It is fitting that Coldplay are playing the Emirates stadium over three nights during Jubilee weekend; they’re the only band who can match the pomp and pageantry taking place throughout our city, writes the Londonist today, in the first of our featured reviews of Coldplay's three concerts at the Emirates Stadium in London this weekend (1-4 June). Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from the shows at the Coldplay Live forum here (1st - Friday), here (2nd - Saturday) and here (4th - on Monday) now. Read on for the Londonist review article...
It is fitting that Coldplay are playing the Emirates stadium over three nights during Jubilee weekend; they’re the only band who can match the pomp and pageantry taking place throughout our city. They’re undeniably the biggest band in the world so while the world watches London, they are flying the flag of great British music, and boy are they making themselves noticed over the gun salutes.
Stadium gigs are always detached, impersonal shows; four tiny blokes on a stage with a screen – thank you and goodnight. Not Coldplay; their Mylo Xyloto world tour is too small for stadia, so the setup has three performance areas – main stage, middle arena jam section and an acoustic stage for the back – a trick only employed by the U2s and Rolling Stones of the rock world...
Catwalks for the obligatory rock star strutting jut out at three angles, and four giant screen discs in front of a massive neon banner covering the Clock End, mean London’s second stadium feels cocooned by the rock spectacle. This is part of Coldplay’s charm. Love them or hate them (tending towards the latter to be honest – DN) the four piece have maintained their connection to their fans, even on their vast stages, having a humble appreciation of the fame bestowed upon them. Radio controlled wristbands given to each attendee adds to this inclusiveness, everyone is part of the show as the bands’ LED light flashes in time with the songs, filling the Emirates with pop dragonflies.
As they open with the thunderous Mylo Xyloto the Emirates shimmers with twinkling lights, while laser lights dance on the North Bank End, and we are treated to a barrage of pyrotechnics. No one is paying attention to the music, rather everyone’s jaws drop at the spectacle. Then there’s more. Hurts Like Heaven explodes with confetti cannons which cover the stadium, and outside, with neon tissue butterflies and birds swirling around with the eddies. Then there’s more. In My Place combines the flashing wrist bands with more confetti. Then. There’s. More. Thirty neon balloons appear throughout the crowd like a slow motion Van Persie header for Major Minus. It’s been a visual onslaught which is is a perfect gambit, even stadium show cynics (well, us) are in awe of what’s before us and swells the adrenaline ready for the heart of a Coldplay show – soaring melodic rock.
The highlight is Yellow, a song never written for stadiums, yet its intimacy is transformed into an epic rock anthem, and Islington hasn’t heard a sing-a-long like it. The audience are vocal throughout, which is visibly moving to Chris Martin – or maybe it’s the rock star training. Either way the devotion they inspire is amazing; for much of the audience this is their only gig of the year and they have been given the perfect opportunity to air their lungs. Although a slick polished affair there’s a glitch during Princess in China. The VT of Rihanna’s vocals comes in late warranting a restart. There’s also a problem with the stewards allowing too many people into the reserved area, causing some overcrowding – but that’s an Arsenal issue.
Although Coldplay’s melodic pop rock can be rather plodding, show-wise it was faultless. A stadium gig needs to be an event and the Mylo Xyloto tour, with its vast dystopian neon set, has set a new benchmark. Mass appeal pop music lives in the stadium, and Coldplay are the best at it. The Jubilee celebrations and even the running and jumping have some hard work to do to surpass this magnificent show.
New photos of Coldplay at the Emirates Stadium, London (1-4 June):
Photos courtesy of EmileeGeorgiaa @ Flickr (click for more!)
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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