Muse Willed The People of Kuala Lumpur Into A Frenzy

By Dale B  •  in Music
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British rock band Muse made a stop in Malaysia during their Will of the People Tour, bringing their greatest hits and a handful of new songs to their legion of fans in Kuala Lumpur. The eagerly awaited concert saw a major change in venue before taking place on July 29.

Originally announced in the uncharacteristic Bukit Kiara Equestrian Resort, the organisers thankfully switched to the more appropriate National Stadium Bukit Jalil, where more fans could attend and headbang the night away. 

Needless to say, the British trio succeeded in providing a rocking good time for fans. We daresay, mass Hysteria ensued.

All photos provided by Echolalia Pictures and Shafiq Shahar.

The Opening Act

But first, warming up the crowd before the Knights of Cydonia took center stage was none other than the Malaysian band, Kyoto Protocol. These homegrown rock and rollers are no strangers to the world of stadium rock and were a welcomed presence before the main event. 

Performing a handful of their notable songs, including the crowd-pleasing ‘Gimme Nothing’ and their sole Malay song for the night, ’Tiada Lagi Kidungmu’, the local legends gave concertgoers a lot to shout about throughout their set. 

What was a shame was how short Kyoto Protocol’s opening act was as they were only limited to half an hour. What followed was an hour and a half of waiting for Muse, which could have been filled with Kyoto Protocol rousing the crowd with even more of their feet stomping songs.

Will of the People

Eventually, Muse burst onto the stage, complete with CGI-animated scenes on screen and pyrotechnics lighting up the stage. The band appeared in their Will of the People costumes, which looked a lot like the hooded characters of the video game, Scarlet Nexus. 

Beginning with the title track of the tour before moving into the fan-favourite ‘Hysteria’, Muse truly knew how to rile up a crowd from the get-go. Lead vocalist and guitarist, Matt Bellamy was truly in his element, with the entire band’s stage presence being elevated as the concert went on. 

From a pair of giant hands adorning the stage right behind drummer Dominic Howard, to bassist Chris Wolstenholme using a double-neck bass on certain songs, Muse proved that they have perfected their act to a tee. 

Matt Bellamy himself strutted around the stage, with the crowd truly in the palm of his hands. The singer also had a number of tricks up his sleeve, like a full-body LED-laden suit during ‘Uprising’ or playing the electric organ on ‘You Make Me Feel Like It’s Halloween’. 

Showbiz

Wailing guitars, pulsing bass, heart-pounding drumbeats, and a crowd singing in *unison – this is the essence of rock and roll. With stadium rock concerts being somewhat rare in the modern age, Muse gave Malaysian audiences an experience that everyone should have once in their lifetime. 

The crowd singing ‘Time is Running Out’ and ‘Starlight’ together was pure electricity, and the flames that synced up perfectly during ‘Knights of Cydonia’ proved that Muse are masters at keeping the crowd excited throughout their performance. 

The CGI vignettes between songs may be a bit corny, but it does buy time for the band to prepare for their next song. Setlist-wise, it was a showcase of Muse’s greatest hits, with a sprinkle of their latest songs from the Will of the People album. 

Overall, we would liken Muse to U2, a millennial alternative to the seasoned 80s sensation. No matter how much of a fan you are, a Muse concert is a guaranteed good time. 

After the entire Good Vibes Festival debacle, Muse provided the right palette cleanser for future concerts to come.