Muse play spectacular V Festival show

Muse played a spectacular headline show at the Chelmsford leg of the V Festival tonight (August 16).

The band utilised huge props, light and stage effects and played beefed-up, extended versions of their hits plus instrumental jams to create a crowd-wowing show that closed the first night of the Essex bash.

Anticipation for the show was high, with fans on site cheering the band's name long before their stage time. Many texted pro-Muse messages to the screens sandwiching the V Stage, prompting more cheers as the audience read them.

Then, at 9:15pm (BST), six enormous satellite dishes that had been erected on and either side of the stage began spinning and glowing. They suddenly fired huge beams of light into the crowd as the band walked on stage and began playing 'Map Of The Problematique'.

As frontman Matt Bellamy and co ended the song they began playing the riff from Led Zeppelin's 'Heartbreaker', then launched into 2006 hit 'Supermassive Black Hole'.

During the song images of robots marching were projected onto the satellites with spectacular effect as Bellamy, wearing a striking red outfit, played an extended guitar solo.

Bellamy flitted between piano and guitar for 'New Born'. Then, as he played the guitar outro to 'Butterflies And Hurricanes', huge bursts of smoke began firing from the front of the stage drawing gasps from many crowd members.

During an instrumental jam later in the set, Bellamy walked up the flank of the stage and began bashing his guitar against one of the searchlights.

Then, as 'Take A Bow' ended, another cascade of smoke dramatically enveloped the stage as the band headed backstage.

Muse returned shortly afterwards to play an encore of 'Starlight', 'Plug In Baby' and 'Knights Of Cydonia', releasing scores of white balloons then a massive wall of flame and sparks to close day one of V Festival in Chelmsford.

Muse played:

'Map Of The Problematique'
'Supermassive Black Hole'
'Dead Star'
'New Born'
'Hysteria'
'Butterflies And Hurricanes'
'Feeling Good'
'Space Dementia'
'Invincible'
'Time Is Running Out'
'Stockholm Syndrome'
'Take A Bow'
'Starlight'
'Plug In Baby'
'Knights Of Cydonia'

Keep checking NME.COM for the latest news, pictures, videos and blogs live from both V Festival Chelmsford and V Festival Staffordshire all weekend.

For more on Muse's Chelmsford headline set, head to the NME V Festival Blog.

Muse tickets:

• Dec 12, 2008 at Auntie Annie's, Belfast - Check availability
• Dec 13, 2008 at Whelan's (Upstairs), Dublin - Check availability

More Muse tickets