Does Coldplay have a sense of humor? If Chris Martin is a cutup, then maybe the flashing remote-controlled bracelets that his band distributed to concertgoers at Izod Center tonight will go off at odd hours, writes the The Star-Ledger in a review of Coldplay's two shows at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, NJ this weekend (3-4 August). Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from these shows at the Coldplay Live forum here (3rd - Friday) and here (4th - Saturday) onwards now. Thanks to everyone who has contributed with tweets, photos, reviews, videos and comments! Read on for the rest of the Star-Ledger review article below...
You'll be lying in bed at 4:00 in the morning, trying to get "Viva La Vida" out of your head (unsuccessfully, of course), and the bracelet will start blinking. Maybe it'll start to smoke. Maybe it will play rhymes by Martin's pal Jay-Z at asphalt-rumbling volume.
No chance, right? It's just a plastic souvenir of a memorable concert. Coldplay does have a sense of humor, but these guys aren't practical jokers. These four polite and grateful rockers don't want to perturb anybody. They're a big, warm bear hug of a band. They mean for you to be happy...
If you went to the Meadowlands show, chances are, you were. The singalongs at the Coldplay show rivaled those at Springsteen's Izod concert in volume and ecstatic intensity. A Coldplay concert is a friction-free zone; the band's songs go down as easy as a milkshake, and Martin is a gracious, friendly host. But what was really impressive about the first night of the band's two-concert stand at the arena was how convincingly and skillfully these musicians rocked — especially drummer Will Champion, who drove the whole show with absolute authority and no small amount of creativity. Punk rock it wasn't: There was not an ounce of danger in the arena, and Coldplay surely did not mean there to be. But there was abandon, and giddiness, and conviction, and top volume put to the service of big sentiments. If you believe in a version of rock that values comfort over confrontation, and seeks not to unnerve or push listeners but to fortify them, Coldplay might be the band for you.
Then there were the visuals: blasts of confetti, swirls of light on circular video screens, lasers sweeping the floor of the arena, and the electronic bracelets that seemed to realize Adam Young's dream of ten thousand fireflies. Coldplay sold seats in the entire arena, which meant tiers of flashing armbands in every direction. The intent was to create something immersive — to make fans part of the light show, and to erase a bit of the barrier between performers and listeners. It also made the Coldplay concert look and feel like something out of the Electric Daisy Carnival. On "Mylo Xyloto," the latest Coldplay album, the band surprised some fans by borrowing heavily (and enjoyably) from contemporary pop and dance music. The Mylo Xyloto tour suggests that this pop-rock band has learned more from EDM artists than how to incorporate machine beats into its power ballads. [Article ends]
Download this show! Multimedia update: 2012-08-03 Coldplay @ Izod Center, East Rutherford, NJ [AUDIO FLAC, Mediafire ~578Mb]
New photos of Coldplay performing at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI (1st August 2012):
Photos courtesy of Palace of Auburn Hills Facebook page
Thumb by deadbolt photos @ 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]
10 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy 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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