30-Sep-2008: Datchforum, Milan - Tickets, Preview, Meetups, Review/Photos

[Aleluvscp]

maxischermo?? :confused:

[Denise]

The big screen :wink:

[coldpatrix]

My review:

 

Two pure and absolute live masterpieces. There are no other words to describe the excellence, emotional thrill and above all the uniqueness of these two concerts, that Coldplay held at Palamalaguti in Bologna and Datchforum in Milan, on 29 September and 30 September respectively.

The two gigs were really eagerly-awaited and tickets had already run out during the days just after they were put up for sale; and actually both venues were really packed, as expected. But that sold out is understandable given the only fact that the passion of Italian people for the four Brit guys has always been growing. After all, 'we're a country of passionate singers’, Chris Martin said in 2005.

We slept only few hours and (after some good jokes) the staff of Coldplayzone moves to Milan, at the Datchforum, ready to live hard another magic night.

The queue to enter the parterre is one and as the staff arrives at the building, there's already some guys and girls mainly, also coming from Sardinia to live the show. All the Coldplayzoners that were missing in Bologna but equally longing to see the show, plus the Milan 'survivors', arrive little by little: some come from Milan, some from Rome, Naples, Reggio Calabria. It's sure as hell: nobody would ever miss this emotion.

In the morning, as happened at Palamalaguti, the banner of Coldplayzone was strung up on the fence of Dutchforum. And suddenly our minds remember last night. And to those that did not have those memories, some thoughts are now good hopes.

In the afternoon the distribution of the balloons begins. We do not have many balloons and we get a little discouraged. We were ready to repeat the choreography also here in Milan, but balloons are actually lacking. So the seeking starts: the balloons are bought in the neighbourhood or brought by friends, and then distributed.

We try to make up for it. We really want Miller to shoot a video of that colours' rain that surprised Bologna, to be put later on Coldplay.com, since no one was expecting nothing like this, and therefore, it was not shot a video of that amazing choreography.

The doors open and as we turn around it was clear that everyone was supported by other people: a real Italian 'music army', united and ready to scream ‘Viva La Vida’.

All were running to the stage, and finally we all get in. We're more than yesterday: 17.000. The gallery becomes full very quickly and everybody can't wait to (re)-see the band performance.

The atmosphere is different tonight. We're even more playful. We've the inkling that this atmosphere would multiply. We are waiting the end of the supporting act performed by Albert Hammon Jr. (definitely more lively than yesterday).

And then...here they are. There's a camera, that is shooting everything. On the screen, the live images of the camera are showed, producing a 'domino effect' of the shaking balloons. And the fear about not showing our choreography, like we did in Bologna, is suddenly swept away by hundreds of coloured balloons. A huge amount, so huge that Coldplay are again astonished.

‘Life In Technicolor’ is played with more energy, and then 'Violet Hill’ embodies all the enthusiasm the audience has been waiting for: the strength of their sound. At the end of the performance of the first release of 'Viva La Vida Or Death And Al His Friends’, Chris makes the lights on and thanks the audience of Milan and all the Italian people. They weren't expecting so much warmth. But we have to say that: we've been waiting for three years to give them this warmth!

‘Clocks’ is obviously a masterpiece, with those lasers and those piano keys, waiting for Chris' hands to played them by memory. We dance. ‘In My Place’ involves everyone. We sing. ‘Speed Of Sound’ resounds, like a powerful and precise sound. We sing and dance.

‘Cemeteries Of London’ is perfect, the setlist is the same of yesterday, and the band plays ‘Chinese Sleep Chant’ with more energy. Also ‘42’ is sung by everyone and, thanks to a middle part perfectly performed by Jon Buckland and his guitar, it enters our souls.

Then the organ of ‘Fix You’ and it's pure passion. No one can possibly be silent and retain his voice, we join Chris singing. The last part of the song, as usual, is sung by everybody and makes Chris to repeat the 'names' ‘Bravissimi!’ and ‘Perfetto!’ as soon as he can. The atmosphere is getting really excited and the intimacy between Coldplay and the audience enhances its strength.

Then ‘Strawberry Swing’, and like yesterday, its the refrain perfectly describes how we feel: today is such a ‘perfect day’. Jonny Buckland is great, plucking the strings so purely and genuinely that, closing the eyes, some people can see Ireland.

Then, the more astonishing moment of the evening: the band moves to the B-Stage, on the right of the main stage (and of the audience) and they perform the two alternative versions of ‘God Put A Smile Upon Your Face and ‘Talk’, with those waving beams of laser lights that remember us of a bird flying. Then, the band leaves Chris alone with his piano and what was unbelievable happened, obviously in a nice way: for the first time in this tour, a superb ‘Don’t Panic’ is fully performed. Delicate, smooth, light, sinuous and so unexpected that it's really appreciated from the first note. Martin decides to offer to us a grand performance of the song that opens the album ‘Parachutes’ and he really gets the singing of the audience carried away, so whispering and soft. We can't sing out right now: it's the best way to talk to ourselves.

After a never-ending ovation, it's the turn of a song, rarely performed live during this tour: ‘Reign Of Love’, a beautiful ballad, entirely played. There's only few balloons flying, the fans are now quietly listen to those piano notes, played with an enchanting perfection. Then, ‘Postcards From Far Away’. A trilogy of songs played on the eighty-eight ivory keys that the fans will never forget.

Just a second to come down to earth, and the notes of the Violectra of Davide Rossi and the drum of Will Champion carry us back to the main stage, to savour the most awaited song, that makes the entire world dance – like a bad fever – youths, the older ones, girls and family men, those that are not so young anymore and housewives not so desperate at all, all together: ‘Viva La Vida’. The main choir is so powerful, so unbreakable and so wholehearted sung that no one could or should miss it. Before the last choir, Chris says some words of an Albert Hammond Jr.' piece, ‘In Transit’. Then it's the end of the world. Will sings so loudly, as he was the ruined king described in the song. That's living a song…

And then ‘Lost!’ and its peculiar drumline. The dance of Chris in the middle of the stage says it all. It shakes our bodies and minds like a tribal dance from that Africa that he closely knows (his mother has Zimbabwean origins) and he wants to share it with us. It's a song that proves that this album has a multi-ethnic inspiration. Great. All the world is enclosed in it, and this live version is making it clear to everybody.

We can stop running. So many stairs, and stairs again, more steps, and finally here is the band on the gallery for the acoustic set with ‘The Scientist’ (really cheered by the audience, because it's a very well known fact, we Italians like love songs) and the Champion's ‘Death Will Never Conquer’ with a superb mouth organ played part by Chris Martin. Then the four guys talked about a possible song to be played, but the ‘Viva La Vida’ remix is pressing on and splits the show in two parts: back again on the main stage.

As the pair of piano-drums of ‘Politik’ starts, a swirl of strobe lights runs over us. Great vocal interpretation by Chris and brilliant e and the bass notes of Guy Berryman on the final part. ‘Love Over This’…

A rain of coloured paper butterflies enhances the ambience that eternizes this show as we listen to the central part of ‘Lovers In Japan’. What more could we ask? Some paper butterflies are picked up to be later given to friends, relatives, acquaintances, or to be jealously hold for ourselves. After all, they will remind to us about the joy we felt and that endlessly coloured rain.

On ‘Death And All His Friends’ the friendship of Datchforum are now sealed, the hugs are more close, the air fills up with so many emotions. But one of them is the most passionate: the immense exciting power of the music, that distinguishes Coldplay in the music history. And on the final choir, the verse ‘I Don’t Wanna Follow Death And All His Friends’ is like a postcard of this evening. We can admire the best music in the world, because we are here, we're living...

The band is in the backstage now, but they are compelled to come back. The audience is calling them, to hear them performing some other hits, that cannot be missing. As they appear on the stage, an unceasing request: ‘Yellow!’. So, why not? Here we go, a sudden start of the song. Chris already knows he is not going to sing it: 'It's our turn'. Everyone welcome. And the ‘Yeah’s, that belong to that song, resound in the building like a earthquake rumbling.

At the end of the song, Chris plucks his guitar's strings with those notes that the long standing fans carry in their DNA and would recognize even blindfolded or turned upside down. On these notes, there's only a verse you can sing: ‘Don’t You Shiver, Shiver, Shiver…’. And that's enough. Only fifteen seconds are worth almost two hours of this show, that could be defined with tons of adjectives, among which we can possibly pick this one: ‘unforgettable’.

How can we come back home and go to sleep after a show like this? How can we possibly come back to our quiet life after such a hot emotion? How can we think that Coldplay weren't giving us all we need? Sure, ‘We can't'. It's only consent. But it's the fairest and greatest consent that Italian supporters would ever want to be given.

No voice anymore, in a sweat, with shattered legs and numbed arms, we go back home. Still smiling. Coldplay were magic. We can only invite those who missed it to appreciate them and this world: VIVA LA VIDA!