Scrolling through the YouTube comments on Muse’s latest songs, you are sure to come across a lot of moaning from ‘true’ fans, who claim that Matt Bellamy must have finally lost his senses while giving birth to his latest brain-child, the band’s seventh album, the 2nd Law. However, despite the high-proportion of complaints, the likes outweigh the dislikes to a 99 per cent degree on all the videos, and if the packed out Muse gig in the O2 on Saturday, 3 November is anything to go by, satisfied fans are the ones who make the noise where it matters.

Musers in Ireland were left disappointed when the prog-rockers from Devon failed to include an Irish date on announcing their new tour back in June, with many choosing to go across the channel to see the band. However, after a three year break since they last played here in 2009, there was no way that Muse would leave us empty handed, and sales for the much-awaited concert rocketed within seconds.
The crowd outside the O2 was jittery with anticipation on the night, and nerves began to really show during a strong supporting slot by Manchester band, Everything Everything. The audience erupted the moment the stage lit up with the smoky red glow of Muse’s opening song, ‘Unsustainable’. Although the dubstep number was relatively ineffective unless played at full volume on the album, hearing it live was a completely different, carnal experience.

A successful combination of their old and new material followed. ‘Supremacy’ was a bombastic bow to the James Bond theme songs that came long before Adele, and ‘Panic Station’ served as a funky, electronic alternative to ‘Another One Bites the Dust’. ‘Twilight’ era devotees and those who aren’t quite album addicts were catered for with hits such as ‘Time is Running Out’, ‘Starlight’ and ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, while diehards were treated to rare performances of ‘Sunburn’ and ‘Host’, songs from early in Muse’s time.

Muse were once a band who preferred to let their music speak for itself, but Matt has embraced his inner Freddie Mercury lately, dropping his guitar in some songs to sweep the stage, throwing in raucous shout-outs, and even coming down closer to the fans during ‘Undisclosed Desires’ and ‘Follow Me’. The stage, a moving pyramid with stunning projections, complemented the set spectacularly, changing to the theme and beat of respective songs.

Their style may be ever-changing, along with their audience, but one thing remains the same about Muse- their ability to put on an incredible show. And the fans that are willing to come to listen to that don’t seem to be going away any time soon.