In an era when rock bands have become increasingly marginalized among over-the-top pop performers, British alt-rockers Muse continue setting the standard for modern arena-rock spectacle. The band’s heady, multilayered concept albums lend themselves to bombastic live productions, and recent album Simulation Theory is no exception. The band’s eighth album pays tribute to 1980s pop culture and deals with the idea of reality as an elaborate simulation. After moving in a darker rock direction on previous releases, Muse shifted gears to a more synth-heavy, electronic sound for Simulation Theory, working with pop producers like Shellback and Mike Elizondo in addition to longtime collaborator Rich Costey. All Music called the album “purely Muse at heart, successfully merging electronic-pop songcraft with their typically urgent, stadium rock foundation.”
“We’re going to come up with something that no one’s ever seen before,” the band said in the announcement for the Simulation Theory Tour, and from a group whose concerts have previously incorporated flying drones and screens that envelop the band members, that’s a lofty promise. There’s no doubt that Muse will deliver, though, presenting their elaborate, complex music in an elaborate, complex setting, proving that rock bands can still surprise and delight audiences in 2019 just as effectively as any pop superstar.
Mandalay Bay, 8 p.m. March 2, starting at $68.50 plus tax and fee. 800.745.3000 Ticketmaster
