Words by Will Lavin //
Jim Beam brings Muse home to a tiny stage in the South West of England, reuniting them to the early community that created the global band we know today.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1cUPh2XroWw&ab_channel=JimBeam
The last time Muse set foot on stage together was two and a half years ago in Lima, Peru, the final date of their Simulation Theory world tour. The show was an explosive, sci-fi circus rife with majestic dystopian themes, and laser tag neon lighting. These bandstand theatrics have been a trademark of the trio’s live shows for almost two decades, but for their first gig since 2019, they’re taking a different approach. Thanks to Jim Beam, the band is returning to their hometown, for an intimate performance in front of the community that raised them.
“We first played at the Cavern when we were about 16, 17 years old,” remembers frontman Matt Bellamy. “We had dreamed for years about performing there.” Located in Exeter, Devon, the Cavern is a staple in England’s South West music community. As well as being where Muse cut their teeth as live performers, the Queen Street venue has played host to marquee names like Coldplay and The 1975.
Muse—comprising Matt Bellamy (vocals/guitar), Chris Wolstenholme (bass), and Dom Howard (drums)—have been brought back to their old stomping grounds by Jim Beam for a secret homecoming show. It serves as the latest instalment of the brand’s Welcome Sessions, a live event series that explores music’s role in fostering belonging and community by bringing artists like Wolf Alice and Jack Garratt back to the stages that first welcomed them. Now partnering with Muse, this latest event underscores Jim Beam’s focus on music and community. A long-celebrated belief that you truly feel connected when belonging to a community—a sentiment rooted in Jim Beam’s two-century history.
It’s in this spirit that Muse has returned to their hometown of Teignmouth, a slow-paced seaside locale that sits on the mouth of the River Teign. Back then, the trio performed for whoever would listen, strapping on their instruments at house parties, local sports halls, and the occasional family-friendly event. “We played a roller disco once,” remembers Wolstenholme “We were [usually] pitched up in the corner, and no one cared. I’m not sure anyone was really aware we were even there.”
Despite the lack of interest, Muse rose to stardom with the backing of their community. This tight-knit cluster of supporters included schoolmates, girlfriends, and newfound fans. “They were popular kids,” recalls Pippa Wragg Smith, co-owner of the Cavern. Wragg Smith and her business partner Dave Goodchild, were responsible for booking Muse for their first show at The Cavern and her excitement for their return is visible. “I think Muse have always wanted to come back and play here” she says. “The whole narrative of Jim Beam, bringing people back to their roots and the community together…that’s exactly what’s happening when Muse play tonight.”
The band performed at the Cavern more than 30 times in five years. “I remember vividly the last time we played there thinking that it would probably be the last time that we played it unless there was a good reason to come back. And I think this whole idea of music in the community and how important it is in the community, it’s a good thing to celebrate.” says Wolstenholme. “Music is always best when you share it with other people,” he says. “Had it not been for the Cavern, the band probably wouldn’t exist.”
Attending tonight’s show are some of the band’s earliest and most passionate fans’, a few family members, and, of course, Cavern owners Wragg Smith and Goodchild. The atmosphere is hyperkinetic, and as the lights dim, the crowd takes a collective deep breath. Muse then takes the stage to rapturous applause.
In short order, the band tears through a setlist of stadium hits (‘Supermassive Black Hole,” “Plug In Baby”) and fan favourites (‘Stockholm Syndrome’, ‘Psycho’) before debuting their latest singles “Won’t Stand Down” and “Compliance.” The energy in the room is electric, and amongst the highly excitable fans there’s another familiar
face in the back of the tightly packed crowd: Dennis Smith, the owner of Sawmills, the famous South West studio where Muse recorded their early demos and debut album, Showbiz.
Smith, who managed the band in their early years, took a chance on them. “Very quickly, I got the impression that they were mates which is very important,” he says. “So many people come through places like the Cavern in their earlier years. We had the opportunity to give them studio time, but I said, ‘you’ve got work to do and you’re still learning your craft on stage, so you should really carry on practicing at shows. Then, we’ll hit the ground running when it feels right.’” That’s precisely what they did, and the rest is history.
