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    Coventry review: Coldplay wow a sell-out audience at the Ricoh Arena, 29th May (plus new photos)

    7297874552_23c1ae953c_s.jpgWhen Coldplay first graduated to stadiums in 2005, I thought they were too drab to command the space; they had big songs but little charisma, four earnest men dressed in black in front of a black back drop. No one could accuse them of being colourless anymore. Quite the opposite, in fact, they may be the most colourful band on the planet, with a palette that could make a children's TV set designer queasy, writes the Daily Telegraph in the first review of Coldplay's concert at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on Tuesday night (29th May). Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from the shows at the Coldplay Live forum now. Read on for the Daily Telegraph review article...

     

    They storm onto a graffiti splashed set in hand crafted outfits wielding paint spattered instruments and turn the stadium into a sea of day glo light with flashing wristbands, giant red, green and blue balloons, fireworks, glitter, ticker tape, and every laser this side of Star Wars.

     

    You can't even accuse the old bedwetters of trying too hard to make up for a lack of charisma, They throw everything at their audience, including themselves. This is the kind of stirring, sweaty, heartfelt, energetic, emotional and uplifting show that could give stadium entertainment a good name.

    Coldplay have been around for over ten years now, and they have a catalogue of hit songs to match any of their stadium rocking predecessors. The crowd is singing lustily along by the second song, In My Place. Five songs in, they threaten to drown out Chris Martin on The Scientist. "We haven't even got to the good songs yet," he jokes. "We're just getting started."

     

    Yellow opens surprisingly as a tender piano ballad then explodes into a screaming, stomping guitar anthem. The "Oh-way-ohs" that bounce around the stands at the end of Viva La Vida are fantastic, reminding you of the communal essence of great musical spectacle. When it comes to a big singalong, Coldplay are hard to beat.

     

    The appearance of Rihanna on big screens singing her chorus from Princess Of China is a reminder of how easily Coldplay fit into the modern urban pop landscape. Although they have the drama, intensity and epic dimensions of rock music, their melodic instincts are pitched squarely at the pop mainstream. No shame in that. They may be the most poppy rock group since The Beatles.

     

    They have earned their status as biggest band on the planet with massive singalong tunes. But they have grown into the role too, really using every inch of the stadium space, filling it with their personality as well as their songs, overloading the senses with every technological and showbiz trick in the book. The explosion of light and music on Charlie Brown is just amazing, maybe the most spectacular musical momemt I have ever witnessed. Coldplay have become one of those rare groups for whom bigger really does mean better.

     

    New photos of Coldplay performing at the Ricoh Arena, Coventry, England (29th May 2012):

     

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    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]

    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]

     

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    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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