Paris Fan review: Coldplay at Parc des Princes (7th September 2009)

A comprehensive review of Coldplay's concert at the Parc des Princes, Paris (7th September 2009) has been published online, courtesy of Khalplay. Here is the review and some new photos by Sound of Violence, more of which you can view at their website (links provided):

Let's be straight: best Coldplay concert ever! And I mean it! That kinda surprised me considering it was my 8th Coldplay concert and I wasn't expecting to enjoy it that much, especially because of that now well-known and unsurprising setlist... though I did enjoy it a lot.

Chris' neck was still covered and it appeared clear that he was trying not to do too many crazy things (we didn't have a long ''ohohoooooo'' at the end of 42) and I don't even think he helped us starting the Viva La Vida ''ohohoh'' at the end of the song (although he didn't actually need to). So yeah, Chris was soft but good! So well... we - Chavi and I - arrived at 5am and accidentally woke up the 6 persons sleeping there. All the girls joined us a bit later around 5:30 or 6. Was so nice to see everyone again. Was a bit cold but fine so I decided to take a run around the stadium with Perrine to have fun.

Things then got more and more stressing as the security moved us until they set the barriers, letting 50 people or so take our place. We complained and managed to be back in the 20 first people though we weren't as close to the doors as we should have been if people knew the meaning of the word 'respect'.

Anyway the sun appeared and it got more and more difficult to wait as it was hot, plus Anna started to feel really bad, so I decided to care about her during the whole evening (and NO GIRL, it wasn't annoying at all so stop apologising hehe). They opened the doors a bit late and we ran for our lives. Wasn't lucky when I arrived at the other side of the stadium, had the choice between standing second row beside the girls or being front row alone. Quite easy choice, I chose the second row.

We knew it was the last Coldplay concert for some of us so we just went crazy. We tried many times to start singing VLV or some mexican waves but it wasn't working that much, though we never were giving up! When BFL entered on stage they very quickly noticed Chavi who was probably the only one around there knowin the lyrics so the singer kept staring at her while we were helping Chavi to be seen by jumping a lot. What a good time. I enjoyed most of the songs.

As Chavi was asking for a setlist a Coldplay roadie gave all of them to us. Can't deny the evening was already starting to be PERFECT. FL enabled us to go even more CRAZY. The band was crazy, the music was crazy, and so were we. I couldn't stop laughing and jumping thinking it was the most ridiculous (in a good way) and funny gig I had ever attended. (let's note I started to yell bullshits when this singer was speaking - ''YES WE CAN... date Miller !'' ahaha).

Right so that lead us to one of the moment I was waiting for the most : ROADIES TIME. Miller was aware I had a wonderful banner for him (''i  Miller'') so I spent 30 min calling for him. Strange how stupid we can get just for fun ahah : ''Miller where are you mannnn ?'' - ''F*ck it man ! Come here I'm going to have the voice of a man in few minutes'' - ''Where is Millerrrr ?'' - ''Miller I still wanna marry youuuu''...etc. So muuuch fun, I guess other roadies enjoyed it as well as I recognized some of them from Arras who waved at me and they were taking pictures.

Anyway believe it or not Miller wasn't coming on stage at all. He's usually checking few things around the piano or in the back but he was just hiding yesterday. I kept on calling him anyway and a giant mexican wave started in the stadium along with some VLV ''ohohohoo''. A-M-A-Z-I-N-G, we were quite proud of the until-now-too-silent-crowd.

When, suddenly, who appeared JUST IN FRONT OF US on stage ? My future husband (just kidding hehe) ! He just put a camera in front of us and stayed there for a bit. 'Course I talked to him with some ''I still wanna marry you'' (he smiled), ''I'm shy too you know'' (HE LAUGHED). No need to say he never looked at me (man, if you read this one day, I swear I'm shy as well so you shouldn't avoid my/the crowd glance ahah). I was soooo happy and totally ready to start enjoying the show. Few minutes later Magnificent was starting. Dunno how crazy the whole audience went on this one though first rows people were all singing loudly, hands in the air, which was so enjoyable. We (we were around 10 Coldplayers or so together right in the very middle, occupying the first, second and third row) also kept singing on Jay-z though we were probably the only ones doing so. When the Blue Danube Waltz started, what I believe to be a Roadie girl came on stage to show us how to move our arms all together in rhythm. I'm pretty sure they did that so R#42 (how strange to call him like this ) could post something about the ''amazing French crowd''. It would be so disappointing though as it was ''requested'' in a way (I mean, last time Parisian's cellphone galaxy was unexpected and thus wayyy better).

And then it started... Gosh, let's repeat it again : best concert ever. I just checked few youtube vids a minute ago and realised there were so many people in our back. It's hard to believe, I just felt like it was us and the band... with some people creating a great atmosphere around/behind us. Anyway, Anna had 3 banners for the band, Mounira 2 for Chris and I had myself a Chris banner at the back of my Miller banner and, believe it or not, they read ALL OF THEM. I was so shocked to see how determined was Chris to read all this. I mean, especially cause we were all in the same place. Like... Anna was holding a banner, Chris was reading, smiling, then Mounira was holding her banner straight after, and Chris was reading the new one and reacting as well. Never seen him that ''close'' to people in the first rows. Anyway I'll let Anna tell you about Chris' reactions to her banners.

I personally decided to try holding mine for few seconds during yellow. I had written ''Chris ur French isn't merde'' (merde = shit) cause that's a sentence he ALWAYS repeat when he's playing in France, and believe me, you can be sure you're gonna hear it, I've seen 8 Coldplay gig since 2005 so I know what I'm speaking about. And well... he read it, smiled at first, then looked for my face (?!!! AMAZING he was actually looking for the person holding it - I was second row behind Anna so he could perfectly see me) and made a very funny face which kinda meant ''yeah... well... if you say so ''. I was so proud and happy (plus he didn't say the sentence at all during the gig - he usually says that a bit later - showing he had definitely understood the message ahah). More over I got to kick a yellow balloon few minutes later (which usually never happens to me as I'm small) which I accidentally threw at him and he smashed it, wow wow wow

I could thus spend the rest of the gig without caring about my banners after Yellow. I was already bloody happy. Then we got Glass of Water which I had never heard live and which I ADORED, gosh such a perfect gig, then Cemeteries - one of my fav too. Can't describe how well I was feeling, singing, jumping with my Coldplayer friends, we were sometimes holding each other while jumping. Amazing I tell you, sharing all our feelings together. Got a slightly bit tired during Talk, my belly was hurting - probably cause I was jumping too much, btw I lost a shoe twice ahah - so I didn't manage to jump during the whole song as usual ahah.

And then... the Hardest part. Guys... I've been to many many concerts in my entire life, many Coldplay ones as well, I've also seen my favorite artist ever once but I swear I never ever cried on live because a song was moving. Never. I might have had tears in my eyes once or twice but I never cried. Well I'll now be able to say that Coldplay made me cry ! I couldn't stop crying like a baby during the Hardest part (plus Chavi and Mounira had the brilliant idea to spend a part of the song hugging each other which didn't help me controlling myself ahah). Wasn't even able to sing all the lyrics. So that's it, when I say that was a breathtaking gig, I MEAN IT !

Well useless to describe VLV and Lost. I was jumping while a tear was still streaming down my face ahah. We never got to see with our waking eyes where the C-stage was as it was probably too far away. I guess somewhere in the back as usual though I looked for them and didn't find them.

We didn't have Till Kingdom Come as the setlist we got states but Green Eyes. Anyway, I - on purpose - didn't check any Billie Jean video on the internet before going to the gig and that was a good choice cause I found it bloody great and I was happy to hear something new. Was brilliant, Chris asked us (once again, it's a pity he needs to ask for this) to make a Mexican Wave with our cellphones and it worked perfectly while we were all singing along the Michael Jackson song. A-W-E-S-O-M-E. Hope we'll find great vids of that.

Straight at the end of the song Miller came back for few seconds to turn of the camera (though I noticed it wasn't pointing in our direction anymore at this time so I guess he came during the B-stage as well but I didn't notice him - how come ? ahah). Unfortunately Parisian crowd didn't make an amazing Cellphone dance during the remix, I even gave up after few minutes, being quite tired and disappointed by the Frenchies. Well can't describe what followed, dunno how I could enjoy the gig even more but I surely did, jumping with Chavi, all yelling together and all that stuff on Politik, Lovers and DAAHF... I dunno... I had never enjoyed the moment like this, nor the music, and well... I felt so close to the band whereas the venue was bigger than usually and I was only second row. We grabbed there attention more than before. I also let Aurélie (a-chan) take my place during Lovers as she's smaller than me.

I then decided to try holding my Miller banner after DAAHF when Jonny and Guy came in front of us cause I felt like they needed to know how much Miller rock ! Jonny laughed and Guy did the same as Chris with my banner : he looked for my face and made a big smile to me. I tried later with Chris but he never noticed the banner (wasn't holding it in the air for too long because being 2nd - well 3rd now - row I could disturb people behind me) and he wouldn't have understood it anyway as he's not into computers ahahah.

The end of the gig was as perfect as the rest of the evening. Went crazy on LiT2 for the last time. We obtained some setlists (I believe Mounira got a pick too), Chavi also kept a yellow balloon. Took us quite a long time to leave, going to the Merchandising, enjoying the last hour together, finding other Coldplayers who were seated, answering a TV cameraman and singing VLV for him with the flags outside the venue (ahah, said bullshits), eating a birthday cake for Sofia's birthday (love you girl ) and finally waiting for a taxi at 1am to bring Chavi and I back home.

Such a perfect day ? No... more than this. I can't really say I'm in a hurry to be at Wembley cause I don't want this tour to be over, although I guess Chris (well the boys and the crew as well) deserves some rest.

Coldplay ? WE LOVE YOU GUYS.

Miller ? Marry me

Coldplayers ? I ADORE YOU GUYS !

Coldplay at Parc des Princes, Paris (7th September 2009):