Stadium rock may be a dying breed but Muse is keeping its bombastic traditions alive. Lauded as one of the best live bands today, the Grammy Award winning British trio will make their Shanghai debut at Mercedes-Benz Arena on September 21, riding high from their latest chart-topping album, Drones.
Released earlier this summer, their seventh studio album is a heady concept album inspired by modern military warfare. The disc follows a young, disillusioned protagonist who becomes a drone operator. Co-produced by Mutt Lange (AC/DC, Def Leppard, Shania Twain), Drones evokes Orwell in its subject matter, Broadway in its theatrics and Queen in frontman Matt Bellamy’s soaring falsetto.
“Matt always had a pretty good idea that this album was going to be very conceptual,” says bassist Christoper Wolstenholme. “The basic concepts for the album were there right from the start. It was always the case of making sure that the lyrics were strong enough to back up the concept.”
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While any sort of big-statement album will have its share of detractors, Drones continues Muse’s global success. It debuted at the top of the charts in 21 countries, making it their fifth straight UK number one album and their first in the US.
One of the striking details of the album is the group’s return to their musical roots. After experimenting with orchestral and electronic elements on their past discs The Resistance and The 2nd Law, Wolstenholme admits the group always knew that “this album was going to be more rock.”
"We felt it was time for us to strip things back a little and return to more of a rock sound,” he explains. “Ultimately, we are a three-piece rock band. Along the way we have tried to bring fresh influences into our sound, while at the same trying to retain the trio vibe.”
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While they may have scaled back in the studio, expect Muse to be at their flamboyant best when they bring their Drones tour to China.
Called the “greatest living act in the world today,” by Queen’s Brian May and Roger Taylor, the group spent the summer headlining festivals across the world. Their last world tour featured a gigantic pyramid of LED screens, cannons shooting Muse-themed bank notes into the crowd, acrobats and a lot of lasers.
Bellamy has made public his desire to have drones fly over the crowd during the show but Wolstenholme is keeping show details a secret. He promises only that the China shows “will be more of an overview of all our albums.”
“The set can change a lot,” he admits, “but visuals have always been a big part of Muse. We always feel that as there are only three of us, we need something for the crowd to look at. With the new album there is a very strong concept that runs through the record which will be reflected in some of the visuals.”
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Having already conquered massive festivals from Glastonbury to Coachella, no stage is too big for Muse. They famously performed in front of over 60,000 people at Rome Olympic Stadium with the 2013 concert screened theatrically across 20 cities in the world.
Shanghai remains one of the few cities that the band has left to conquer. Wolstenholme notes, “There are still countries we haven’t played, particularly in Asia and Africa,” before revealing the group’s grandiose dream. “But, the ultimate goal would be to play a concert in space.”
// Sep 21, 8pm, RMB360-1,280. Mercedes-Benz Arena, tickets.
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