Devon rockers Muse wowed their local fans with an hour-and-a-half of pure musical theatre amid the biomes at the Eden Project. The spectacular setting was perfect for the Teignmouth band, who showed why they are regarded as just about the best live act around at the moment.
 | | Nixon and the Burn |
It looked like raining on the way down to Eden, but as we arrived at the venue, the skies cleared and the late evening sun was followed by an amazing, starry starry night. Eden was a picture. It seemed many of the sell-out crowd had travelled down from South Devon. All three bands on show were from that area...and what a great night of entertainment they served up. The evening began with Roger Kirk, father of Helen Kirk, addressing the audience about his charity, the Helen Foundation. Helen, a talented actress from South Devon, died in a car accident and the Helen Foundation has been set up in her name to help young local artists. The charity, together with Muse and Eden, organised a competition for unsigned bands in Devon and Cornwall to win the chance to support Muse at Eden.
 | | Hey Molly |
It was won by South Devon group Hey Molly, and they kick-started the evening with an energetic set. They certainly weren't overawed by the occasion and will have done their chances of being spotted no harm at all. Next up was Paignton band, Nixon and the Burn. They're one step further along the road to success, as they are already signed to a record company. It was another high energy performance, and the huge crowd loved it. There was quite a long delay (55 minutes) before Muse walked onto the stage...but the wait was well worth it. From the very first note, the band had the audience eating out of their hands. Lead singer Matt Bellamy makes for a completely captivating figure on stage, and his soaring vocals resounded all around the giant clay bowl that is Eden. Anthem followed anthem, and if any group was made for this venue, it's Muse.
 | | Roger and Annie Kirk |
The start of every song was met by a roar from their fans. Tracks from their recent Number 1 album Black Holes and Revelations dominated the set and their single, Supermassive Black Hole, was particularly well received. All in all it was a great night - especially for the parents of Helen Kirk, Roger and Annie Kirk, who helped to make a dream come true for Hey Molly. "It's absolutely brilliant," said Mrs Kirk. "Hopefully Hey Molly will get noticed as a result of tonight. This is Helen's spirit living on." | 
