@AndyShore Jay Z was the obvious favorite for MVP of Coachella 2010 after Friday night. Nobody told Matthew Bellamy that. From note one, Bellamy and Muse were in it to win it. So much rock hasn’t come from just three people since Rush hit the scene in the 70s. I didn’t think it would be possible for anybody to rock harder than Street Sweeper Social Club and Them Crooked Vultures did on Friday. Muse didn’t only do that, but their rhythm section keeps you dancing the whole time. The thumping bass of Christopher Wolstemholme and the beats laid down by Dominic Howard provide the danceable groove that Bellamy wails over with his voice and guitar.

Muse has a sound built for massive crowds. A true arena rock band. The voice and guitar of Bellamy soar over the crowd, and make the people in the last row feel like he’s playing just for them. Bellamy keeps the energy high, by running back and forth on the stage like he’s Angus Young. He also skips from time to time, but only because he’s cool enough to get away with it. Ditto for the light-up shutter shades he was rocking for the first few songs. Moving between guitar, a see-thru grand piano and the keytar, Bellamy breezed past Jay Z for the new contender for MVP.

The set started just as The Resistance does, with “Uprising.” It was on from then, with the crowd singing along to every single song in the set. An early surprise, and highlight, was Bellamy channeling his inner Jimi Hendrix with the “Star Spangled Banner.” It wouldn’t be the last time he channelled Jimi, dropping the intro guitar part for “Voodoo Child (Slight Return).” Perhaps he felt like Jimi coming back to America and being reintroduced at Monterey. He even kicked an amp over.

Bellamy sat down at this see-thru grand piano for “Starlight” and let the crowd take over for a chorus or two. He stayed at the piano for a cover of “Feeling Good.” “Super Massive Black Hole” was another highlight. No highlight was bigger or better than the encore closing “Knights of Cedonia.” What an epic finish to my current favorite show of Coachella 2010.

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4. Andy’s Coachella 2010 Top 10 Most Anticipated Shows
5. Yeasayer @ Coachella 2010