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Fact-checking a concert review

I was fortunate enough to see my favorite band, Muse, at the LCA (Little Caesars Arena) in Detroit last Thursday. The only review I read of the show was by Gary Graff of The Oakland Press, and while it was quite positive in tone, there were several factual inaccuracies which I felt the need to correct.

The first error comes in the second real paragraph of the piece, where Graff ends by saying, "The troupe returned to the main stage for 'Pressure,' executing marching band choreography while Muse pounded through the track -- one of eight played from last year's 'Simulation Theory' album."

Seven tracks were played from the album: 1) "Algorithm," 2) "The Dark Side," 3) "Pressure," 4) "Propaganda," 5) "Break It to Me," 6) "Thought Contagion," and 7) "Dig Down." While a short snippet of an alternative version of "Algorithm" was played at the outset, I hardly think that constitutes as a full song, especially considering the track was only available on extended versions of the LP.

Later in the review, Graff then writes, "The sensory overload only bolstered the music, however. With rare exceptions -- like 'Dig Down' and the vibey 'Madness' that followed -- Muse kept the pedal floored as it tore through both 'Simulation Theory' songs and older material with a near-metallic energy."

While "Dig Down" did appear on Simulation Theory, "Madness" made its presence on the band's 2012 album, The 2nd Law, a full 6 years prior to their most recent release.

To end the piece, Graff writes, "As 'Knights of Cydonia' crashed to an end, Muse could declare itself 'victorious' once again -- and leave the Little Caesars faithful wondering just what the group is going to come up with to top itself next time."

The writer implies that "victorious" is one of the main lyrics in the song "Knights of Cydonia," but it's actually featured in "Uprising," where the chorus goes, "They will not force us. They will stop degrading us. They will not control us. We will be victorious."

Great show; so-so review from a guy who described an alien as a "giant robot puppet."

https://www.theoaklandpress.com/entertainment/muse-makes-simulation-very-real-at-little-caesars-arena/article_40725f18-5798-11e9-9018-6f475e555dd1.html

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