Muse - Hullabaloo [DTS] [DVD] [2001]

Of course I'll like the songs, being a Muse fan... but I can honestly say that the versions on this kick proverbial booty!

The camera work is not 'dodgy' as described in a previous review, but innovative. It really doess suit the songs and the way they are played. Besides, if you don't like it, close your eyes and you'll still be at le Zenith.

Must buy for any Muse fan. Simple as.

And Muse have done it.

Simply put, this DVD is stunning. Stunning being an understatement. I've been a fan of Muse since last March, after hearing Newborn, and I've not stopped liking them since. The only time I've seen them is November last year, a few days after this gig was recorded and it was nothing short of an amazing experience. So when I heard about Hullabaloo I was excited beyond belief. Knowing Muse's incredible talent I was expecting big things from them, and I am not disappointed in the slightest.

The opening is exactly how I remembered the November gig, and from that moment and throughout the whole live show I really did feel as if I was present at le Zenith and mingling with the crowd. Every single track is so intense and sung and played with such feeling it's hard to imagine they have any emotion left at the end of the set. The camera work is fantastic and fits each song perfectly. The faster, heavier tracks are backed up with random, milli-second images, flickering across the screen in fast succesion giving the impression of strobe lighting. The slower, more meaningful songs have long, sweeping images of each individual member and the instruments.

This DVD has you sitting in front of the TV (or in my case computer) with your mouth open, shaking your head in disbelief at the talent simply pouring out of them. Far from being 'just another live concert', this is a true experience.

The second disc includes footage from all over the place, showing the band at their most relaxed and often intimate moments.Dom's Slipknot impression is quite possibly the funniest thing I've seen in years. The disc gives an insight into their tour habits and what the band are like when not performing. At times it's astonishing how different they are offstage. It's quite satisfying to see they're not in any way big headed or show-offs, but just three guys with a sense of humour and a desire to please.

I recommend this DVD to anyone, hardcore Muse fan or even if you only like one song. It's truly spectacular.

There are 2 discs, both of which are neatly set out with stylish menus. On the first disc is the concert in Paris. The picture and sound quality is absolutely amazing, and in the tracklist for the DVD is a pick of some of their best songs, and there are also some B-sides on it. The concert starts of with a great performance of dead star, then Micro Cuts continuing through to an amazing finish with Bliss. The camera angles capture the atmosphere of the concert very well.

On the second disc is a documentary and some interactive dicographies. The documentary is about 40 mins and shows what Muse have done on their last tours, and some of their most fun moments on tour. In the backround B-sides are being played. Some bits in the documentary show them doing the photoshoot for the front cover, and other bits include them going camping and fishing.

The interactive discographies allow you to listen to 1-1.5 mins of each song on their albums (Showbiz, Origin of Symetry and the Hullabaloo soundtrack).

Overall this is probably the best music DVD I have seen, and the extras give it great value for money.An essential purchase for any fan.