MUSE
Muse, Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, Philadelphia, PA 7/29/2026
Muse is one of those bands that has been around since my generation was a kid. I remember going on road trips, walking through high school, and listening to “Time Is Running Out” and “Starlight.” I’ve been a Muse fan for as long as I can remember. They’re truly one of those bands that you watch on YouTube performing live and think to yourself, “Wow, they’d be such a cool band to see live.” Flash forward nearly 20 years, and here I am, just a few feet away from Matt Bellamy.
I headed to the show and got there right on time, especially considering I had to pick up a rental beforehand. My car was in the shop after being rear-ended, so I was running a bit behind after picking up my temporary car for the day. Luckily, I made good time and arrived right before the first act, Temper Trap, was going on.
I walked up to the box office and saw a bunch of other photographers standing outside. I ran into my buddy Ryan from i99 Radio, and he told me they were still waiting for credentials. I quickly approached the box office window and asked if they were ready for press yet. They told me, “Not quite yet.”
We were all a bit on edge because we didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see the show, let alone shoot photo for it. Eventually, a gentleman came out with our passes, but I ran into a new problem: I didn’t have a ticket slotted under my name. This happened to another photographer as well. We were both a bit confused since we had been confirmed for the show, but we stayed patient as the others went inside and waited for the lead to come back out and get us.
I’m also a huge Temper Trap fan, so I was pretty bummed to miss almost all of their set. I’ve never seen them live before, and I nearly drove up to New York last year just to see one of their one off shows at Warsaw.
We were finally escorted inside and waited in the lobby. The gentleman told us he’d take us into the pit once Bloc Party began. In the meantime, I had to see at least some of Temper Trap, so I ran to the door of the pavilion and watched their closing song, “Giving Up Air,” from the aisle.
I returned afterward and made some small talk with the other photographers. I mentioned how disappointed I was to miss their entire set, but, to be fair, they only played five songs. I’m sure they’ll be back soon with a headlining date, especially after just releasing their new album, Sungazer.
It was finally time for our first journey into the pit as Bloc Party was about to take the stage.
I saw Bloc Party for the first time last year, which was an absolute bucket list moment for me. I still have their anniversary tour poster hanging in my kitchen from the Silent Alarm 20th anniversary tour. That show was incredible, and I was sure this one would be as well.
The band came out and opened with “Traps” off of Alpha Games. During the set, they played a few new songs from their upcoming album, Anatomy of a Brief Romance. I was really enjoying their new song “Pigwig.” They had a ten-song set, which felt like just the right amount of time for a secondary opener.
I just wished we got to hear “This Modern Love,” as it’s one of my favorite Bloc Party songs. Either way, getting to shoot photos of them was a blast, and I really hope they come back for a full-length album tour. Their new album drops September 11th this year. Ryan printed out a bunch of Polaroids from the Bloc Party set and handed them out to fans in the crowd. He was being a great friend and gave me one as well, knowing how much I loved them.
It was finally time for Muse. We entered the pit and the crowd was already buzzing. Suddenly, we heard “Hysteria” begin to play, and everyone erupted. I took as many shots as I could, swapping lenses and moving around to capture different angles. Bigger venues can be more difficult to photograph since there are usually giant speakers at the front of the stage, creating more of a barrier than you’d have at a smaller show. I did my best, but luckily Muse had a catwalk extending out into the crowd. It made it much easier to get shots of Matt Bellamy and Chris Wolstenholme when they stepped forward toward the pit.
The third song we got was “Supermassive Black Hole,” which many people know from the iconic Twilight soundtrack. It’s literally the first song on the film’s soundtrack on streaming services, so a lot of fans associate Muse with the movie. Once they finished that track, we exited the pit and checked our camera bags at the front of the venue. I believe all of the photographers went back inside to watch the rest of the show, because why wouldn’t we?
Having the opportunity to stand in the pit for Muse was every kid’s dream when I was younger. It’s pretty surreal to be able to check that one off the list now that I’m nearing my thirties. The new album, The Wow! Signal, translated incredibly well live. My favorites throughout the set definitely had to be “Hexagons” and “Be With You.” There was something really magical about the moment they shot confetti into the crowd. For a few seconds, it felt like everything was moving in slow motion.
The true highlight of the show, though, had to be “Time Is Running Out.”
As we got toward the end of the set, we got “Nightshift Superstar,” another fun, upbeat track from the new album. Matt came out wearing an LED jacket and glasses, with the clothing moving along to the beat. It looked absolutely epic. Of course, they ended the main set with “Starlight” before exiting the stage and teasing an encore.
They returned with “Take a Bow,” an excellent way to close out a Muse show. Dominic Howard appeared onstage as the lights hung low, highlighting him as he reeled the crowd back in with an incredible drum solo. The other members emerged and began shredding alongside him, and they ended the night with a bang.
Confetti streamers flew through the air as the crowd erupted. The band threw a plethora of drumsticks and guitar picks into the audience as they exited the stage. As I was leaving, a security guard handed me one of the picks. I was truly grateful for that.
As I left the venue, there was a street performer going by the name @Dariondrums playing live Muse covers as the crowd made its way out. I grabbed myself an ice cream cone from Mr. Softee and headed home.
What a night.
Muse is an incredible live band, and after nearly 20 years of listening to them, finally getting the chance to stand in the pit and photograph them felt surreal. It was one of those full circle moments that makes you appreciate how far your younger self’s dreams can take you.
Muse has plenty of tour dates spanning through the end of the year, from the United States to Switzerland. You can catch them now on The Wow! Signal Tour.
It’s worth seeing them live, so you may as well check it out.
Until the next one.
Shot and Written by Dylan Sheridan.
