London fan reviews & photos (part 8): Coldplay at Wembley - Saturday 19th September 2009 - Articles

We are now on to part eight (still some reviews not yet featured - maybe another two parts to come) of the Wembley fan reviews, continuing with more stories from Coldplay's concert on Saturday 19th September. Some great reviews of the two Wembley shows have so far been published at the Coldplay Live forum with still more being added. Tthanks 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 (now a whopping 388 pages!) if you have something to say about the show. So, here is the promised eighth edition:

Hello Coldplayers! Excuse me being a bit late to post my thoughts on the gig... it took me two days for the reality to sink in that I was even there, the whole thing was like a really surreal dream!! Sorry if this is a bit long... I got a little carried away! Sat night was my 2nd Coldplay gig ever (having seen them in Dec last year on the UK leg of the Viva Tour) and I have to say out of the two this was definitely the best. It was just incredible... I feel so lucky to have been there on the last gig of the Viva Era. It was the first time I've gone to Wembley, and I have to say, when I first got their and walked down the steps I was overwhelmed by the enormity of it. It really is massive...

Me and my family had general admission tickets and we ended up settling for about the fifth row of Unreserved Level 1 seating. Although I had hoped to get a good position near the main stage or the b-stage but although we were within the first 100 people to get through the J gate it was really too late already so me and my brother gave up. I still had a great view and to be honest you couldn't feel much nearer to the stage if you were in seats. The atmosphere in the stadium was absolutely amazing.. the boys couldn't have asked for more of a heroes welcome. It was like everyone was there to show their appreciation for them, to celebrate the end of the tour. The response from the crowd was just fantastic... I couldn't believe how many people seemed to be singing along to most of the songs, it was every single person was singing their heart out along with you. It was such a feeling. On some of their most well known tracks like Viva La Vida and Trouble I could hardly hear Chris through all the voices.. including mine As we were very near to the right hand screen I could see everything very clearly and I saw the large group of front row Coldplayers on the screen quite a few times.. so very lucky all of you!

Jay-Z worked the crowd up to fever pitch by the end of his set.. I was actually suprised at how positive a response he got from the crowd, everyone was bopping and rocking and throwing their diamonds in the air! Head banging even during 99 problems... such a great moment I enjoyed his set so much, more than I thought I would actually. Call me a convert. By the time the Blue Danube came on I was so excited. When it started to rain I was worried that there would be a delay, or worse if it didn't stop that Chris wouldn't be able to come out on the walkways, the roadies where clearing so much water! I will never forget watching the crowd getting soaked to the skin while Glasses of Water played.... it was amazinggg. I thought the weather really added to the atmosphere, I wished I had been in the pit with everyone, although I was kind of glad my camera couldn't get wet! The whole thing is kind of a complete blur to me, but some things I can remember that I really loved:

1.Billie Jean on the b-stage, sounded fantastic, this song really suits Chris's voice, his MJ-esque added sound effects had be giggling and it was so great hearing the whole stadium singing along... a fitting tribute to Michael Jackson that I thought he would have been very proud of.

2. Lost! with Jay-Z, really hoped he'd come on, loved the man hug at the end of it.

3.Chris trying to put a Viva crown on Guy's head and it slipping off and them both giggling Hehe, was an adorable moment! Couldn't help giggling myself at it, guess I'm a ChrisBerry girl afterall!

4. Chris getting everyone to do the Mexican wave, what a spectacle, never done one before and it was so cool to watch.

5. The Hardest Part, thought Chris's voice sounded especially good (no mean feat considering how much it's been used this last year!), loved the more tender emotional way he sung it, was really from the heart. It was really funny how he forgot the words/lost his place and then made up the lyrics... love him so much. Classic Chris.

6. Jay-Z talking to people in the crowd, especially when he pointed out some of the Coldplayers banners! I thought he was really quite humble for someone with such a well-known ego, he even said thankyou to the crowd

7. When Chris collapsed on the left hand walkway just before he sung Lost!, just knew he was gonna do one of his ultra gymnastic flip up moves which he did just as the drum beat to Lost! started. Feeling of euphoria in the crowd at that moment was soooo good. Everyone had their fists pumping with Chris to "I just got loooost..!"

8. The fireworks coming over the stadium roof during Fix You. Gaaaah.

9. One of the roadies (?) break dancing on the walkway before Jay-Z! He was so entertaining and actually quite good.. everyone gave him a massive applause and laughed.

10. Everyone singing the "Ooo-oh-oh-oh-ah-oh" bit of VLV during the interval play of White Duke remix. And coming out of the stadium with everyone singing it!

A few minor things I was disappointed about was the fact that they didn't change the setlist at all.. I was hoping they'd mix things up a bit, perhaps play a few of the older songs they haven't on this tour. But oh well. At least they played Trouble. Also, I thought the base was definitely too strong some of the time. It seemed to over power everything else and at times I thought it drowned Chris out a long with the crowd noise. That's the big negative about a Stadium gig like Wembley, it's almost impossible to get the sound pitch perfect with such a large audience to cover. Also, I was suprised that Chris didn't say any other words after the encore. I mean, to signal the end of this incredibly long tour and to the fans?? He just said the quick thankyou and goodnight. Hmm. But I think perhaps he was overcome by the moment, I think they all were.. and they whent straight to each other and Phil to share it. That hug was so sweet, made me want to cry I felt so emotional! I loved that beforehand Will, Johnny and Guy all came to each corner side of the stage and looked down at everyone and bowed. All three of them got such a fantastic applause, and they all looked so happy! I think Guy got the most screams and shouts out of all of them.. hehe.

I just didn't want it to end, and I don't think anyone else did either.. I wanted to thank them in person for the best night of my life, because it really was. Afterwards my cheeks hurt from smiling and grinning so much, my throat hurt from singing at the top of my lungs, my feet hurt from standing and dancing around like a maniac and my head hurt from the sheer volume of the noise... but I didn't care one bit, because the feeling this band give me, the feeling you get listening to their music and singing along to these songs that each have your own memories and stories and emotions attached to them with so many other people that share the love for them with you.. it's indescribable. I loved every minute of it and I will never forget the experience. It couldn't have been a better show for the closure of the Viva Era. And now I feel like crying again, darn it! *happy tears* [thanks loveintechnicolor]

Hi people from all over the world! It was a long trip from Orlando to LOndon...I felt like a "flying sardine in a can"... who can actually sleep in that plane? I watched 3 movies and a concert on the flight back, since I knew sleep was not going to happen. The stadium was overwhelmingly hugeeeee!!!!! On Friday, I got up to the front right behind Coldpatrix and was there for a total of 15minutes! It became so packed in such a short time... then I thought about bathroom breaks and decided to find a seat. I spotted a row of yellow shirts... they really stood out in the crowd... glad we decided on that color! So I sat with Ian, Sue and Cookie Monster. It was a great night although I could not hear out of my right ear for a while after Cookie's crazy screaming (LOL)... she was alot of fun! Saturday I sat in the first row in 125 ... great location! It was strange how the rain started at the very beginning of concert and during Glass of Water (Heheh). Then stopped! So many wet people! It just seemed to fit into the concert order. Yellow balloons, Mexican wave, Butterfly confetti, and Fireworks! What more could you ask for? Well, maybe Chris and guys running right in front of your face...YES! He acknowledged our US Love Coldplay banner with a wave and thumbs up... twice! Gotta Love Him!

The whole two nights at Wembley was a surreal experience... I am just now absorbing the whole thing! Nice to meet all the Coldplaying.com people in the queues C and D Friday and M and N Saturday. Didn't get to the meetups although I very much wanted to... the pics looked like alot of fun at the Pub and Park. What an awesome bunch of pics you have put on here! Much love to all of you for making this a truly remarkable and unforgettable once in a lifetime experience!!!! London is beautiful, Wembley is beautiful and Coldplaying.com People are beautiful! Thanks! Let's Do It Again Sometime! [thanks airieslady]

What made this day special wasn't the concert itself I'd say, it was meeting people I only knew from their posts, melting in the sun, taking naps, standing with the people I wanted to see the concert with and countless other tiny bits that I'm too lazy to type out. As bad as Girls Aloud were - we had our fun during their set! We made the same moves than they did on stage (Ok, maybe even a bit more exaggerated ), tried to pretend for about 30 seconds to be really into it and then gave up etc. One of their songs is really catchy though and if your mind plays tricks on you it's stuck in your head for hours! I felt so bad for them... there were many fans on Friday but apart from crazy-girl-who-swapped-places-with-me I couldn't see one near us on Saturday!

Coldplay were next!! For a few seconds I thought it would be just light rain... wow, it wasn't!! We were all soaked even before they came on stage. But like I said above (and I didn't intend to write a long review but obviously this is what it turned into) it just added to the amazing atmosphere. No way we are going to move and protect ourselves from the rain when the boys come, we'll stay here and sing with you! I love the bass... it just makes me happy. Glass of Water was a highlight for me as always and I was soooo happy that the crowd was so into it. Hearing all those people sing to the songs we all love so much was breathtaking. It's impossible to find the right words. I am one of those persons who don't easily cry. Or just don't... But I don't know what happened during THP... I cried. Combination of personal experiences, lack of sleep, awesome people around me and... whatever, it happened. Next was VIVA however! This was the only time that I experienced pushing at a CP concert. There was one wave of people pushing from behind but luckily it was just this one and then afterwards everything was back to normal. I never seem to remember much from Lost! (Lost+ in this case). It was great though. I have these "screencaps" in my mind though! And I remember that there was one guy behind me who knew EVERY word Jay-Z was saying! When the drumstick flew to our little awesome group we all kind of formed a funnel, leaning back to increase the area where it can land! Noelia, I'm so happy for you that you got it!!!!!

What else? Oh right, I can't mention often enough just how awesome it is to be with coldplayers - you are the best people!!! I could go to the front row during The Scientist until the end of the concert to hold up my banner!!! Thank you so much, ladies! Chris even said thank you, so he saw it! LIT ii is one of my many favourites, actually I think it comes second after all-time-favourite IMP and it was so great to hear this song again, my face was just one big smile. Again, words cannot describe it. I took a video while walking outside, a last look at the stadium, then walking outside to gate N were some of us have already arrived. It's a great memory... All those plans about going to a pub together after the concert were cancelled... all you wanted after the gig was a shower and dry clothes!! Ok, so in the end this turned into a long post... I'm sorry! I still didn't mention all those tiny nice moments that happened during the day. Coldplay fans are one big family. I love it. [thanks SueDeNimes]