At the root, innocence. With a mix of studied stadium rock moves and innovative use of brightly coloured tech, Coldplay on Tuesday night didn’t make us feel cool or mad or even self-servingly alienated — they made us feel like wide-eyed children, writes the Edmonton Journal in another review of Coldplay at Rexall Place last night (17th April 2012). Catch up with more on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from this show at the Coldplay Live forum now - thanks to everyone who has contributed so far! Read on for the EJ article...
It started with neon-coloured wristbands handed out at the doorways – all urged by circular hanging trampoline screens to put them on and be part of the show. Chris Martin took about a minute to get into his first “whoa-oh-ohh” as Hurts Like Heaven began the London band’s North American kickoff show; our wrist devices suddenly signalled by radio to turn the coliseum into a giant bowl of flickering Skittles. Next, for the aptly named In My Place, confetti cannons fire! Now whose mom is supposed to clean that mess up? “I hope you’re as happy to be here as we are,” the cheerful 35-year-old singer said. “Playing Canada is always a f---ing pleasure...
“Tuesday’s normally a s--- night,” Martin joked saucily. The handsome fellows broke in with the one that opened the wormhole for them, and as Martin crooned a muscled-up Yellow, giant balloon balls dropped from the roof. More toys! He finished this one on solo piano, our big crowd accompanying, then one of the band’s absolute best The Scientist rolled out, it too a big fat singalong. “Let’s go back to the start,” Martin sang, which is of course our theme: innocence. How many hands held, lips kissed, first dances at weddings has this band had a touch of? It’s just uncountable, and directly due to the fact they sincerely serve their audience exactly what they want, the last of the mega-bands never driven to artistic obscurity, 50 millions records later still on the path U2 and Radiohead got too big or weird to walk, mid-tempo rock designed no longer for stereos but laser-lit audiences alone.
In front of their black-light graffiti backdrop, Martin ended Violet Hill with “If you love Wayne Gretzky, won’t you let me know?” The singer stopped God Put a Smile Upon Your Face to burp with an excuse me, a recorded Rihanna looming over the band for Princess of China. Another guaranteed, Viva La Vida, and Martin held his mic up dancing down the catwalk with a huge grin, rolling in the confetti in the dark. And again the wristbands turn Rexall into a giant bowl of blinking Christmas. I am a cynical human, but this was magic. The Pierces flicked the first power switch on with their alluring-sinister Love You More. The Alabama-born sister duo sang forlorn harmonies, on Kissing You Goodbye boldly tapping a nostalgic post-psychedelia. Allison Pierce turns her pop music slightly dizzy and uneasy, with a swell touch of evil. Coldplay’s Guy Berryman produced their last record, incidentally. Watch their song Boring online to consider their range; these guys are sublime at times, and did well as the crowd’s 14,500 beetled in slowly. Next up on stage, twitchy four-piece U.K. electro-poppers Metronomy, who’ve smartly given over to the urge to sing. After a bit of discordant but intentional tunelessness, they pounded out The Bay, drummer Anna Prior glittering in purple with a beat to match the band’s flashing heart-lights. Bass is the backbone of this band, really belonging up close in a sweaty club past midnight, though they gave it their all. “How’s everybody at the top?” singer Joseph Mount asked the cavern before their rainy-day sexy The Look.
For Coldplay, the arena exploded with Paradise (a lone elephant costume standing outside before the show asking for Lucy’s freedom), Jonny Buckland leaning extra into his guitar before we played the encore game. Playing Us Against the World, yes, from the seats across from the stage under the retired Oilers’ numbers, Martin noted, “You’re cheering at all the right places and you’re forgiving all the mistakes and it makes us feel great so thank you.”
Beautiful moment. Through us, they ran back to the stage and it’s Clocks, 17 songs in, and we each remember ... old things. Then, another killer emotional app, Fix You, and again the room is one voice. Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall ends the show. “I turn the music up,” Martin starts it off and all the toys and colours and energy become one warm and friendly thing. Here they come, North America. Now about that mess... [Article ends]
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]
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 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]
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]
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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