Entering Toyota Center, I almost didn't take the wristband that the ticket taker offered. That would have been a mistake. Even before the first song of the Coldplay concert Monday night, a recorded version of Jay-Z's "99 Problems" boomed through the stadium and activated the sound-sensitive wristbands into a glow that enveloped the massive arena, writes the CultureMap website this morning, in another review article of Coldplay's two Houston show this week (Monday 25th & Tuesday 26th June) at the Toyota Center. Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from the shows at the Coldplay Live forum here (25th - Monday) and here (26th - Tuesday) now. Read on for CultureMap's review...
And a magical night of confetti in neon colors, flashing lights, bouncing rubber balls and songs that everyone at the sold-out concert knew every word to by heart began — and it was pure delight. Coldplay stepped onto the stage to the theme of Back to the Future, which segued into the opening track, "Hurts Like Heaven," from the band's fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto, released in late 2011; the audience, waving glittering, glowing wristbands in unison, immediately felt a part of the experience.
(The band estimates they spend $640,000 per concert on the electronic wristbands — most of the tour's profits — but are hesitant to give them up because "it just feels so magical," guitarist Johnny Buckland said.) After the end of the second song of the set — "In My Place" from 2002's A Rush of Blood to the Head — I was curious to see where the concert could possibly go from there, since lead singer Chris Martin was already positioned in a near-backbend, swimming in a sea of confetti.
I shouldn't have doubted.
From there, following Martin's lead, the band took the audience through a decade-long catalog of songs, from "Major Minus" to "Lovers in Japan" to such resonant hits as "The Scientist" and "Yellow," mixing in thoughtful piano solos with high-energy rock tunes, all accompanied by stunning lights and visuals.
Early on Martin thanked the audience for "taking all the crap" of finding a parking spot, slogging through the crowds, paying too much for tickets and overpriced food — all on a Monday night — to come hear the band and promised, "We're going to try to make this the best fucking show we ever had." Then he delivered.
A nonstop whirling dervish of energy throughout the 90-minute set, Martin continually ran around the circular stage and catwalk piled high with confetti debris, piano and guitars defaced with the same type of neon paint that I used to graffiti my junior high desk. He leapt on risers to get closer to the audience, he jumped up and down in pure unadulterated joy, he did gravity-defying kneebends and, at times, sprawled out on the floor at the end of a song as if thoroughly spent before the audience's energy willed him back into action.
If, at times, his voice sounded strained from singing so enthusiastically for so long — he sang 21 songs (an unusually large number for a singer of his stature in an arena concert) — it didn't matter. Though he's a superstar singer with a movie-star wife, at heart, he's really just a working class guy determined to give the crowd their money's worth — and more.
Midway through the evening, the band set up at the end of the catwalk for a mix of songs, and then returned to the main stage for renditions of a drum-laden "Viva La Vida" (with surely one of the all-time great sing-along refrains), a graphics-accompanied "Charlie Brown" and a hard-hitting "Paradise," where the audience again sang along in unison. At the conclusion of the song, Martin said, "You're making me feel like this is a holiday."
After what felt like an encore pause, the band reappeared in the middle of the audience in the cheaper, higher seats away from the action — complete with an upright piano — for two heart-wrenching acoustic songs, "Us Against the World" and "Speed of Sound," before returning to the stage for a real finale triad: "Clocks," "Fix You" and "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall."
Then, the four-member band who have known each other since college, stayed on stage for several minutes and cheered the audience in return, as if everyone was reluctant to leave. It was that kind of night.
New photos of Coldplay performing at the Toyota Center, Houston, TX (26th June 2012):
Photos courtesy of Erikahtx (click for more!) [thanks Clifford]
Thumb by: itsallamirage @ 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]
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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