June 28, 2006 22:13

Muse play supermassive free show

Fans get first live airing of 'Black Holes & Revelations'

Photo Gallery: Muse
Photo: Andy Willsher

Muse unveiled new album 'Black Holes & Revelations' at an extra-special free show in London tonight (June 28).

Britain's top space-rockers took over Shepherd's Bush Empire for a one-night only extravaganza dubbed 'The Empire Strikes Back'.

The band - currently enjoying their biggest-ever hit single with 'Supermassive Black Hole' - gave away all tickets to the show to fans via a competition on their official website. And those who weren't lucky enough to win tickets can watch the show tonight on MTV.

Performing on a spectacular space age stage set, Muse premiered eight tracks from their forthcoming album 'Black Holes & Revelations' alongside the likes of 'Time Is Running Out', 'Plug In Baby', 'Hysteria' and 'New Born'.

Midway through the show, singer Matt Bellamy got behind the piano to perform new song 'Soldier's Poem' and their cover of Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good', which appeared on the band's 2001 album 'Origin Of Symmetry'.

The gig also saw the first proper UK outing of 'new member' Morgan Nicholls. The former Streets and Senseless Things bass player understudied for Chris Wolstenholme at the V2004 festival after Wolstenholme broke his wrist.

But Muse have now drafted Nicholls in as a keyboard player to help realise the more ambitious tracks from 'Black Holes & Revelations'.

They played:

'Take A Bow'
'Bliss'
'Map Of The Problematique'
'Butterflies & Hurricanes'
'Starlight'
'Plug In Baby'
'Citizen Erased'
'Soldier's Poem'
'Feeling Good'
'Stockholm Syndrome'
'Invincible'
'Supermassive Black Hole'
'Hysteria'
'Assassin'
'New Born'
'Time Is Running Out'
'Knights Of Cydonia'

Muse headline the Carling Weekend: Reading and Leeds festivals this August Bank Holiday, and will return to the UK in October for more massive headline gigs. 'Black Holes & Revelations' is released on Monday (July 3) by Warners.