Resistance by Muse
I get this. Those opening scenes showing the fans lining up in the cold. The black and white slow motion sprint to the barrier. I get this. You get this too, right? Because we’ve done it a millions times before. Lined up for hours (or overnight because what’s the point of a hotel, right?) in the cold, in the rain, in the heat. Waited and waited and started hating everyone around you but knowing it would be worth it. Running towards the barrier, less because you loved the band but more because you deserve to be there (“I’m short. Can I go in front of you?” “What year were you born in?” “1993.” “Yeah, I was in this line in 1993”).
I’m not a fan of the live concert music video. I find it selfish and vain and all round lazy but I’ll forgive this one. Not because it’s not selfish or vain or lazy but because it is those things in the best ways. The clip has probably become my favourite metaphor ever about fans putting bands up on pedestals. Better still fans putting bands on pedestals that the bands have built! Oh Muse, you’re not even attempting to be subtle.
And it happens a lot more than you think. There are so many bands out there that have over the top dedicated fans but it’s the band themselves that have built up most of their own hype and their followers have blind faith. Who cares if you’ve queued for 48 hours in the cold, they will still play mediocre songs from giant cubes of light to get as far away from you as possible (ok, I’m still bitter about Fall Out Boy).
But it is true! And this clip is like a giant visual manifestation of how much fans will care, how much a band will mean to them and then how much said band will put all their effort into… looking good.
