12-Jun-2009: Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA, USA

[Dfit00]

No setlist change! :disappointed:

 

I hope they change it for Canada though :rolleyes:

[xxKels]

:D"keep HOPE alive!"

[Dfit00]

:D"keep HOPE alive!"

Yay! :escaping:

 

Look what I found! :lol:

 

You can see Chris' WHITE boxer! :laugh3::laugh3:

[xxKels]

:inquisitive: I see nothing wrong here...just move along, folks, no gawking.......:sneaky:

[busybeeburns]

Coldplay brings A game to Des Moines

 

Three bands that had never played in Des Moines took the stage Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena, but you wouldn’t have known that they were unfamiliar with our Iowa’s capital city.

 

Coldplay singer Chris Martin thanked the crowd for missing out on Winefest. Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody managed to pronounce “Des Moines” correctly. (Howling Bells singer Juanita Stein wasn’t as lucky, adding an “S”).

 

“If we knew how good the audience is, we’d have come a long time ago,” Martin told the crowd. He even worked a line about “finally making it to Iowa” into the opening tune, “Violet Hill.”

 

The UK band put on a show filled with spectacle as of 10:15 p.m. Giant balloons floated into the crowd during the band’s early hit, “Yellow,” exploding into a mess of confetti when band members would strike them.

 

Martin took full use of the stage, which included two walkways extending into the audience. He sprinted around the stage during “In My Place,” collapsing to his knees before finishing the song.

 

At one point, the entire band gathered onto a small portion of the walkway. Using a tiny, colorful piano and small drums to play “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, “ it looked like Coldplay had wandered into an elementary school music room and started a jam. It added to the slightly surreal feel of the evening.

 

The group couldn’t even leave the stage without a bit of circumstance. After “Viva La Vida” the four members left the stage and crossed the arena to go to a third stage.

 

Once there drummer Will Champion sang the acoustic-accompanied “Green Eyes.”

Instead of just simple projection screens, images of the band and audience were projected onto suspended screen balls, twisting and distorting each image. At one point Martin had the lights turned off and requested the audience get out its cell phones for “The first Mexican cell phone wave” in the history of the arena. The crowd, of course, complied.

 

“You know it’s great when you play a concert in the Hawkeye State,” Martin crooned from the tiny stage. Not long after that they launched into The Monkee’s “I’m a Believer.”

 

It was an odd moment in an evening that was full of little eccentricities. After years of skipping over Des Moines, the band brought its A game, and the wait seemed worth it.

 

Final attendance numbers were not available. The arena’s lower level was full, but the upper level had open seats.

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com

[busybeeburns]

i was there tonight, and Coldplay totally rocked it. I was all the way back in the 200 sections, but it was still by far the best concert i've ever been to. They sounded fantastic live, and really really got into it with the audience. I was a little surprised that they played almost their whole new album, but then again it is the viva la vida tour. I think some people might have been unfamiliar with a few of the songs, and i thought they would have played a couple older ones (speed of sound, trouble, other random songs from their first 3 albums). But overall, definitely worth the expensive tickets! Great, great show. I would definitely see them again any day

 

[jabba5 @ desmoinesregister]

[Zeya]

:inquisitive: I see nothing wrong here...just move along, folks, no gawking.......:sneaky:

 

Then why are you still staring at that pic? :P:lol:

[but a dream]

Once there drummer Will Champion sang the acoustic-accompanied “Green Eyes.”

:inquisitive: I think the journalist got the song wrong? Shouldn't it be Death Will Not Conquer? Unless they changed?

[the.hardest.part]

OMG! Just got back! I loved everything about this concert! The crowd was AMAZING! (Crowd) was better than any concert I've been to and that says something!

 

I worked with Oxfam tonight and just expected to enjoy Coldplay from the Nosebleeds. BUT NO!!!! I was 10TH ROW CENTER!!! Omg sooooo goood! Thank you so much Soha!

 

I'm really tired after a 5 hour drive back to Chicago so I'll do my full review and PICTURES tomorrow sometime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUT let me just say Will wore a BLACK shirt (officially a fangirl now) and Jonny was his dancey self complete with the short-sleeved shirt! PLUS Chris had on a new V shirt!

[Mimixxx]

Three bands that had never played in Des Moines took the stage Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena, but you wouldn’t have known that they were unfamiliar with our Iowa’s capital city.

 

Coldplay singer Chris Martin thanked the crowd for missing out on Winefest. Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody managed to pronounce “Des Moines” correctly. (Howling Bells singer Juanita Stein wasn’t as lucky, adding an “S”).

 

“If we knew how good the audience is, we’d have come a long time ago,” Martin told the crowd. He even worked a line about “finally making it to Iowa” into the opening tune, “Violet Hill.”

 

The UK band put on a show filled with spectacle as of 10:15 p.m. Giant balloons floated into the crowd during the band’s early hit, “Yellow,” exploding into a mess of confetti when band members would strike them.

 

Martin took full use of the stage, which included two walkways extending into the audience. He sprinted around the stage during “In My Place,” collapsing to his knees before finishing the song.

 

At one point, the entire band gathered onto a small portion of the walkway. Using a tiny, colorful piano and small drums to play “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, “ it looked like Coldplay had wandered into an elementary school music room and started a jam. It added to the slightly surreal feel of the evening.

 

The group couldn’t even leave the stage without a bit of circumstance. After “Viva La Vida” the four members left the stage and crossed the arena to go to a third stage.

 

Once there drummer Will Champion sang the acoustic-accompanied “Green Eyes.”

 

Instead of just simple projection screens, images of the band and audience were projected onto suspended screen balls, twisting and distorting each image. At one point Martin had the lights turned off and requested the audience get out its cell phones for “The first Mexican cell phone wave” in the history of the arena. The crowd, of course, complied.

 

“You know it’s great when you play a concert in the Hawkeye State,” Martin crooned from the tiny stage. Not long after that they launched into The Monkee’s “I’m a Believer.”

 

It was an odd moment in an evening that was full of little eccentricities. After years of skipping over Des Moines, the band brought its A game, and the wait seemed worth it.

 

Final attendance numbers were not available. The arena’s lower level was full, but the upper level had open seats.

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com

 

They've beefed that up a little now Ian:

 

Three bands that had never played in Des Moines took the stage Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena, but you wouldn't have known that they were unfamiliar with our fair city.

 

Coldplay singer Chris Martin thanked the crowd for skipping out on Winefest.

 

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody managed to pronounce "Des Moines" correctly (Howling Bells singer Juanita Stein wasn't as lucky, adding an "S" sound.)

 

"If we knew how good the audience is, we'd have come a long time ago," Martin told the crowd. He even worked a line about "finally making it to Iowa" into the opening tune, "Violet Hill."

 

Three bands that had never played in Des Moines took the stage Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena, but you wouldn't have known that they were unfamiliar with our fair city.

 

Coldplay singer Chris Martin thanked the crowd for skipping out on Winefest.

 

Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody managed to pronounce "Des Moines" correctly (Howling Bells singer Juanita Stein wasn't as lucky, adding an "S" sound.)

 

"If we knew how good the audience is, we'd have come a long time ago," Martin told the crowd. He even worked a line about "finally making it to Iowa" into the opening tune, "Violet Hill."

 

The British band put on a show filled with spectacle. Giant balloons floated into the 11,000-strong crowd during the band's early hit, "Yellow," exploding into a mess of confetti when band members would strike them.

 

Martin made full use of the stage, which included two walkways extending into the audience. He sprinted around the stage during "In My Place," collapsing to his knees before finishing the song.

 

At one point the entire band gathered on a small portion of the walkway. Using a tiny, colorful piano and small drums to play "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face," Coldplay looked like it had wandered into an elementary school music room and started a jam. It added to the slightly surreal feel of the evening.

 

And after "Viva La Vida," the band left the stage and crossed the arena to go to a third stage. Once there, drummer Will Champion sang the acoustic-accompanied "Green Eyes."

 

Instead of simple projection screens, images of the band and audience were projected onto suspended orb screens, twisting and distorting each image. At one point Martin had the lights turned out and requested the audience get out cell phones for "the first Mexican cell phone wave" in the history of the arena. The crowd, of course, complied.

 

Some of Coldplay's darker songs seemed an odd contrast to the lively and colorful stage show. "Cemeteries of London," "42" and "Death and All His Friends" are the kind of songs you would not expect to cause a crowd of thousands to jump and wave their arms enthusiastically, but it worked.

 

The evening was heavy on songs from the band's latest album, "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," and its second, "A Rush of Blood to the Head." The band's recent EP, "Prospekt's March" also got some love, but fans of Coldplay's debut, "Parachutes" and 2005's "X&Y" didn't get a lot from either album.

"You know it's great when you play a concert in the Hawkeye State," Martin crooned from the tiny stage. Not long after that the band launched into the Monkees' "I'm a Believer."

 

It was an odd moment in a night that was full of little eccentricities. After years of skipping over Des Moines, the band brought its "A" game, and the wait seemed worth it.

 

Before introducing Coldplay, Lightbody said it had "about the most awesome arena show you'll ever see in your lives."

Perhaps there was a bit of hyperbole in that, but after underwhelming turnout for bands like Green Day and Nine Inch Nails, it was exciting to see a Des Moines audience embrace an alternative arena act.

 

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090613/ENT04/906130345/1039/LIFE

[Glastra]

That review makes me embarrassed for Iowa and our journalists, with all its blatant mistakes. So, I apologise in retrospect for not updating during the show, but my head was still reeling from meeting them all and then interviewing Will beforehand. I will post a proper update in a little while when I wake up. And post some pics. Have to post the vid on Mon when I haz better connection. Be patient please!

[but a dream]

:D Looking forward to the vid :dance:

[yellow745]

Can't wait for the picss ;)

[xxKels]

That review makes me embarrassed for Iowa and our journalists, with all its blatant mistakes. So, I apologise in retrospect for not updating during the show, but my head was still reeling from meeting them all and then interviewing Will beforehand. I will post a proper update in a little while when I wake up. And post some pics. Have to post the vid on Mon when I haz better connection. Be patient please!

 

 

:stunned:Arrrgh! I`m dying to hear about your interview with Will !!!

 

Wake up and talk !:whip:

[LFDianne]

That review makes me embarrassed for Iowa and our journalists, with all its blatant mistakes. So, I apologise in retrospect for not updating during the show, but my head was still reeling from meeting them all and then interviewing Will beforehand. I will post a proper update in a little while when I wake up. And post some pics. Have to post the vid on Mon when I haz better connection. Be patient please!

 

 

 

Yay Yay Yay! You got to interview Will! Can't wait to hear what you asked and how he replied. Lucky you!:laugh3:

[forcin]

 

:wideeyed:

 

That review makes me embarrassed for Iowa and our journalists, with all its blatant mistakes. So, I apologise in retrospect for not updating during the show, but my head was still reeling from meeting them all and then interviewing Will beforehand. I will post a proper update in a little while when I wake up. And post some pics. Have to post the vid on Mon when I haz better connection. Be patient please!

 

that's great! can't wait:)

[TalkShowHost]

Thanks for sharing some of last night's concert happeningd and pics.

 

Can someone tell me a bit about the Merch? Seeing them next week, so just wondering what's available.... =)

[busybeeburns]

Pics from desmoinesregister.com:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[busybeeburns]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Lizzybear]

OMG! Just got back! I loved everything about this concert! The crowd was AMAZING! (Crowd) was better than any concert I've been to and that says something!

 

I worked with Oxfam tonight and just expected to enjoy Coldplay from the Nosebleeds. BUT NO!!!! I was 10TH ROW CENTER!!! Omg sooooo goood! Thank you so much Soha!

 

I'm really tired after a 5 hour drive back to Chicago so I'll do my full review and PICTURES tomorrow sometime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BUT let me just say Will wore a BLACK shirt (officially a fangirl now) and Jonny was his dancey self complete with the short-sleeved shirt! PLUS Chris had on a new V shirt!

 

 

 

 

YAH! :dance: this was a Gianna show! :dance:

 

CANT.WAIT FOR YOUR PICS! :bomb:!

 

so happy u had a great time again Gianna, lucky gal ;)

:kiss:

[busybeeburns]

Concession workers robbed at gunpoint at Des Moines Coldplay show

 

Two unidentified men who appeared to be wearing concession-worker work clothes robbed Wells Fargo Arena concession employees at gunpoint late Friday night, report the Des Moines Register today.

 

The Des Moines arena was staging a concert by rock band Coldplay. Witnesses told police one of the men worked a different concession stand earlier in the evening. No arrests were made after the men left the area with an undisclosed amount of cash.

 

Witnesses said the men, wearing clothes labeled with the name of Wells Fargo concession company Ovations Food Service approached workers at a concession stand approximately 9:30 p.m. One pulled a small-caliber handgun and pointed it at workers, witnesses reported. He then demanded money, which he stuffed in a backpack, and also took a cell phone. The suspects left through side door of the arena generally not used by the public.

 

Arena officials were checking surveillance videos and working through lists of temporary workers to try to identify the men.

 

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20090613/NEWS/90613003/-1/SPORTS12

[yellow745]

Wow These pictures are amazing!!!!!

[the.hardest.part]

My teasers!

 

[lndnsky]

^Great!!! :D

[Christa42]

yeah!!!!! those are awesome

yowzaaaaaaa