Coldplay continued its North American tour in support of the platinum-selling album Mylo Xyloto with the first of a two-night stint at Chicago’s United Center on Tuesday, and the band wasted no time in letting the audience know they were in for an evening of sensory overload, writes Fender magazine in a review of Coldplay's two shows at the United Center in Chicago this week (7-8 August). Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from these shows at the Coldplay Live forum here (7th - Tuesday) and here (8th - Wednesday - tonight) onwards now. Thanks to everyone who has contributed with tweets, photos, reviews, videos and comments! Read on for the rest of the Fender review article below...
A nearly two-hour set kicked off with “Mylo Xyloto” and “Hurts Like Heaven,” as the wristbands handed out upon entrance suddenly sprang to life, pulsating with light and illuminating the audience in iridescent colors of pinks, oranges, blues and greens.
Cannons shot off matching confetti during the next song, “In My Place,” as frontman Chris Martin spun and skipped down a middle runway. Guitarist Jonny Buckland joined him there later in the song with Martin kneeling and leaning back to the ground, and thrusting his microphone towards Buckland’s graffiti-painted Stratocaster during his solo...
The set antics weren’t quite done, though. Laser lights cut through the audience throughout the night, with dozens of over-sized beach-ball globes dropping from the ceiling during “Lovers in Japan” accompanied by even more confetti. Coldplay finally slowed things down with Martin taking a seat at the piano for hit ballad “The Scientist” off 2002’s A Rush of Blood to the Head. The crowd helped finish the song, easily drowning out a wide-eyed Martin with its volume.
Although the setlist heavily favored Mylo Xyloto, the UK rockers pulled out a few songs from Rush, including “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face.” The band gathered around drummer Will Champion for an extended drumroll that launched the energetic rocker, followed by Martin and Buckland taking to the runway to trade licks on their Tele and Strat, respectively. The Coldplay frontman punctuated the song in dramatic fashion by tossing his guitar high into the air and intentionally failing to catch it. (Note: It didn’t appear damaged.)
For the most part Martin kept the banter to a minimum, but midway through the set, three kids holding a sign for “Amsterdam” broke him out of his scheduled routine. The entire band had relocated to the end of the stage’s runway for what was to be an intimate three-song run of “Princess of China” and “Up In Flames” and 2002’s “Warning Sign.” But prior to kicking into “Warning Sign,” Martin hesitated and publically recognized the song request that was practically staring him smack in the face. Although the band hadn’t played “Amsterdam” live since 2008, Martin admitted that he "didn’t want to tick anyone off."
“Ok, here’s the deal,” he finally offered. “I’ll keep going as long as I can remember but when I stop don’t give me a hard time.” Then after playing a few bars, he ribbed his bandmates, “Take a break, take a break, take a break. You get money for nothing!”
Martin played no more than a minute before throwing in the towel, but the audience was still delighted by the spontaneous effort. The singer wasn’t settling for any errors a few songs later after the band returned to the main stage and blasted the arena with the anthemic hit “Paradise” as the set closer.
“I’m sorry, fucked that up,” he said during the opening instrumentation. “Let’s go again,” he directed his band, and then attacked the keyboard with venom. The hit-single reverberated through the sold-out arena as the audience chanted the refrain, “Para-para-paradise, Oh oh oh oh oh oh-oh-oh” in one of the many memorable portions of the evening.
Coldplay wasted no time returning for an encore, although Martin did pop up unexpectedly on a miniature stage located in the middle of an audience section. “This is a song about the US and the UK combining for an Olympics sport and taking over the world,” he explained. “It’s a utopian sort of thing. This song dreams of that day. “That’s actually a load of bullshit,” he said with a laugh. “I made it all up.”
Martin started off “Us Against the World” solo on acoustic, but one-by-one the rest of the band joined him, starting with Champion on keys, then Buckland and finally bassist Guy Berryman. Staying at the small stage, Coldplay continued with “Speed of Sound” before dashing back to the main stage for the night’s grand finale.
Laser lights again accentuated the stage and the audience as the Brit quartet dazzled with mainstay “Clocks” and tear-jerker “Fix You.” As Buckland’s poignant guitar notes built up into the organ-filled crescendo, Martin took off sprinting down the runway, leap-frogging up and down every few steps with wild abandonment as if he was competing in his own Olympics. Despite all the acrobatics and the second to last stop of this summer’s North American tour, Martin and company still had enough gas after the emotional “Fix You” to finish out the night with Mylo Xyloto’s upbeat electro-pop lead single “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.”[Article ends]
New photos of Coldplay performing at the United Center, Chicago, IL (7-8 August 2012):
Photos courtesy of the Chicago Tribune
Thumb by schwegweb @ Flickr
Don't forget to check out your tour discussion thread if you are getting Coldplay tickets or just getting excited for the European & North American 2012 shows and other forthcoming appearances:
FEBRUARY 2012
8 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia (iHeartRadio) [discussion]
9 Los Angeles, CA @ Jimmy Kimmel Live [discussion]
10 Los Angeles, CA @ GRAMMY Week MusiCares Person of the Year tribute [discussion]
12 Los Angeles, CA @ 54th Grammy Awards, Staples Center [discussion]
16 Sydney, Australia @ 2DayFM, Mobile Live Set (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
17 Sydney, Australia @ Sunrise (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
21 London @ Brit Awards 2012, O2 Arena [discussion]
MARCH 2012
2 New York, NY @ Good Morning America [discussion]
4 New York, NY @ The Secret Policeman's Ball, Radio City Music Hall (Amnesty International) [discussion]
APRIL 2012
17 Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place [discussion]
18 Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome [discussion]
20 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
21 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
24 Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena [discussion]
25 Seattle, WA @ KeyArena [discussion]
27 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
28 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
MAY 2012
1 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
3 Los Angeles, CA @ American Idol show [discussion] [NEW!]
4 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
5 Los Angeles, CA @ KROQ's Weenie Roast y Fiesta [discussion] [NEW!]
18 Porto, Portugal @ Dragao Stadium [discussion]
20 Madrid, Spain @ Estadio Vicente Calderón [discussion]
22 Nice, France @ Stade Charles Herman / Nikaia [discussion]
24 Turin, Italy @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
26 Zurich, Switzerland @ Letzigrund [discussion]
29 Coventry, UK @ Ricoh Stadium [discussion]
JUNE 2012
1 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
2 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
4 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
7 Sunderland, UK @ the Stadium of Light [discussion]
9 London, UK @ Wembley Stadium (Capital FM's Summertime Ball 2012) [discussion] [NEW!]
9 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
10 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
22 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
23 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
25 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
26 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
28 Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum [discussion]
29 Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena [discussion]
JULY 2012
2 Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena [discussion]
3 Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena [discussion]
5 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
6 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
8 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
9 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
23 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
24 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
26 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
27 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
29 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
30 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
AUGUST 2012
1 Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills [discussion]
3 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
4 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
7 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
8 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
10 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center [discussion]
11 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center [discussion]
28 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Parken Stadium [discussion]
30 Stockholm, Sweden @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
SEPTEMBER 2012
2 Paris, France @ Stade de France [discussion]
4 Cologne, Germany @ Rheinenergie Stadium [discussion]
6 The Hague, Netherlands @ Malieveld [discussion]
9 London, UK @ Paralympics Closing Ceremony [discussion]
12 Munich, Germany @ Olympiastadion [discussion]
14 Leipzig, Germany @ Red Bull Stadium [discussion]
16 Prague, Czech Republic @ Slavia Eden Stadium [discussion]
19 Warsaw, Poland @ National Stadium [discussion]
22 Hannover, Germany @ AWD Arena [discussion]
NOVEMBER 2012
10 Auckland, New Zealand @ Mt Smart Stadium [discussion]
13 Melbourne, Australia @ Etihad Stadium [discussion]
17 Sydney, Australia @ Allianz Stadium [discussion]
18 Sydney, Australia @ Allianz Stadium [discussion] [NEW!]
21 Brisbane, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium [discussion]
Read also: European Stadium Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the Europe tour)
Read also: North America Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the US/Canada tour)
Read also: 2012: Live Appearances - Easy Thread Finder (last updated - 12th January 2012)
Read also: 2012 tour date rumours (please post dates for ALL countries in here)
Kit yourself up for the forthcoming MX tour and get spotted with Coldplaying's new range of merchandise! [click on the items for the full shop]
The new range of Coldplaying merchanise (unofficial of course to the official shop) has hit our stores, with our biggest range of goods so far. Prices are as low as they can be for a Cafepress shop so more people will be able to afford them. We don't take any profits for the sale of the merchandise as a result. Take a browse in one of the online stores nearest to you: UK | US | Canada | Australia | European (shipping is worldwide, but you can choose what currency to pay in) - simply alter the country dropdown menu at the top of the shop page. [thanks to TracieMorgan and zzz]
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