We are now on to part six (of how many, who knows!) of the Wembley fan reviews, continuing with more stories from Coldplay's concert on Saturday 19th September. Excellent reviews of the two Wembley shows continue to be posted at the Coldplay Live forum. Once again, thanks to all the Coldplayers who have contributed with tweets, pictures, videos, reviews and of course masses of discussion so far, and are continuing to do so. Please add your reviews to this thread if you have something to say about the show! Here is the sixth edition:
Just got back from a brilliant weekend in london! Friday night me and the girlfriend went for a few drinks and then a walk around Wembley while the concert was on we had a listen outside! Saw 2 Coldplayers who were queuing at 9pm for the saturday show, thats insane, 2 girls it was not sure who it was on here?
And we also spoke to a sweedish guy called Henry? His friends had gone to see Coldplay and left him outside with there suitcases bless him!
Then at the end of the concert we were outside the entrance or exit and all the traffic was stopped coldplay finished and a car came immediatley speeding out asuming it had Chris martin in it but dont know what happened to the rest of the band Saturday night was just awesome, didnt get to the stadium till bout 7.30pm but caught the end of Jay Z, he really was amazing but Coldplay came on and were even better Chris didnt seem his usual self to me though he looked either ill or very very tired! [thanks Liam]
What a fantastic show on Saturday! I was totally blown away by the energy of the band and crowd, especially in our spot. We were only about 10-15 rows from the front, just off to the right of centre stage. Everyone was happy, we all had plenty of room, and people were just basically up for having a great time. The rain made it a million times better, after hours and hours of the heat and sweat and being stood around, people were just revelling in it. I was completely soaked to the skin by the time they came out, you could see Chris think 'oh bollocks to it' and he just ran out into the downpour! You can see how drenched he got from the first couple of pics. It was a novel experience for me to see a band this huge without having really paid any attention to previous setlists or performances from the rest of the tour, so it was totally fresh and interesting to me. I've seen The Killers 3 times in quick succession this year and it does take away a little of the magic when you get almost the same setlist for the third time.
The butterfly release was spectacular, I was so afraid it was still going to be raining and ruin it, but thankfully it was dry and I have a massive handful of them at home. Highlights for me were The Scientist, Yellow, Politik, Fix You, VLV, and Lovers In Japan. You could feel how emotional it was at the end, but I think the crowd gave them a good send off! I never got a sniff of any LRLRL cds, but I saw people with them so they must have been around. I've read that the giveaway has been a shambles pretty much everywhere though so I half expected it. White Lies were great as always, the less said about Girls Aloud the better, and Jay-Z was fantastic. I loved how he picked individuals out from the crowd and said thanks. [thanks karenb51]
I met my friend outside Wembley Stadium Station at 3.30 and we went to queue up. I was quite surprised how near the front we ended up - we were just right of the centre of stage, and about 10 rows back from the ramp on the right hand side of the stage (that may not seem that near to the front to some people but it's the closest i've ever been at a Coldplay concert and considering when we started queuing i thought we'd be much further back!) The first support act were White Lies. I'd heard a few of their songs on the radio which i kind of liked so i was curious to see what they'd be like live, and i must say i was really impressed! (So much so i went out and bought their album the next day!) Girls Aloud and Jay-Z were both OK imo, although i'm not really into either type of music. About 15 minutes before Coldplay were due on stage the heavens opened and one or two drops of rain quickly turned into an absolute downpour.
The rain didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits one bit though, as the opening chords of Life in Technicolour started up the whole place roared into life. As soon as the boys walked on stage waving their sparklers i couldn't have cared less that i was completely drenched, i could've burst with excitement and adrenaline! Chris sounded amazing all night. The whole band were on top form and every moment seemed all the more special, not just to the crowd but i'm sure to the boys too, because we all knew that this, the last night of the entire Viva La Vida world tour, marked the end of an era. Every song was brilliant in its own right and the atmosphere was absolutely electric throughout, but some songs really stand out in my mind: the mass singalongs to Viva La Vida and a beautiful rendition of The Scientist; Yellow, esp with our "audition" for the X Factor at the end; Billie Jean; a nostalgic Trouble, which i never expected to see them perform live and left me gobsmacked; Lovers in Japan was even more spectacular than when i saw them perform it at the O2 arena I almost died when they came down to the end of the right-hand ramp (is that the B stage or the C stage?!) to perform a few songs - they were at most about 20 feet away from me Chris was so humble and he kept thanking us all for singing along and even started referring to us as "the choir of London." I can't think what else to say now, except that we had a fantastic night and i know i'll never forget it. It was my friend's first Coldplay concert and he loved every second of it! [thanks shesawsparks]
80,000 people and I got second row. I couldn't have asked for anything better, I don't think. I've spent a year stressing out about this gig: if I could go, if I would get somewhere were the guys would be bigger than ants, how it would all work out in the end logistically. And it all worked out beautifully, better than beautifully. About four hundred people have been asking for my Wembley story, so here it is in blog form. Before I even go into blogging about Norwich and UEA and my new life here, I just have to write about Wembley. It's going to be a long one.
So I got the train down from Norwich to London on Friday night, which actually went quite smoothly. As much as I think I'm going to like Norwich, I already miss London, so being back so soon was wonderful. After grabbing food, I met Mariana at the Arran House (home! Oh, how I've missed Gower Street), and our plan was to go up to the Stadium to see how bad the lines were for the next night's show. Almost the second we got out of Wembley Park Tube stop, we could hear strains of "Yellow" and crowd cheers, and we absolutely freaked out. Listening to a gig from the outside is severely underrated: hearing everything without seeing it was completely awesome, and we had a great view of the ending fireworks. Even just hearing the gig from the outside of the stadium got me so excited that I was suddenly willing to spend the night outside in queue, even though there wasn't a queue to speak of yet. Worried that once the gig was over that people inside would immediately get in line for the next night, I called Semy and told him to come up to spend the night outside. This turned out to be a bad move. Mariana and I made friends with the security guards, who thought we were nuts for thinking of spending the night outside and offered us a little extra help getting inside if we needed it. Semy got to Wembley just as the show was over and thousands of people were streaming out, but when the crowds cleared, very few people were left to wait outside like us, even our friends that were inside. At the last moment, the three of us decided to get back on the Tube and get a few hours of sleep at the Arran House before turning back around and taking the first Tube back up at 5:08 AM.
Of course, we barely slept. Even if we had, it would have only been three hours, and I think I got maybe an hour and a half of sleep before we woke up at 4 AM and attempted to get the first Tube from Euston Square back up to Wembley. This turned out to be a bit more challenging than we thought, and after finally figuring out that we needed to change to the Metropolitan Line at Baker Street because through-trains weren't running yet, we were back up to Wembley just as the sun was coming out. Strangely, there were already people in queue at our gate (H&J), some with tents that we hadn't seen the night before, but we still got to the front of it and everything was fine, despite the fact that it was freezing and it looked like rain. Attempting to sleep on a concrete ramp didn't go so well, and I was much too excited to eat more than a few Jaffa cakes.
If you count the hour and a half we waited the night before, we queued for a total of 15 hours, I believe, but it didn't really feel like it. People we knew and people we didn't know trickled into the various queues all day, with most of us yellow-shirted friends were there by 9AM at the latest, so it turned out to be great fun, though I wish we hadn't all been so split up at different gates: I wish I got a chance to really talk to a few more people. So, we waited and talked and visited with each other for hours on end. By about 2:30, the Stadium workers told us in queue H&J to "squish up to the front," which was a bad idea: a) it was too early, since the turnstiles didn't open til 4, b) people got all out of order, c) it was hot by this time, and being squished together without space to sit made it hotter, and d) it got everyone all excited for the free-for-all that was about to ensue much too early. I kept thinking I'd need to put my head in between my knees for the next hour and a half, and I definitely wasn't the only one.
At 3:45, they cut the tape at our queue, and though there was a Stadium worker walking backwards in front of us with her arms open so we didn't run, people were pushing like all get-out. We reached another line of tape facing the turnstiles and were stopped again while a man on the loudspeaker announced that the turnstiles were now open, and we all cheered. I figured that they would calmly cut the last ribbon of tape like they did a few minutes before at the last barrier and walk in front of us slowly again, so I wasn't that worried, and Darcy, Semy, Mariana and I had a firm grip on each other, and Mariana had a whole line of others linked to her other side. However...they just shouted "GO!!!!" and everyone pushed, ripping the tape to shreds by bursting through it. It was terrifying, like the running of the bulls. We all got separated, and someone stepped on Semy's coat that he was carrying and brought him down, and I thought he died. We had to scan our own tickets at the turnstiles, which was nerve-wracking, and then after the security check, everyone was bolting to the pitch, even though there were hundreds of stadium workers shouting "WALK, DON'T RUN, SLOW DOWN." I saw Semy emerging from the turnstiles a few seconds after me, and after being grateful that he was alive, we linked arms and...powerwalked to the pitch while getting shouted at for running. I almost freaked out when I saw how empty it was around the stage, and somehow we managed to get almost right up against the barrier at the center, between Guy and Chris's spots, at second row. I couldn't believe it, and could only hope that the others got the front as well. Darcy ran in on her own a few seconds after Semy and I staked out our spot, so I turned on the Loud Voice that the Brits so hate and screamed "DARCYYYYYYYYYYYYYY" as everyone turned to look at me and the world stopped and went silent and planes hung in the air, and we nabbed Darcy. After peering over heads, we saw a huge yellow blob on the opposite end of the stage, and we knew everyone else had made it to their spots.
Wembley is massive. It turns out that it's only the 22nd largest stadium in the world, but the second largest in Europe with a 90,000 seating capacity. I could barely even sense how large it was by being in the very front against the stage, but it's quite literally breathtakingly huge. I think there were something like 60,000 people standing on the pitch alone, and it blew my mind to be at the very front of that many people. And so the wait began again, and this one was more painful, a) because we were packed in like sardines, b) because you can only get more excited with every minute that passes, and c) my feet were half on and half off the step up to the barrier. Being in the front has other advantages besides just being a few feet away from the band: they also pass you endless glasses of water, which were much appreciated. You're also allowed to bring in food, so when I felt like I was going to pass out, I could happily eat my granola bars without having to worry about buying a £6 hot dog and losing my primo spot.
About 45 minutes after we came in, White Lies came on. They were fabulous, like a combination of the Killers and the Bravery and Kings of Leon. The drummer looked about 12 years old, and the lead singer about 17, but I thought they were great despite the fact that I couldn't breathe because their bass was that intense. It didn't feel like an opening act, or even really a concert: it felt like a huge, rocking party in celebration of the end of the tour, even though it was still sunny and daylight out. I don't know if I've ever enjoyed an opener that much. They're coming to UEA in November, and I'm definitely going. Another wait for about 30 minutes before Girls Aloud came on. Ugh, they're the only part of the show I would have changed. I have no idea why Chris thought they would be a good opener for a Coldplay show: really, I just find bands like that embarrassing, not to mention nauseating, and I don't think very many people really enjoyed them besides the 17-year-old boys in the only row in front of me and the mega Girls Aloud fans that queued with us. Girls Aloud treated their set like it was their own headlining show and everyone had come out to see them, when really about 10 people out of 80,000 cared.
Darkness fell between Girls Aloud and Jay-Z, with an ominous fog floating in the ceiling. Even though I've never been a hip-hop fan whatsoever, I was actually a bit excited to see Jay-Z. Despite not really enjoying the music, I have a lot of respect for Jay-Z, and it's always cool to see someone mega-famous in concert. It turns out I was completely blown away by his set, both because I loved it and because the bass was turned up so much I thought I'd literally be blown away. Jay is a fantastic showman, regardless of music genre, as well as a great businessman, and an all-around adorable guy. The group of five teenage boys in front of me were going absolutely crazy for him, knowing every single word, and he came up and sang to them quite a bit, loving their reaction. At the very end of his set, Jay went around and thanked basically every single person in the front row individually, taking about 5 minutes total to say something specific about each person or group that was going crazy for him, including our yellow-shirted posse on the other side of the stage, the Jay-Z fangirl front and center, and the guys in front of me. I thought thanking people individually and taking that much time to do it was incredible.
And then it was time to wait for Coldplay. I was basically having a heart attack, as was the entire crowd, and I think my brain exploded when "the Blue Danube" came on. However, literally 3 minutes before Coldplay came onstage, the heavens opened and it started to pour directly on us through the open roof. It started out as a drizzle, but it turned into pissing rain the second the first notes of "Life in Technicolor" began. I don't know how it's possible for it to rain at the drop of a hat with no warning in this country, but it does. Usually I avoid the rain so my hair doesn't completely bug out, but even though I put on my raincoat, it was pretty much useless to avoid getting wet, and I don't really care if I end up on the DVD with an afro. The rain actually enhanced the party atmosphere, making it feel more like a joyous celebration rather than just the 159th concert on the tour. The rain stopped after a few songs anyway, which was good, since I was worried about making my camera waterlogged (Semy's didn't fare so well), but besides making for crap pictures and videos and despite my glasses being rainsplattered, I almost wanted it to keep raining: it made it even better.
I have never heard a sound like that crowd made. Sometimes it was hard to hear Chris sing just because there were 80,000+ people singing the same words and drowning him out despite amplification. I was floored at the sound of the Viva chant done by that many people, and so were the band, by the looks of them. They kept looking at each other and smiling, I think in astonishment, and Guy kept looking down at us in the front and smiling, and a Guy smile isn't always easy to get. I was also blown away by the sound: I've never been to a louder concert. The bass was turned up a bit too much if you ask me. I can't hear bass very well due to my impaired hearing, but I can sure as hell feel it, and my whole body was vibrating at some points. The extreme bass levels also made my videos a bit crap: usually the sound quality from that camera is amazingly good, but I think the bass waves blew out the mic. You can also hear me bellowing out the words, as usual, even though I was holding the camera many feet above my head. Damn having a loud voice.
The entire thing is both a blur and a memory with fine details in my head: it's certainly the best gig I've ever been to in my life for thousands of reasons (though I still think they were at the top of their musical game in Hartford this summer, and that was the best mood I've ever seen Chris in). I'll never forget being at the front of the biggest and most memorable gig Coldplay have played thus far, and I'll never forget the friends I made and the people I met in line while waiting. I've said it at least twice before now, but this show was more than just a concert: it was like a four-act celebration. It felt more like a party than a concert, and at this show, we were more than just spectators: we made the experience. I miss them already.
The next day, I was only able to make the meet-up in Russell Square for about 15 minutes, even though I would have given anything to stay. Then I took the Tube to Liverpool St. Station, like it said to do on my ticket, but none of the trains listed on the board said Ingatestone, where I had to transfer. Turns out, I had to go all the way to fricking NEWBURY PARK on the Tube to catch a BUS to Ingatestone, and then take the train to Norwich from there. Thanks for telling me that, snarky-lady-at-Euston-who-sold-me-my-tickets. I nearly missed the bus due to the ride from Liverpool St. to Newbury Park being like 45 minutes on the Tube. Never take the train from London to Norwich on Sundays.
I've tried to put into words why I did this crazy thing, why I love this band so much, and why they mean so much to me, but I don't think I can. It's one of those gut things where you just know that something is made for you, and you love everything about what they do: the music, the fanbase, the show, the members, the charities, the artwork, everything. I wanted this post to be more coherent and meaningful, but I've never been able to elegantly write down exactly how much this band means to me. Unlike lots of other fans, I don't have a dark past that a Coldplay song or album got me out of, nor was I there from the start when they released their first two albums: I kind of found them by accident and weird coincidences, but they've honestly changed my life in countless ways, too many to list here.
I watched the special on ITV last night about Coldplay, and I hate to sound like one of those really pathetic sobbing stalker fangirls, but I was basically crying the entire show. It was the best interview they've ever done, and the best documentary on them out there. And today, I was in Borders and "Death and All His Friends/the Escapist" came on over the sound system, and I nearly burst into tears in the store. I don't usually cry at that sort of thing, but after the best weekend of my life thanks to them and the subtle beauty of the song and being exhausted, I almost couldn't help it. I know I'm a nutter and I know I'm obsessed, but this band makes me happy almost beyond anything else, and I'll stop at nothing to see them every chance I get. We have no idea what the story is with them now: I'm already in mourning over the dead period with no news from them for a while. Coldplay.com changed its layout immediately after Wembley, and it looks like an engraved wedding invitation, and it asks everyone to RSVP at [email protected]. No one knows what we're RSVP-ing to, but I sure as hell am "going," whatever it is.
I wish I could have written that all out better, but I'm still too excited to put my deeper emotions about it in words. I also thought that meeting everyone was amazing: I wish we could do that all the time. There's something about being with people that you don't have to explain your obsession to, or tone down your Coldplay nerdiness for...my only wish is that I had more of a chance to talk to some of you: I hated that we were spread out over so many queues. I also wish I could have gone to the pre- and post-meet-ups...I'm seriously kicking myself for not being able to go, even though it's no one's fault. Anyway, I miss Coldplay and I miss you all. Here's to hoping we can all do it again sometime in the not-so-distant future. [thanks ApproximatelyInfinite]
More photos of Coldplay at Wembley stadium, London, UK (19th September 2009):
More photos at jamesgourleyphotography.co.uk
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