17-Jun-2009: Pengrowth Saddledome, Calgary, Canada - Tickets, Previews, Meetups, Reviews, Setlists,

[eatplaylove]

It was S-I-C-K. I'm hooked. It was the hottest, most fabulous concert I have ever been too. The band was genuine and gracious and full of energy. I did not stop jumping around. I was 3 rows back from Stage left catwalk and had a wicked view. Listening to the free live CD right now. I'll be on a Coldplay high for a least a week. :)

 

Yep, happens to the best of us. Right there with you, haven't come down from Saturday yet...Already plotting an escape to see them again.

[busybeeburns]

Review: Coldplay in Calgary hot from the get-go

 

 

What was that Bible passage, again? Something about the meek inheriting the Earth? Having seen Coldplay's sold-out show at Saddledome, I fully concede, at least for the moment, that they have, writes the Calgary Herald.

 

Yes, chalk a big one up for the Coldplay-lovers of the world --legion that they are--based on the aural and visual extravaganza that is the Viva La Vida Tour, taken in by some 15,000 Wednesday night at the Saddledome.

 

All around it was the perfect display of arena rock pomp meets alternative rock preciousness. As for the Coldplay cynics out there (A group which, by the way, I have to count myself a part of)? Well, for hardened meanies like us, that was the taste of humble pie when the London band--which has become one of the biggest on the planet, hands down--performed so powerfully in Calgary.

 

Kicking off the set with the uplifting Violet Hill off their fourth disc (the Grammy Award winning Viva La Vida or Death and All Of His Friends), Coldplay was, despite the moniker, incredibly hot from the get-go. Squeaky-clean, yoga-practitioner Chris Martin, 32, the band's vocalist, demonstrated all the emotion and range Coldplay's sensitive, hyper-romantic power balladry demands, while his bandmates -- Jonny Buckland on guitar, Guy Berryman on bass and Will Champion on drums --played with impressive energy and torque.

 

The tunes, crowd faves like In My Place, Clocks, the epic Viva La Vida and Politik, with its riveting drive, were accentuated wonderfully by the dazzling stage show. A giant, bright blue orb, which appeared at turns to be either Earth or a massive Christmas ornament, hung from the 'Dome's ceiling, often flashing images of the band in the midst of their performance. All of this was further illuminated by a spectacular laser light show.

 

Adding to the grandiose vibe, the band, at one point, played in front of a massive mural of the Viva La Vida album cover, a classic painting depicting a scene from the French Revolution with a plump, bare-breasted woman clutching her flag in one hand and a bayonette in the other. During the song Yellow, bright yellow beach balls bounced through the crowd and the entire concert bowl lit up in a wash of, you guessed it, fluorescent yellow, while Martin serenaded the adoring fans.

 

Around the gig's halfway mark, the entire band walked through the crowd to a smaller stage perched among the rows in the back of the 'Dome. There they played the pretty Green Eyes and a laid-back, funny version of Neil Diamond's I'm A Believer. During this short acoustic set Martin even managed to name drop the Calgary Flames, to ecstatic cheers.

 

Wowed as I am, I stick by most of my Coldplay gripes over the years. If you love your rock with a bit of grit and spit in the mix --and many would argue that's a key ingredient of the genre --there's a good chance you have struggled with Coldplay. It truly is sensitivity incarnate, all heart-on-sleeve romance served up in big teary pools, and, at its worst, it drowns in its own soppy sentiments.

 

But as the Coldplay concert experience hits home perfectly, when the band is at its best it is able to channel all that emotion into a grand, epic sound. At those moments, they're masters of the heartfelt anthem and, undeniably, an excellent band.

 

Opening for Coldplay was Australia's Howling Bells and Snow Patrol, an earnest group of Scottish and Irish lads who have been sensations in their own right among alternative rock fans. Given their own bleedingly romantic brand of power pop, they really were an ideal warmup for Coldplay and, live, their songs took on an anthemic urgency this reviewer hasn't always felt on disc. Standouts of Snow Patrol's invigorating set included Shut Your Eyes, Crack The Shutters and, of course, the band's biggest hit, the memorably moving Chasing Cars.

 

Source: http://www.calgaryherald.com/

 

 

 

[meeshkapeesh]

Chris Martin was adorable and energetic - I had no idea he was such an incredible entertainer. Vocals were right on.

 

I was sooo happy they sang Green Eyes! I didn't know they were going to.

 

Yup, best concert I've ever been to.

[busybeeburns]

 

Saw, then met @coldplay last night at the Calgary show. What a performance. Looking forward to when they return.

 

http://twitter.com/djwald

[Mimixxx]

Met...oh lucky boy. We should Tweet him and tell him to come here and share his story :P

 

Just found this vid:

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI4e2DkVZF0]YouTube - COLDPLAY THE SCIENTIST CALGARY[/ame]

 

Why exactly were there naked men in the audience? :lol:

[marie/pims]

the naked men bit is hilarious :D:D

[cold_love23]

 

Saw, then met @coldplay last night at the Calgary show. What a performance. Looking forward to when they return.

 

http://twitter.com/djwald

 

whoa. this pic is kind of scary actually. he... doesn't look like himself

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

^i think he looks ok...though for a second i was scared he shaved his head again...but i suppose it's just the hood hiding his hair :D

 

funny that he's on the other side of the fence, like he's afraid to get too close :lol:. but he's actually smiling, which i feel like he rarely does in fan photos.

[Mimixxx]

It must be brushed back if it is there though...maybe he had a post show shave :sneaky:

 

:P

[crazyduckette]

that's the funniest pic ever! hahah! It's like he's doing time or something :lol:

and omg, he's SMILING in a fan pic :o

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

It must be brushed back if it is there though...maybe he had a post show shave :sneaky:

 

:P

 

don't make me scared, mich :shifty:

[jeX.and.whY]

it was indeed, "such a perfect day"! haha i loved it, i was waiting for last night for a good 5 years now and i couldn't have been more pleased with it all! it was incredible.

[but a dream]

Naked men??? :stunned:

 

:laugh3:

[julissofine]

 

Saw, then met @coldplay last night at the Calgary show. What a performance. Looking forward to when they return.

 

http://twitter.com/djwald

I like this pic. Chris' face is funny and the fact that Chris were willing to take a picture with them though he was behind the fence is sweet. Haha.. :nice:

[but a dream]

Thought this was a nice picture..

 

clarkyYYC http://twitpic.com/7rsoh - Coldplay at the Dome last night... great show!

[Jenjie]

It's been a few days since I went to the Coldplay concert so the ringing in my ears has stopped and the proverbial high that everyone gets after a concert has finally warn off. My dear friend Margaret joined me in our floor seats where we enjoyed an amazing concert with some great music. The show first started with the Howling Bells from Australia who were not bad, but Margaret and I both agreed that the lead singer had an amazingly sexy voice. Perhaps it was the accent. Anyways, the second opening act was Snow Patrol who I would be more than willing to shell out good money to see in their own concert. Some of the highlights from their set list included Chocolate, Hands Open, Open Your Eyes, and their stand out hit Chasing Cars, which we have all butchered during Sing Star.

 

Coldplay hit the stage at around 9pm with sparklers shooting and the band's shadow slowly emerging into view as they sang Violet Hill. Soon the backdrop revealed the painting from the Viva La Vida album with a woman with bare breast who shared a striking resemblance to Vivian Lo. Later on, the band performed Yellow where the audience was appropriately bathed in yellow lights and yellow balloons were bounced around like giant volley balls by the fans. Some standout performances included some of my favorite songs including Fix You and Lost! The band then ventured on to the side stage where they got extremely close to the audience and Chris Martin performed The Hardest Part alone on stage with just a piano. He soon joined the rest of the band again on the main stage to perform a lively rendition of Viva La Vida, which got the entire crowd buzzing from excitement and it was truly a spectacular experience to witness live.

 

The band then moved to the back of the Saddledome to transform some of the worst seats instantly into the best seats of the house. They performed Death Will Never Conquer and Chris even managed to name drop the Calgary Flames into the song, which made the fans go wild! They completed the set in the back stage with a cover of I'm A Believer, which the entire stadium gladly sang along.

 

Finally, Coldplay moved back to the front stage where they preformed songs such as Lovers In Japan, with Japanese images flashing on the screen and a sky of butterflies falling on the audience. It was amazing!!! Thankfully, before the concert ended, the band also performed The Scientist which is one of my absolute favorite songs and I was extremely worried that I would not be able to see. The song was definitely worth the wait and I'm so glad that they left it till almost the end. Finally, Coldplay finished the evening with The Escapist and the curtain fell to reveal Viva splashed across the screen. The concert was simply outstanding and the band didn't need to rely on over-the-top stunts to keep the crowd entertained. It was just wonderful music and the charm of four guys from the U.K. that had 15,000 people hanging on to every note.

 

http://thisiscoop.blogspot.com/2009/06/cool-coldplay.html

[Jenjie]

I ALMOST TOUCHED CHRIS MARTIN FROM COLDPLAY

 

That’s the subject line that was screaming at me when I opened my email yesterday.

 

It didn’t happen to me but to my gal pal Patti (a.k.a. Miss P), which is pretty much the next best thing. Actually, probably better because her account of almost touching Chris Martin? It has panty soup written all over it. She is definitely a way bigger fan than me.

 

I thought her story would get all the lucky Vancouverites going to tomorrow’s concert all jazzed up so here it is. As for me, I’ll be cross-border shopping with Karolina for the thing that gets my knickers in a knot… new shoes. Woo-hoo!

 

Have a great weekend!

 

._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.

 

 

Hello from Calgary to all of Kasia’s loyal readers! I’m thrilled to be a guest blogger for the very first time. My bestest, bossom friend is one amazing gal; she not only listened to my very extended and detailed account of having seen Coldplay live in Calgary this past Wed, June 17, but she then asked me to blog about the life altering experience. I couldn’t say no. Thanks Kasia! I hope some of you are lucky enough to have tickets to this weekend’s shows in Vancouver!

 

My weekend began so ridiculously amazingly, that I have to tell you all about it….

 

This morning as I rushed out the door to work (late, of course), I was feeling amazingly alive and happy (not my natural state in the mornings), and I’m 100% convinced it’s a lingering feeling from Wednesday night’s concert. As I climbed into my Hyundai, turned the key and my stereo kicked in, I was instantly transported back to Wednesday night, when I saw Coldplay live at the Saddledome in Cowtown. For the entire 20 minute drive to work I shamelessly adjusted my bass a few notches higher, and blasted the live LeftRightLeftRightLeft live CD that each person at the concert got for FREE. Talk about paying it forward. Traffic was bad this morning; cars at a standstill, everyone with their dreary I-hate-this-rat-race-and-my-job faces, and then there was me. Windows rolled down, huge smile, rock-star sunglasses, bass thumping in my seat (and probably in everyone else’s buttocks too), proudly singing every memorized word as back-up to the riveting vocals of Chris Martin.

 

It was the best drive to work I’ve ever had. I mean EVER!! I think I might start doing this every morning.

 

Coldplay just has a way of writing the best damn singalong anthems, with the best darned lyrics, and heart-wrenching melodies. I cried several times at the concert (seriously), and this is not new for me- I cry when I hear their music. Songs like Fix You, Viva La Vida, and Yellow to name just a few, hit an emotional chord with me. Great music has the power to do that, and Coldplay is right up there with the classical music that also has the power to make me shed tears in public.

 

I sat by myself at the concert; my boyfriend and I couldn’t even get two tickets beside eachother because we slept 15 minutes past 10am when the tickets went on sale weeks ago. We decided it was worth it to go even if we had to sit separately. I’ve never made a better decision in my life. Although it would have been fantastic to live the moments with my Love wrapped around my waist, I made the experience worthwhile anyways. Not even the lame couple on my right, who sat and golf-clapped through 95% of the concert, dampened my spirits. Thankfully, the two girls to my left were just as bent on having the time of their lives as me. We bonded over the deafening screaming, clapping, waving, and singing. We jumped up and down when our band came on stage, we clapped our hands high in the air, we bumped the gigantic yellow balloons that floated down on us during Yellow, we swayed and sang every gut-wrenching word to Fix You, and we all died and went to heaven when we realized our unbelievable luck….

 

I was three seats away from the aisle in section 114, row 8, and in the same row across the aisle, there were a handful of covered seats, with what I believed to be an audio set up, something uuber-geeky technical that was part of the show. There was a 5’-0” tall security girl standing there as people took their seats, casually making sure nobody tried to climb over the covered area. The concert began and I was happy as a clam, when halfway through the starry night, a few of the tech crew began shuffling around by the covered area to my left. My instinct was that it was an audio issue they were trying to quickly fix and avoid an embarrassing disaster. I crossed my fingers it was going to be OK and I kept on singing and screaming. A few minutes later I looked over, and they had a platform out…. then a guitar stand on top of it…. then a guitar, then a bass, then… a microphone!!! I felt my heart jump into my throat, and I’m pretty sure my eyes bugged out of my head as I turned to the girl on my left and screamed like a 12 year old tweeny girl, “Oh my GAAAWD!!! Are they going to play RIGHT HERE?!?!?!” We almost hugged each other as we bounced up and down in sheer delight.

 

Then it happened… they finished a song on the stage (don’t ask me which one, because by now I was in another world), and the entire band put down their instruments and started walking to the edge of the stage… the spotlight followed them…. then they came down to the edge of the floor section…. and continued walking single file…. right towards us!!! They were just a few steps below us now, walking up, the spotlight on them, people in section 114 going absolutely crazy, a few steps higher… and CHRIS MARTIN WAS 2 FEET AWAY FROM ME!! We scrambled to reach our sweaty hands out, and I almost fell over when he HELD the hand of the blonde beside me! I have never been so envious in my entire life. Lucky bitch ;)

 

So there I was, twitterpated beyond reason and heart racing, hardly believing my luck as Chris, Guy, Jon, and Will climbed onto the tiny satellite stage that had been kept such a great secret throughout the concert. The sipped some water, wiped the sweat from their foreheads, and grinned as they looked around the fans surrounding them 360 degrees. Looking back at it, it was probably a really cool experience for them too- to be on a tiny makeshift stage, barely big enough for the four of them to stand on, right amidst the crowd. Then, they began to play Green Eyes (from Rush of Blood to the Head). Now, you have to know this because it’s absolutely no coincidence- MY eyes are green. Holy $&^! HE KNEW IT ALL ALONG! That was the best performance of Green Eyes ever, in the entire history of Coldplay’s existence. Now, brace yourself, because what I’m about to tell you is no made up fairytale, but pure fact; Chris sang the ballad (dedicated to me), as I listened and watched intently….. this was my moment… and then it happened…. our eyes met and we locked gazes for a few wonderful seconds…. Sigh. Double sigh. In case you’re wondering- his eyes are a sparkling, ocean blue.

 

When I recounted this story to Kasia, her response was ‘duh, of course he stared into your eyes…. you look like Gwyneth and then he realized she’d kick his ass if she was there, so he had to look away!” I love her for knowing just what to say. Now, I admit, the only time during the concert where I was utterly content to be standing alone without my wonderful boyfriend, was at that moment. I had the utmost joy in experiencing a pure, teenage-like trance of a girl in love with her rock star, and being so close to him that her eyes connected with his. It was the sweetest thing… I felt so happy, so young, so totally carefree and innocent. It made me remember the bliss and agony of being a teenager discovering the aching feeling of a crush, of a first love, of dreams that couldn’t be touched by any realists and cynics. I truly haven’t felt that emotionally elated and carefree since I let my guards down after many disappointments with the opposite sex, and fell in love with my boyfriend. Ahh, the sweet, pure emotion of true love and uninhibited, unedited happiness. It’s obvious: Coldplay is Love.

 

So if you have any doubts that a live concert can do that to you, grown women, doubt no more. Music has the power to change things, to inspire, to elate, and to make one discover passion and organic happiness all over again.

 

Going back to the concert recap: after my almost-famous moments during Green Eyes, they improvised and hammed it up with the audience as they played a humorous and lighthearted cover of I’m in Love. Wow, Chris Martin is such a talented musician and captivating performer! He really did blow me away. The entire band did.

 

For the rest of the concert I felt high as kite on endorphins and the stunning visual effects, the music, the Viva La Vida ‘ooow, ooooh, oooow, ooooh , owwwwhhhhhhhhh oh’ madness, the piano solos that morphed into classical pieces, the butterflies in the air, the energy and raw talent in front of me… it was so incredible, that I’m still reliving the moments, blasting the live CD, and clipping articles.

 

I’ll be honest with you- I want to put up posters all over my bedroom. I considered this, but decided that my man might not share my brilliant decorating ideas. I did, however, put up an 11 X 17 color copy of a photo and interview from the Calgary Sun above our tiny desk.

 

I call it research for my very first blog post ;)

 

http://goodfinking.com/2009/06/19/i-almost-touched-chris-martin-from-coldplay/

[Jenjie]

ooooooh pre-show parties!!!!! :o

 

My sister invited me to go to a Gucci party at Hotel arts. We didn't know what to expect other than free booze. So we went. The party was a little dull but the balcony looked down at a party that looked a lot more fun around the pool. So we were gunna head down and crash the party, but as we were heading on our way out, two of the guys from down stairs were coming in the room and invited us to come down.

 

When we got there we found out it was a party for Coldplay, Snow Patrol and the Howling Bells because they were playing the next night.

 

So that was pretty cool. Then one of the guys from the howling bells told my sis that he would put us on the guest list for the concert the next night! It was super nice and they were side of stage seats which were amazing. After he came and found us and took us back stage. We met the guys from Coldplay and we suggested we go to hifi to dance and party. So we all went down there and had so much fun!

 

Once the clock struck twelve it was my birthday. Chris Martin bought me a bunch of flowers from the guy who sells single roses in the clubs in Calgary.

Everyone should check out the Howling Bells! They are amazing and so sweet.

Happy day everyone!

 

http://youareawonderfulcreation.blogspot.com/2009/06/guccihowling-bellscoldplaylove.html

[but a dream]

OOoh lucky them :D

[cypherjan]

I uploaded some videos of the concert on youtube under the name cypherjan1. I'm not sure how to add them here.

 

I wasn't sure I would be able to see the concert because it was sold out and any tickets released the day of the show seemed to be taken right away. There were seats available behind the stage but I didn't really want those so kept checking back during the day. One guy was very helpful in searching several minutes and found tickets in section 115. Which was lucky because that was close to where the band played the acoustic part of the show.

 

I saw Coldplay when they first came to Calgary in 2003 which wasn't long after I found out about them. It was great to see them then and great to see them again. The part of the show I enjoyed the most was seeing them up close but the music, the lasers, video effects, Chris's manic energy and humorous comments, and the crowd participation were all part of what made the show so good. It was funny when the half-naked men in the audience were spotlighted and Chris commented on them. I really hope there will be a DVD.

 

At the end, security didn't seem to mind people coming onto the floor to get butterflies. I collected a few before they started trying to get people to leave. There wasn't any problem getting LRLRL at the exit.