September 24, 2007 20:33

Muse thrill fans at Southern California gig

The British trio gather steam in America

Photo Gallery: Muse

Muse pulled out all the stops and delivered their trademark spectacular show at Irvine's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre on Friday (September 21).

The British trio played to a 16,000-strong audience of adoring fans, who sang along to nearly every word during their 90-minute set.

Frontman Matthew Bellamy, dressed in a red suit with a Stevie Nicks shirt underneath, switched between guitar and piano throughout the night, and put his band through the paces on several songs from their most recent album 'Black Holes And Revelations'.

They also pulled out some old favourites, including 'Absolution', 'Showbiz' and 'Origin Of Symmetry'.

During 'Soldier's Poem', Bellamy asked the audience to raise their mobile phones to create a sea of light in the huge amphitheatre. He also climbed up an amplifier and nearly fell off.

Toward the end of the night, white balloons filled the venue, and when audience members popped them, confetti flew everywhere.

Muse concluded the show with a dramatic three-song encore, during which Bellamy dropped to the floor and bowed his guitar using the edge of an amplifier.

Openers Juliette And The Licks kicked off the night with a crowd-pleasing set that saw frontwoman Juliette Lewis writhing on the floor and doing backbends on the stage, as well as covering Donna Summers' disco hit 'Hot Stuff'.

--By our Los Angeles staff.
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