses and included stunning pyrotechnics and visuals, with songs book-ended by videos on the massive screens eluding to an uprising against over-reaching authority.

Looking back over the last three years, and ahead at rapidly eroding levels of free speech, one could conclude that Muse are warning of a dystopia that has already arrived rather than one we may face.

Initially slated by the press for sounding too much like Radiohead and latterly for sounding too much like Queen, fans say that in reality they have little in common musically with either.

Instead, they just keep writing brilliant pop rock songs.

Louderthanwar.com summed up the band when they wrote: “The music is anthemic, driving rock, teutonic undertones, with a very gifted guitar player and a charismatic singer with world-beating aspirations.

"It’s occasionally camp, always technically perfect, and is the meeting point of that group of all-ages rock fans which very few bands can successfully manage.”

Visit https://www.muse.mu/