Muse at HellFest 2025: A Galactic Rock Spectacle Worth Every Bead of Sweat

HellFest 2025 was already simmering with anticipation, but when Muse took the stage, the festival ignited into something else entirely — a cathartic, cosmic firestorm of sound and emotion that proved why the Devon trio remains one of the most electrifying acts in modern rock.

Let’s get this out of the way first: the show did open with a hiccup. For the first couple of minutes, the guitar seemed half-asleep, its tone muddied and far from the precision we’ve come to expect from Matt Bellamy’s futuristic fretwork. But like a spacecraft shaking off the gravity of Earth, it took only a short run-up before the band launched into full orbit.

From then on, Muse delivered a masterclass in arena (or rather, mega-festival) rock theatrics — no overstatement. This was no mere performance; it was an immersive experience, a gravitational pull into their universe of dystopian dreams and anthemic warfare.

Their setlist was a flawless blend of the fresh and the familiar. New material crackled with energy and urgency, showing the band isn’t content to coast on legacy. Yet it was the classics — “Hysteria,” “Plug in Baby,” “Time Is Running Out,” and a volcanic “Knights of Cydonia” — that sent the crowd into a frenzy, a sea of fists and voices raised in unison. Bellamy’s vocals were razor-sharp all night, slicing clean through the thick festival air and reaching the back of the crowd like a prophet’s call. Each chorus was a collective chant, the kind of communal catharsis festivals are built for.

The crowd? Unwavering. Even as temperatures dropped and the post-sunset chill crept in, not a soul budged. This wasn’t just patience — it was reverence. People had stood for hours, enduring the ache in their feet and the weight of anticipation, and Muse made every second of that wait worth it.

In short, Muse didn’t just headline HellFest 2025 — they owned it.  They tore the night open and let the stars in. It was a show that reminded everyone why we still gather in muddy fields and swaying crowds: to be moved, to be shaken, and to believe, if only for a night, that rock still has the power to transcend.

Rating: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

A slow ignition, but once airborne, Muse were unstoppable.