A Parisian venue called Le Zenith is a suitable source for live recordings of MUSE’s exotic, sci-fi-gilded cyber-grunge. The effect is enhanced when singer Matt Bellamy announces, "Bonsoir, Paree!" like some angst-rock version of dear dead Larry Olivier. Such theatricality is one of the elements that make MUSE such an audacious young guitar band. They are as ridiculous as they are brilliant, something rammed home on hysterical, Total War-dimensioned versions of Muscle Museum, Space Dementia and Megalomania.

However, combined with the concurrent Hullabaloo DVD, this does perhaps represent criminal exploitation of the fanbase. Buy the DVD and you get further live tracks. Buy the CD package and you get the unreleased acoustic version of former b-side Shine. The equally deft B-side Map Of Your Head is even better, a sparse blend of medieval-ish acoustic guitar and throwaway lyrics ("I was all alone/Wearing just socks and a phone"). At moments like this, they come close to Bernard Butler-period Suede in setting the gold standard of the indie-rock.

Roy Wilkinson