mtvU's Campus Invasion Tour made its second appearance at Ball State University Sunday, bringing with them an interactive village and the United Kingdom's Razorlight and Muse for a concert at Emens Auditorium.
mtvU representatives set up their interactive village in Irving Gymnasium after seeing LaFollette Field was too wet from last night's snowfall. The interactive village included booths that allowed visitors to get a makeover, play Nintendo videogames and compete in physical challenges. There was also a raffle for free tickets to the night's concert.
Andy Clark, a sophomore photojournalism major, visited the village and won the raffle, but had some problems in miscommunication with the event workers.
"We wanted to have a good time and see something new," Clark said. "We got the tickets and were center stage, four rows back. We didn't find out until we got to Emens that we could've met the band but it's still cool. I enjoyed the village. There was a lot of things going on and a lot of free stuff, so that got my attention."
Doors opened at 7 p.m. with the concert beginning at 8 p.m. Around this time, opening act Razorlight took the stage and began a close-to-40-minute set of nine songs. However, it was not until Muse took the stage that the already filled bottom level of Emens came alive and got to their feet.
Muse performed a close-to-hour-and-a-half-long set of 12 songs, and ended with a two-song encore, complete with crashing drum solo and giant balloons filled with confetti paper strips.
Jimmy Miles, a junior communication studies major, had been looking forward to the concert and put the opportunity to see the two bands in perspective.
"If we were in England, this concert would be sold out and twice as big," Miles said. "I think it was great for something like this to come to Muncie and one of the main appeals to the band is the live show. It was great."
However, the concert was not only populated by Ball State students. Christina Welch, a first year grad student studying anthropology at Northern Illinois University, made a four- hour drive to see Muse for the second time. Welch said that she was amazed the first time she saw them play live and noted that it was more than worth it to come see them again.
"Matthew Bellamy's piano lights up, it adds to the presence on stage," Welch said. "He's a great singer, and they play great music. They're geniuses, and it's really cool that they came here. Well worth the drive."
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