Virginia Beach review 2: Coldplay showers Verizon Wireless Amphitheater with cool pop

Coldplay's Wednesday night show at Virginia Beach Amphitheater still has folks talking. Here's a review from Daily Press reporter Matthew Sturdevant:

Coldplay energized a packed crowd (though not sold-out) Wednesday night at Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. The band’s leader, Chris Martin, delivered the perfect amount of upbeat, positive energy throughout the band’s performance. Even glum economic conditions seemed blasted away, if briefly, when canons shot confetti butterflies into the air, creating a blizzard that swirled over the crowd of about 18,000 or 19,000 people.

During “Yellow,” balloons the color of the song title descended on the crowd and were bounced toward the stage. Other orbs were lowered above the stage and live video of the band was projected onto the spherical surface, giving the impression of giant Christmas ornaments reflecting the show.

The band took time out to perform songs on two miniature stages set back in the crowd, nearer to the lawn. Each stage was about the size of an office cubicle so that band members were shoulder-to-shoulder, even for a rendition of the Monkees’ “I’m a Believer.”

But the best gift of all? A free CD. Every single person got a copy of “Left Right Left Right Left,” a live CD with nine songs: “Glass of Water,” “Clocks,” “Strawberry Swing,” “The Hardest Part/Postcards From Far Away,” “Viva La Vida,” “Death Will Never Conquer,” “Fix You” and “Death And All His Friends.”

Source: weblogs.dailypress.com

Pictures: Ally Spiers