One should never underestimate the power of the wristband, at least not when it can light up and follow a tune, writes news website The Australian in another positive review of Coldplay's show at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia (13th November). Catch up on the latest tweets, pictures, videos from this show at the Coldplay Live forum here onwards now. Thanks to everyone who has contributed with tweets, photos, reviews, videos and comments! Read on for the rest of the The Australian review article below...
It was such a simple piece of gadgetry, worn by the bulk of the 60,000 crowd inside Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, that became a bonding element for audience and band as Coldplay opened their Australian tour on Monday.
The multicoloured wristbands, triggered to light up by the beats and guitar riffs of several Coldplay songs, created quite a spectacle, not least during their Australian No 1 (their first here, as singer Chris Martin pointed out), Paradise. The place lit up like a Christmas tree...
Stadiums demand such devices, of course, in order to create an atmosphere of intimacy when in fact, for the majority, there are just four specks at one end of the paddock creating the music. Early on, during Mylo Xyloto/Hurts Like Heaven and the anthemic ballad In My Place, it was debatable whether the accompanying pyrotechnics, including fireworks, balloons and guns firing confetti, would be enough to get Coldplay over the stadium line. They did it, though, thanks for the most part to their stagecraft and a lengthy list of songs that seem tailor-made for such large, willing, vocal audiences.
Show me a Coldplay anthem and I'll show you five more, and all of them got an airing in Melbourne, serving to underline that -- whether you think them cool or otherwise -- this band writes damn catchy pop songs. Since their first visit to Australia on the back of their debut album, the breakthrough hit Yellow has never failed to ignite an audience and it did so here, with guitarist Jonny Buckland's riff giving the song a meatier than usual rock edge as a foil to Martin's lyrical romanticism.
Drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman added power and dynamism to the band's structures. During an acoustic set on a small stage to the back of the arena, all four showed their softer side on guitars, vocals and keyboards on the songs Us Against the World and Speed of Sound.
It was on the main stage, however, that Coldplay showed that they are capable -- and indeed at home -- with stadium rock. Martin, Buckland and Berryman worked the walkways, lifting the crowd during the bombastic Major Minus and Violet Hill. Even more affective were the relatively recent singalongs Viva La Vida, Charlie Brown and, to close the main set, the aforementioned Paradise. They pressed all the right buttons here, ending with an encore that included early hit Clocks, followed by the best ballad in the band's recording career, Fix You, and closing with the passionate, fiery Every Teardrop.
The show lasted two hours but seemed to flash by much quicker than that. Perhaps there was something in those wristbands that made time stand still, or at least slow down, until the last firework hit the Melbourne sky and it was all over.
New photos of Coldplay performing at the Etihad Stadium, Melbourne, Australia (13 November 2012):
Photos courtesy of Zimbio (click for more!)
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]
4 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
5 Los Angeles, CA @ KROQ's Weenie Roast y Fiesta [discussion]
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]
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]
7 Los Angeles, US @ Shrine Auditorium (Stand Up To Cancer) [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]
12 Sydney, Australia @ MAX TV intimate show [discussion] [NEW!]
13 Melbourne, Australia @ Etihad Stadium [discussion]
17 Sydney, Australia @ Allianz Stadium [discussion]
18 Sydney, Australia @ Allianz Stadium [discussion]
21 Brisbane, Australia @ Suncorp Stadium [discussion]
DECEMBER 2012:
29 Uncasville, CT @ Mohegan Sun Arena [discussion] [NEW!]
30 New York, NY @ Barclays Center [discussion] [NEW!]
31 New York, NY @ Barclays Center (with Jay-Z) [discussion] [NEW!]
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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