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Since the network's inception, MTV has embodied youth culture. The network thrived on giving young viewers a glimpse of what the future of music held. It would consistently introduce once small-time bands to mainstream audiences only to fuel the careers of these struggling musicians.


However, since the '90s, this trend has slowly declined. MTV began embracing manufactured music rather than the grassroots. Even the network's shows began falling away from its previous schedule as reality television began to be more apparent. So comes MTV2, a spawn of MTV that was a return to form for the network. But sadly, that too fell to the wayside of storylines rather than music.


But it's not like MTV isn't catering to the same audience it did in the '80s. The network was something that appealed to youth -- and that it does. Well, there is a youth that still remembers the MTV of yore and it is struggling through university work. So, for that generation, MTV developed mtvU -- a network broadcast to over 700 campuses across the country. It still has the garden variety of The Real World/Road Rules Battle of the Sexes, but the main difference is mtvU is still based on the principle of "Music First." Or was that VH1?


Wednesday night at Disco Rodeo, mtvU brought its Campus Invasion Tour to Raleigh, and with the tour came the company of UK's Razorlight and Muse. But it wasn't just university-aged kids at this show, the crowd illustrated the generations MTV spans. From pint-sized boys sporting No Fear gear with Jack Skellington beanies and Muse sweatbands to once-teeny-bopper girls flaunting over-sized pants with countless "useful" zippers and My Chemical Romance hoodies, it was clear I've grown out of my element.


But why, then, was there a presence of popped-collar college students? Were they freshmen? Did they get free tickets? I know; they must have underage girlfriends. No, it was a shared respect for music that -- to put it bluntly -- doesn't suck.


As I stared blankly at the stage awaiting Razorlight to begin its set -- knowing any stray glance may land me in a Michael Jackson-like trial -- I realized the kids surrounding me were barely old enough to think about university life, much less recognize the Rage Against Machine and Jane's Addiction songs blaring from the venue's JBL speakers.


But a glimmer of hope shined when I saw the 14-year-old wearing his much older brother's Dead Kennedys T-shirt and singing along to the same The Strokes song as I.


So what if I was 10 years the senior of the majority of the audience, we were all there to see a damn good show from Muse.


Speaking of The Strokes, have you heard of Razorlight? Well, I hadn't until four shaggy-topped guys walked on stage with "that guy" in a disturbingly tight leather jacket carrying a guitar on a black-and-white checked strap. But as hard as they tried, they could not match the sound of The Strokes. Besides, is it really worth the effort stateside when the genre has pretty much faded away.


The lead singer -- a sickly looking Brit named Johnny Borrell -- ripped through every song with little enthusiasm except for his humorous dances when a tech would confiscate his guitar. However, it was evident he has been in the music scene for a while -- despite being 22-years old -- because the sad attempt for a performance was overshadowed with his confidence in the material.


During the performance of "Keep the Right Profile," the band went into a disorganized ear sore accompanied by poorly matched strobes that only served as painful to the eyes. Similarly, "In the City," from the album Up All Night, was disheveling with a melody-progression-melody-over-garbage-repeat format. I'd assume it's the band's token "ballad," like Jet's "Look What You've Done" -- tough guys with a soft side -- but the presentation was mangled and served no justice to the studio version.


The bands height of enthusiasm came with the song "Leave Me Alone," also from the bands LP. Borrell introduced the song by exclaiming to the unknowing audience, "This is for the mother [expletive] that should leave me alone." As threatening as that may sound, his appearance in an unbuttoned dress shirt with a heroin-sheik body was about as intimidating as ants attacking a melted lollipop. The audience, however, followed Borrell's lead into a cohesive clap that gave the impression of an army that had his back. But really, it was only four pre-pubescent girls who even knew a single song name to yell out to the poor band opening for a musical experience.


It should be handed to Razorlight that it is a relatively nameless band trying to make a mark on a Raleigh crowd, the album is impressive but its live presentation was lackluster. Now on the other hand, there is Muse.


This being my first Muse experience, I had no idea what to expect. What I got though, was beyond satisfaction. Disregarded was the humble mumbling of British singer Matthew Bellamy for a much more grand sound and elaborate light show that raised follicles.


I've never been much for Bellamy's lyrics anyway; they seem to just blend into something much larger to comprehend. There are three guys but there is such a big sound that when I close my eyes, the modest band is replaced by an orchestra of Rock musicians. This sound is replicated on the stage, giving off the feeling this band isn't suited for small clubs -- it can fill arenas.


Muse nearly opened the set with "Hysteria," a song that threw the band's name into the American music scene. Although this could be interpreted as a bad move, there are few songs from Muse that don't get the audience pumped, but this one in particular set the mood for the remainder of the show.


With extravagant light shows that rivaled only the music, the band blasted through songs, new and old, as Bellamy jumped from a guitar to a piano you might see Elton John play via Good By Yellow Brick Road. Like I already said, the lyrics did not play much of a part in the show; they served more as an outlet for Bellamy's voice. It was a vocal performance to accompany a big band explosion.


As the night came to a close, the band stepped in the crowd favorite "Time is Running Out." From where I stood in the balcony, the crowd resembled a floor rather than people. The mass of heads swayed to the song with a stray crowd surfer gliding from one side of the venue to the next, causing the band's road crew to smile and clap appreciatively. It was clear what the group of kids of all ages came to see -- the Muse.


The band closed its set and the night with a two song encore of "Stockholm Syndrome" and "Apocalypse Please" -- both from the band's most recent release, Absolution. Fittingly, "Apocalypse Please" was the finale as Bellamy belted, "And this is the end/ This is the end/ Of the world," and giant white balloons filled with red confetti were dropped from the balcony shadowing the crowd. The audience pushed the balloons around the room, like a beach ball at graduation, causing them to hit blazing lights only to burst and spray the confetti on the energized patrons.


It was the end, the end, of an unbelievable concert -- surprisingly sponsored by MTV.


Muse set list:

Dracula Mountain*

Hysteria

The Small Print

New D (Easy Tiger)*

New Born

Sunburn

Ruled by Secrecy

Butterflies & Hurricanes

Thoughts*

The Other New One*

Time is Running Out

Plug-in Baby

Bliss (long version)

Apocalypse Please

Stockholm Syndrome

* New Song