Not being a Coldplay fan, I felt like an atheist at a revival meeting, nervous that I might be the only one of my kind at the sold-out show, writes the Tampa Bay Online today, in their review of last night's Coldplay show at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, FL (28th June). Catch up on more on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from the shows at the Coldplay Live forum now. Read on for the rest of their review article (and one from Tampa Bay Times too...)
And just like a revival preacher, Chris Martin and his band mates took the converted to ecstatic heights at the Forum on Thursday night. The openers, Wolfgang - a young British band that can only be described as Coldplay Jr. - and Swedish pop star Robyn were given pleasant responses from the well-dressed, clean-cut crowd waiting patiently for their cleric. Robyn, especially, seemed out of place in this context better suited for the Ritz in Ybor than the Forum.
At roughly 9:07 p.m., electronic wristbands on every fan started to glow as the theme from"Back to the Future" faded into the title track from "Mylo Xyloto" and "Hurts Like Heaven," a beautiful sight to behold, even if the Forum looked like a Lite Brite. It was the first of many such spectacles, some of which would not have been out of place at a Flaming Lips show, including confetti bombs, beach balls and a light show that would have impressed a jaded U2 fan...
An endearingly goofy dancer, Martin, dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, was a crowd pleasing carnival barker with a remarkable live voice. He mentioned Tampa every chance he got, while encouraging sing-a-longs and thanking the crowd profusely for giving him the best job in the world. The sound was impeccable, besides a few times the vocals were low in the mix. However, the crowd didn't care as long as Martin gave them what they wanted, including highlights "The Scientist," "Violet Hill" and "Viva La Vida."
The first set ended with the visually stunning light show connected to the song "Paradise," which will be a concert-ending staple for years to come. The crowd, already hanging on the band's every move, sang as if they were enraptured by a heavenly presence. The encore started in the middle of the cheap seats for a semi acoustic set in which Martin flubbed the words to "Us against the World," but no one cared. After a jaunt through the crowd, the band ended with the very singable "Clocks, Fix You" and "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall," easily the best choice they could have made for an ending song. A Coldplay show is everything its fans want it to be and everything its critics hate. They will never convert the music snobs with their crowd pleasing clichés. However, with fans like those gathered Thursday night, they will never have to. [Article ends]
Also this from the Tampa Bay Times: Coldplay is stone-cold rousing and huggable... Coldplay takes a lot of hits for being overly gushy, overly sensitive, overly over the top-top-top. And yet, as the oh-so-emotional Brit-poppers showed at a packed, roaring Tampa Bay Times Forum on Thursday, they're sincere in their swoony manipulations. In other words, the best-selling Grammy winners believe every sappy seduction they sing. For almost two robust hours, Chris Martin & Co. wore their hearts on their sleeves, and the quartet demanded that the near-sold-out crowd of 18,402 did as well. Well, at least on their wrists. Each ticket came with a Xyloband, a blinking bracelet synced with much of the anthemic 21-song set list, which never lacked for crescendoes and sing-alongs and lead singer Martin pointing into the nosebleeds as if he were nasally crooning for them, just them.
With all the lights and lasers and neon kapow, the joint looked like the most mellow rave in history — or maybe Christmas in June — sparkly-eyed women swaying in unison with their loyal, trying-to-stay-macho dates (who might not admit to their fellow dudes that they dig Coldplay. (It's okay fellas, I really like 'em, too). Coldplay put on the equivalent of a 21st century embrace. This is the kind of band that launches confetti three songs into the show. There were balloons a couple songs later. Seriously, there hasn't been this much stuff launched into a crowd since GWAR roamed the planet. From the opening number, the instrumental title cut from new album Mylo Xyloto (a concept LP about star-crossed lovers), the band aimed to crowd-please. "We're going to try and play the best (bleepin') show of our lives," Martin said. "We're already having a great time."
Of course they were. A few of the anthems played like Coldplay Mad Libs. Paradise was cloying, although that was, admittedly, an eye-popping Xyloband moment. But thanks to underrated guitarist Jonny Buckland and his prickly riffs, more songs than not were altogether rousing. The one-two punch of The Scientist, a truly devastating breakup tune, and Yellow, their slow-build, hammering first big hit, made for a transcendent tandem. And God Put a Smile Upon Your Face was an altogether slamming rock song, a true star moment for Buckland.
So eager to please, Coldplay performed on a main stage, then a middle "X" stage, where, with the help of Rihanna on a video screen, they performed gut-check duet Princess of China. Later, Martin appeared with an acoustic guitar on a makeshift stage smack-dab in the middle of the throngs toward the back of the venue, playing Us Against the World and Speed of Sound. For the encore — more lasers! more Xylobands! — the band, always bouncing these blokes, unloaded a steroidal Clocks (awesome), the utterly Coldplayian Fix You (meh) and the take-this-U2 explosion of Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall. Oh, it was sweet, and it was sappy. But hey, in this cynical cynical world, who couldn't use a good hug now and then? [Article ends]
New photos of Coldplay performing at the American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX (22nd June 2012):
Photos courtesy of Tampa Bay Online (click for more!)
Thumb by 88mileswest @ 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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