I had the distinct pleasure of being at the Muse show at MSG last night.  It’s the second time I’ve seen them there, and just like the first show, they amazed me.  The sheer explosion of music and technology was an assault on the senses, bringing out the best of my deeply geeky appreciation for both.  Before taking the stage, there was a guest appearance by Matt Pinfield looking to get the crowd amped up while cautioning audience members to be sure not to miss the moment when they took the stage.  Let me tell you, he wasn’t kidding. Playing the waiting game before a show always has a bit of excitement and anxiety as you just want to see the band come out as you get swept away in the moment.  As we waited for Muse to take the stage we were left looking at a stage with 3 floor-to-ceiling columns covered with a fabric scrim.  Not too visually appealing in the state they were in, but you couldn’t help wonder what part they would play come show time…Matt Bellamy is a rock god, and it couldn’t be more fitting that once the lights dimmed, the columns turned into three buildings with staircases with the band members coming down the steps, as if from heaven.  The aha moment came when the screens fell and revealed the band members on separate raised square platforms, suspended mid-arena with large columns projecting each of them on all four sides while they opened with “Uprising” from their latest album.  There wasn’t a bad seat in the house.

Hands down, this was the most technologically advanced show I’ve ever seen, (and I’ve been to many) incorporating a rotating platform for the drums, laser light shows, a piano designed to display lighted patterns based on the notes played, and steamy chutes of colored smoke, to name a few aspects.  Always the showmen, Muse puts on the best rock show money can buy today.   The only thing better than the amazing visual displays, was the music itself.  The live stuff from them is even better than what you get on the album.  By the time they played “Hysteria”, the crowd was losing their voices from screaming, ” ‘CAUSE I WANT IT NOW!!” and after 17 songs ending with “Unnatural Selection” you were left wondering where did the time go?  It seemingly flew by and suddenly it was 10:45pm in NYC.  They returned for a 3-song encore, bringing the house down with a thrashing finale of “Knights of Cydonia”.

Perhaps the most impressive part of all though, was the audience itself.  I can’t tell you how many shows I’ve been to where half the people were rabid fans and the other half were just there to have a night on the town.  Everyone in attendance last night was totally and undeniably a massive fan of Muse.  Between the glitz of Matt Bellamy’s silver sparkle suit and shoes (and his Flobee haircut), his amazing musicality, stunning visuals and a totally awesome audience Muse rocked the house at MSG last night and I had an amazing time.

In general, I think that most of what’s currently on Broadway is over dramatized drivel.  Yes, there’s some oldie-but-goodies too, but there’s just not a lot out there that appeals to me.

My gut reaction to Green Day’s American Idiot, the musical was, “Great, another sellout band” but then I logically thought it through and it makes perfect sense.  I had to put my (somewhat) unnatural distaste of all things Broadway aside to be able to appreciate that the American Idiot album was tailor made for the Great White Way.  The one act, through-sung show features all of the tracks from the American Idiot album, as well as some b-sides and tracks from the 21st Century Breadown album.  Back in the mid 90’s, The Who’s Tommy was on Broadway and I went to go see it with my fellow High School Drama Club members (yeah, I know - poke fun all you want) and I was mesmerized.  I even started playing Pinball because I was inspired by Pinball Wizard.

In reading a synopsis of the plot of American Idiot, the Musical, I don’t think it will disappoint.  The story -like quality of the songs, and the subtext naturally lend themselves to a n entertaining show full of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  Much to my 10 year son’s disappointment, I don’t think it will be a kid-friendly show, being that the story IS full of drugs, sex and rock and roll.  At this point in life, he hasn’t delved into the deeper meaning of lyrics.  He just thinks Green Day sounds cool…

American Idiot starts in previews March 24, 2010 and officially opens April 20th.  Check out their website for more details : http://www.americanidiotonbroadway.com/?gclid=CPi91bSq6J8CFdx05QodJDzrGQ

With Halloween this week, I can’t help but think about how funny it is to see my sons fall in my geeky ways, and how awesome it is that being a geek is COOL.  My older son is almost 10 and he’s dressing up as Billy Joe, the lead singer from Green Day.  The baby didn’t have a choice, so we decided to go with an Ewok costume from Star Wars (starting him early).  Growing up, it was so uncool to be a geek, and I was just about as geeky as they get - I was a member of every music program the school had, except for orchestra (regular band, jazz band, marching band, chorus, show chorus, chamber choir.  I was in Drama, I got good grades, I hung with the smart kids who didn’t get into trouble.  I was a geek and I wasn’t cool.  Honestly though, I didn’t care because I was happy doing the things I loved.  Hopefully my kids can both do what they love, while being cool.

From the time my older son was 2 he was bopping along to the tunes of Modest Mouse and Radiohead.  A few years later he discovered Ray Charles.  Listening to a 5 year old pour his heart out singing, “Oh woman, oh woman don’t treat me so mean…” is unforgettably funny.  Then came his obsession with “Lord of the Rings”.  He thought he was Frodo and that I was Gandalf, and went around with his fake British accent recreating scenes from “The Fellowship of the Ring”  Nowadays he’s competely hooked on Metallica, Green Day and Weezer.

I can partly thank the makers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero for expanding his musical pallet, but a large part of his taste in music, movies, sports and style comes from the fact that he’s just a cool kid that wants to do cool things with his parents.  It doens’t hurt that he’s been exposed to a multitude of geekiness from birth on.  We’re lucky, because he still likes us.  We include him in many decisions we make for the business and family, and some of the Geek Bouteek T-Shirts have been inspired by him.  Parents, Teachers and students constantly ask us about Geek Bouteek because of all the free publicity he gives us at school.  In fact, tomorrow at the Halloween parade, I need to bring an order for one of the parents doing some early Christmas shopping…

Our 1 year old has no chance - between his big brother and his parents he has no choice but to be a geek.  Every night we put him to sleep to the musical talents of Rockabye Baby.  They’re a company that takes popular rock bands’ music and turns them into soothing lullabys.  Everything from Metallica to Pink Floyd and right now we’re in a Radiohead phase.  It’s brilliant stuff.  I thoroughly look forward to the baby’s renditions of Karma Police and Creep.

So, Happy Halloween Rogue Nation readers.  Here’s to a day of fun, safe and (of course) geeky festivties!