Jenjie

The evening's first act was the young British talent shot Charli XCX - you know she wrote Icona Pop's summer plague I Love It. Following appearances on both Hornstullstrand and Hultsfred Festival earlier this year, she played now facing its biggest ever audience Sweden. She interpreted through Echo and the Bunny Men's post punk 80's classic The Killing Moon without the weirdness. Her sometimes gothic, sometimes sleazy sugar sweet electropop may not directly involve all of the Coldplay fans who chose to come early (to be committed to the world's biggest bands is not always a rewarding task) but songs like Stay Awake and Nuclear Season is strong enough her to come away with a clear pass. During the last song You're the One, she begins tokdansa their gigantic platform shoes despite, unfortunately, does not exude Marina and the Diamonds who takes over the stage afterwards the same energy. She is just a shadow of its former self. Maybe it depends on the speaker system, but her voice is actually quite painful to listen to. But when Coldplay well stepping on stage removes all doubt. Chris Martin is at stake mood and radiates an energy that few other front veterans are capable of when he throws himself around the stage. It had been distributed wristbands to all visitors. They all began to light up the Stockholm Stadion in different colors while Coldplay kicked off - which along with confetti, fire and laser lodged a powerful feeling. Låtmässigt can discuss about Mylo Xyloto is the same class as their previous records but have seen the show invites Coldplay without a doubt one of the summer's best concerts. It is majestic from the first to the last moment. Just as the euphoria from the concert start being ebb performed In My Place and the atmosphere is again on top. And if there is one word that describes Lovers in Japan, it is well just euphoria? We had certainly passed us without Rihanna-hologram of Princess of China and Paradise had hardly been necessary played twice (the second time was filmed there in charity), but it's such lågdalar you have to put up with in order to fully be able to appreciate such as Viva La Roomy, singing the allsångslåt, who even got the guards to sing along. Possibly felt closure with Every Teardrop is a Waterfall by including Clocks and Fix You somewhat tame - not least in relation to the pompous introduction. When the lights came on again, I was not completely satisfied. Coldplay had been happy to continue to play the night out, but also the most beautiful dreams come to an end. And to see Coldplay live tonight feels just like a dream, everything is so uppvridet that I can hardly believe it's true. Coldplay have never been better live than they are right now. http://kulturbloggen.com/?p=59750

We attended the second of two back-to-back nights for Coldplay in St. Paul, and if they were bored in any way with the lack of change in venue, it did not show. The concert was simply outstanding. Notes from the evening: Chris Martin is a front man in every sense of the word. Showman, band leader, crowd pleaser, and lunch pail mentality all rolled into one. While he's no Springsteen, he's Springsteen-like in approach to his work and his audience. He flew around the stage, working his butt off, and had the crowd eating out of his hands. Simply a great lead singer. The show was a visual spectacle. Confetti cannons, laser lights, balloons, and these lighted bracelets made the event one for the eyes a much as the ears. Really impressive. As they had done the last time we saw them, the band came off the main stage and set up an impromptu stage in the crowd. And, just like the last time, we were really close to them. 15 feet close. The set list was fairly standard, with the only big miss for me was Talk was not performed. It is a personal favorite for me and holds a lot of meaning, so I missed it a lot. That being said, the rest of the set was very sold and quite enjoyable. The opening acts were absolutely brutal. Charlie XCX and Marianna & the Diamonds were both horrible in stage presence, way too pop oriented, limited in vocal ability, and just not very good. Both were the worst musical acts I've seen in many years. However, both had strong percussion, which salvaged their respective sets. Avoid these guys at all costs. Coldplay is a really great band. Their musicianship, work ethic, and joy were on display in full force tonight. It resulted in a great band delivering a great show. [thanks Yellow Dog Patrol] http://www.yellowdogpatrol.com/2012/08/coldplay-st-paul-concert-review-second.html

wiki page looking nice and full :D http://www.wikicoldplay.com/4_August_2012_-_Izod_Center,_East_Rutherford,_NJ,_USA

You had to be there. You did. Pictures and videos just don’t do it justice. Artists that can actually belt it out as well, or in this case better, than the studio versions is a rarity in today’s music scene. There have been a handful of concerts that have left chills running down my spine (Incubus, Mumford & Sons, and Regina Spektor to name a few) and after tonight, Coldplay has definitely earned a top spot on that list. With everybody in the audience supplied with flashing wristbands that synchronized with the music, an amazing light show, and an almost perfect setlist, I can easily say it was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. There were so many moments where you really, seriously, just had to be there – like when the crowd serenaded Chris Martin with “oh ooh, ooh ooh ooh ooh”s as he lay centre stage at the end of The Scientist. There was the perfect balance between older songs, like Yellow (which they dedicated to the victims in the Colorado shooting), Clocks, The Scientist, and Fix You with songs from their fifth studio album, Mylo Xyloto. Plus, you know… Chris Martin is hot. [thanks Alex] http://www.urbanebloc.com/coldplay-concert-review/

I took Sam, but only to parent & baby screenings. Some of the cinemas here have a screening one morning a week where they turn the volume down, leave some of the lights on, and let you take baby paraphenalia in with you. They change the film to a new release and it's different every week. It was great, meant me & my friend could still go & see a film together even though I didn't have a babysitter. Sam would have his milk as the trailers started and wold then sleep through the film.

I only posted the advice that the UK government is giving to British citizens. It seems like a pretty good reason as to why Israel isn't getting a concert at the moment and thought it might help you understand that factors outside the band's control are very likely playing a part in any decision. For starters, I can't imagine any insurance company would insure a concert in a place that has been designated as dangerous to travel.

I would imagine the the current situation in the region is why no bands have performed there recently. The current advice from the UK foreign office is to avoid travel to all parts of the country. http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/middle-east-north-africa/israel-occupied

:laugh3: once was enough for me!! I'd quite happily have a roadie support act!

Julie, very happy that the DC shows went so well :)

Last night at the Verizon Center in D.C., I finally got to see a live Coldplay concert (their Mylo Xyloto Tour). I love the band, devour all of their music, and have watched many of their concert DVDs--so I had a feeling it would be a good show. . . and I was right! (Even today's Washington Post rained praise on the show). It was such a good show. There is a huge different between listening to their music on the radio and hearing them play it live. First, they are all incredibly muscians. I love love love Chris Martin on the piano. But a lot of their music comes off as pretty mellow when you listen to it on CD. Live, however, it is so powerful. The concert was a super, mega-show. Lots of lights, lasers, raining confetti, fun. As the Post article describes, "Plainly, Coldplay’s current tour takes arena rock production to new levels. As Martin et al kicked into the set-opener “Hurts Like Heaven,” the LEDs on the thousands of wristbands, called Xylobands, that were being given away at the entrances were activated simultaneously by remote control, instantly transforming the huge sports arena into a psychedelicatessen of moving multicolored lights. (The UK press reported a few months ago that Coldplay is an owner of the company that manufactures the accessories.) Lasers shot from the stage to the roof and back. The next tune, “In My Place,” featured not one, but two, massive confetti blizzards, with day-glo-colored paper cutouts of animals and stars filling the room. Shortly thereafter came “Lovers in Japan,” during which fans got treated to a balloon-drop worthy of a political convention and yet another confetti blizzard." It was super fun. Then! Toward the end of the show, the band left the main stage and popped up on a little side stage in the middle of the arena--and just 30 ft from us! It was so awesome. They had an intimiate little mini concert in the back of the arena (nothing like the lasers/lights/mega-show that was the rest of the night). [thanks multitudes] http://ebmultitudes.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/coldplay.html

I just got home from the Coldplay concert, and I'm hyped. It was an awesome show! I think this is the fifth time I've seen them, and they don't disappoint. They really are strong musicians; It's fun just to hear them rock out during a show. What I loved about this concert was the the use of light and stage. We each got a bi-colored wristband upon entering the arena. (Mine was pink and blue chosen by yours truly.) During the show, these bracelets lit up in various colors, creating an awesome effect. At one point, our bracelets were lit, confetti was rapidly falling from the ceiling and massive balloons were being tossed about. It was magical. As to the stage, they performed on your usual stage, and then also played on an X that extended via a runway from the main stage. They performed part of their encore out in the audience on a make-shift platform created on a few seats within a section. It was fantastic to see them all around this massive arena (DC's Verizon Center). With the shouts of thousands, they performed their hearts out. Rock on Coldplay. [thanks Lauren] http://laurenincapitolhill.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/coldplay.html

Tonight, Sally and I attended the Coldplay concert at the Verizion Center in Washington, DC. It was an amazing concert and we truly lucked out with regards to where our seats were located. Where we were had a view that allowed us to have a full view of the stage and at a height which allowed you to have a great perspective of everything with out having to really look down from high above. But before I get carried away writing about Coldplay’s performance, they had two great opening acts. Sally and I caught the tail end of Wolf Gang, which was a young group, that had a great sound. Wolf Gang was followed by Robyn, an artist who had first appeared on the scene back in the 90′s with two songs, “Do You Know (what it takes)” and “Show me love”. Robyn hasn’t been active in the U.S. charts much, but she has continued to put out albums. Robyn released her latest album, “Body Talk” in late 2010 and performed a number of songs from the album. She was great at getting the crowd ready and put on a great show. Coldplay really put on quite a performance and for anyone who has seen their Austin City Limits performance that aired back on New Years Eve in 2011, their performance at the Verizion rose above what the delivered on PBS. They added a bit technology to the performance, at the entrance, everyone was given a coloured bracelet with a battery pack/radio receiver. During the performance, the bracelet was wirelessly activated and it would turn on a set of embedded lights sown within in the bracelet. [ thanks Alex Rushton] http://www.rushtonphotography.com/2012/07/08/coldplay-concert-july-8-2012/

Creative Loafing: I like to think of myself as someone with relatively good taste in music. This is why it's always a little difficult for me to come out to my friends as a Coldplay fan. The most common reaction I get is a look of sympathy and an apology, as if I'd just admitted I was diagnosed with a terrible, incurable illness. But I don't care. I love the band's interplay of melodies, Chris Martin's lyrics, the grandiose piano ... all of it. So I was stoked to finally see them again this past Thursday night at Tampa Bay Times Forum. [Text by Marci, photos by Chris.] British indie band Wolf Gang played first, and their sound was very much reminiscent of an younger Coldplay. The foursome delivered a solid performance to a still mostly-empty arena. Up next was Swedish Europop diva Robyn, an odd act to find sandwiched in between two Brit alt rock bands. And the crowd took a while to warm up to her. The pulsing "Fembot" got a few people dancing, but in general, all around me, the only other people actually on their feet were the ones who just hadn't found their seats yet. Robyn remained unfazed by the general disinterest, playfully hopping across the stage in her gold velveteen yoga pants. Her cover of Coldplay's "Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" finally caught the crowd’s attention just in time for her to close with her chart-topping UK hit and arguably her best-known U.S. single, "With Every Heartbeat." In the time between acts, I watched the stagehands climbing rope ladders and swinging from huge racks of lights until Jay-Z's "99 Problems" interrupted the generic indie background music, the lights dimmed and Coldplay took to the stage to the triumphant orchestral instrumental of "Mylo Xyloto" and then threw themselves into "Hurts Like Heaven" without so much as a hello. As fans entered the venue, we were given colorful bracelets and were finally enlightened about what they were for. As the song kicked in, the entire third level of the venue started twinkling with blue, pink, yellow, and green lights as the bracelets began going off simultaneously; I later found out that their seeming independent blinking was controlled by radio frequencies. My mind was still reeling from taking in all the sparkling colors when "In My Place" began and blizzards of confetti were fired from cannons to flicker down onto the crowd. Lead singer Chris Martin was 110-percent on this night, as if he'd been even more excited about the concert than the room full of people who'd paid to watch it. Another big spectacle came during Coldplay's performance of "Lovers in Japan," which featured giant balloons filled with confetti thrown out to the audience and even more confetti cannon actio, the paper cutouts wafting down in shapes inspired by the artwork on Mylo Xyloto. The only moment of the show that left me cold was during "Princess of China," which featured projected guest Rihanna singing her part of the song. Come on guys — hologram duets are sooo two months ago. After a gorgeous performance of "Paradise" signaled the close of the main part of the show, the band ran off the stage. I, along with the rest of the crowd, watched and waited for them to return for an encore, but instead, they popped up in section 102, played two acoustic songs, and then jetted back to the main stage, high-fiving the crowd along either side of their path on the way. The last three songs proved perfect closers, especially the heart-wrenching "Fix You," its a capella start erupting into crashing drums and layers upon layers of guitars. An amazing show from an amazing band, and I'm finally ready to stand up and proudly pledge my allegiance: "Hi, my name is Marci, and I'm a Coldplay fan." http://cltampa.com/tampa/review-coldplay-presents-a-dazzling-alt-rock-spectacle-to-the-tampa-bay-times-forum/Content?oid=3011477

Today I am posting about Coldplay's concert!! I went to Coldplay's concert in Tampa around a week ago. It was the best concert I have ever seen in my life! I love Coldplay and their songs<3. I really enjoy the first part of the concert because they were playing my fave songs, such as: Lovers in Japan, Yellow, Paradise, The Scientist, and others. There were also many surprises came up during the show. We got a Coldplay bracelet. Anddd... When the band were singing at the beginning and end of the show, the bracelet blink colorfully according to the music beat. Isn't that amazing?! I literary almost cried that part during the show because I have never seen such amazing thing like that in a music concert. And I had goose bumps when they were singing "Yellow" because its my favorite song above all of my Coldplay favorites. Months ago, I posted about how I like Coldplay's Mylo Xyloto album. I think it has a cool design. I love the color choices for the artwork of the album. Yeap, during the concert, they brought those colors to the lighting of the show and also to blinking bracelet color. For about 2 hours, I really felt like I was in a "Paradise". I was being treated amazingly by both, visually and music-wise. It was an amazing night. Really. The other surprise was toward the ending of the show because the band re-appeared on different stage (Not main stage). They played at a mini stage which is located in the middle of the audience. AAh! And the White piano that Chris Martin used when he played it while singing Fix You, was full of graffiti like the album artwork too! I was so amazed. Different kind of "amazing" like when I was at LMFAO's or any other music concert that were also amazing. That Coldplay's "amazing" feeling was like.. yes.. like you are watching a music concert at a para-para-paradise. [thanks Miss Tahir] http://www.janemtahir.com/2012/07/para-para-paradise.html

At an early age, I realized that my connection with music extended far beyond just enjoyment. For me, music represents the embodiment of things I can’t explain with simple words. It’s an accumulation of emotions, passions and everything the whirlwinds of life give and take away. Some moments are best captured with a song, and some memories are best relived with one. I have been to a lot of concerts and festivals in my life, but none of that could have adequately prepared me for the affair that was Coldplay at the American Airlines Arena in Downtown Miami on Friday, June 29. The entire night became an experience, one I hadn’t necessarily expected to have to such an extent. Just after 9 p.m., the AAA went dark and the theme song of “Back to the Future” blasted through the venue. As Coldplay took the stage and began playing the instrumental title track from their lastest album, “Mylo Xyloto,” the chunky, colored bracelets each concert-goer had received upon entry to the Arena lit up and started flashing. Like their wearers, the Xylobands too began to dance in synchronization to the music. From that moment on, I knew this would be a night to remember and a show I would never forget. http://fiusm.com/2012/07/02/in-tune-coldplay-in-miami/ lots of photos on the blog too :)

On Tuesday morning we rushed back to Charlotte to get home in time for the Coldplay concert. I had gotten Kevin tickets for his birthday back in February and y'all he was so cute. He was SO excited about this concert! I loved seeing him so happy! I was lucky enough to get our company box tickets for us and our friends Jenn and David. They are huge Coldplay fans too. The seats were actually perfect. When we entered the arena, they gave us these wrist bands that lit up by some electronic signal or something. I'm sure my Dad could tell me. But it was so cool. Look at them all....they flashed and went along with the music. Very nice touch. To be honest, I didn't think I knew a single Coldplay song but I did recognize a few. And to be honest, the concert was so good that even if you hated Coldplay, you still would have enjoyed the show. I was really impressed. But I still like my country music! These guys and mostly Chris Martin just put so much emotion and passion into their music. It was pretty amazing. http://anniesadventures16.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/coldplay-concert.html

Tuesday night I had a fun night planned with Kelly. Back in January I had purchased tickets to see Coldplay and it was finally here. We actually got there right at 7pm, when the show started and sat through two opening acts. There was an unknown British band, and then Robyn. Robyn was pretty bizarre. The music is pretty much club/house type, and I'm not sure a venue like Charlotte was really ready for that. I also don't know that it really goes with Coldplay that well. Anyway, finally around 9pm it was time for the main event. At the entrance we were given wrist bracelets and told to put them on because they were part of the show. The bracelets glowed in the dark and the band used them for various songs. They even blinked in time with the music on some of the songs. I love that Coldplay does all kinds of interactive stuff with their audience. They also released giant balls that people were bouncing around, and at one point, they played some songs in the middle of the audience on the lower level, instead of the stage. We were kind of in the nose-bleed section, pretty far from the stage, but it didn't really matter, it was still really cool to be part of the experience. The place was packed and the energy level of the audience with the band was contagious. We had a great time at the show :) http://www.lifeinaholdingpattern.com/2012/07/e2-and-coldplay.html

Coldplay put a smile upon my face Last night Jennifer and I went to the Philips Arena to see Coldplay. (Read the Atlanta Journal-Constitution review here.) I have previously blogged about my interest in this great band and I bemoaned the fact that I missed them last year at the return of Music Mid-town to Atlanta. No matter. All is forgiven by one of the best live concert appearances I have seen...well...ever. It sounds silly and naive to say stuff like that. My daughter is spoiled rotten. She is young so she has little context for seeing and hearing something extraordinary. On the other hand, you can appreciate the extraordinary in itself even if you are very young. My daughter and her friends were all beaming and excited afterwards. They loved the show and had bright eyes, smiles on their faces. It was a sell out (about 21,000). The crowd was totally in to it and sang along with all the lyrics. Coldplay's fan base is truly fanatical in enormous numbers. Oh yeah, and the music was inspirational fun very well-styled. Few bands can generate the intensity and generosity of energy and sustain it so tirelessly through over 90 minutes of performance. Coldplay was not perfect last night in their performance. I have seen them do better live versions of certain songs on my Vevo App. But, overall, it is quite amazing how well they execute live musically. One of the many highlights for Jennifer and me was the bracelets we were given when we arrived. We talked about them before the concert, wondering what they were for. On a half-inch wide band was printed "ColdplayFilm" in the group's special font. (Lots of videoing going on last night. Maybe a video of the tour coming out in the future?) On the other side was the Twitter logo, probably sponsoring the mysterious handout. Mine was, appropriately for Coldplay, a yellow band. But there were others: pink, blue, white, and green. Fastened to the band was something that looked kind of like a cheap digital watch. Only there was no facing on it. It was just sitting there. No buttons to press. Nothing. There were four small screws underneath where you could take it apart. It did not otherwise open. My own special monolith like in 2001. Clues were provided about 20 minutes before the show began. On the five large circular video screens suspended from the ceiling of the arena, instructions were given in the Coldplay font. "Please put on your wristband...It is part of the show." This was followed by a funny but cliche standard four-step illustrated instruction on how to fasten the bracelet to your wrist. Repeat the instructions. Apparently everyone complied, I know I blindly did. Coldplay opened with "Hurts Like Heaven" to the large and revved-up audience, the lights went dark and almost immediately probably 15,000 of these bracelets (I have no idea how many they gave away, not everyone had one) lit up and vibrated and pulsed in various programmed ways controlled by some singular technician. Turns out there were six small LED lites stitched into the thick wristband canvas. Maybe 100,000 little lights. The results were truly spectacular. From our seats we looked out into the expanse of the Philips Arena and it was filled with these colored bracelets, like rock and roll starlight. All grooving and moving in a thousand different ways. The music was great, the crowd was ready and roaring. It was a magical moment. We all gaped. I took the afternoon off work to go to Atlanta for the concert. We got down there before the 5pm business traffic hit, had a nice dinner at Mary Mac's, and checked a few neighborhood shops. Traffic was terrible near the arena and it took forever to get in and out of there. At any rate, before I left work for the day I sent out a "A Short Coldplay Concert Mix" email to my three employees. They had all left for lunch and I sent it last thing before I left. I include it next in this blog because I can save myself some typing for what I want to share with you. >>>>> So, OK not trying to be pushy or anything here. I’ll share with you a bit about this concert I am going to with my wife and daughter, her best friend and their boyfriends tonight. If you don’t care for any of this, no biggie. But, I encourage you to at least watch the Viva La Vida clip. (Sorry about the stupid ads in youtube.) Tonya isn’t as familiar with Coldplay. So, this is an introduction. For Lisa and Leani, this is kinda why they are my favorite contemporary band. There have been greater rock bands but no one is better than Coldplay in this moment. Somewhat surprisingly in this day and age of cranking out the albums to bring in the bucks, Coldplay has produced only 5 studio albums and 1 live album since their first release in 2000. Some cool (I think so anyway) facts… •Even though Chris Martin is a huge, strong talent (like Sting was with The Police) the band shares all revenues equally. •The band has a contract that no member can do “hard drugs” under penalty of banishment from the group. •Even though it may not sound that way (and this isn’t a main reason for me liking them – I just think it is interesting), there are many examples of Christian influence in their lyrics and songs. Songs such as “Moses”, “God Put a Smile on Your Face”, “Hurts Like Heaven”, etc. “Viva La Vida” has lines regarding “Missionaries in a foreign field” and “I know St. Peter won’t call my name…” All of these video clips are from a terrific concert they performed worldwide live on the Internet last October from Madrid. The whole concert is like one big sing-along…oh yeah, and it was raining most of the time… Viva La Vida…my daughter thought it would be uncool to go to a concert with her parents….until I showed her this… [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ldOuVuas1c]Coldplay - Viva La Vida (UNSTAGED) - YouTube[/ame] The Scientist…my favorite Coldplay song…it has a lot of angst in it…gives them their “edge” though… [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLm_aSP369M]Coldplay - The Scientist (UNSTAGED) - YouTube[/ame] Yellow was their first hit back in 2000 and shows their Alt Rock origins… [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRP72Ib2e9I]Coldplay - Yellow (UNSTAGED) - YouTube[/ame] This is a *wild* version of God Put a Smile on Your Face….watch for the Townshend-esque guitar slam at the end… [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHAdbn2e_QQ]Coldplay - God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (UNSTAGED) - YouTube[/ame] Their most recent hit is Every Teardrop is a Waterfall…this is the finale on their tour playlist in Atlanta as it was in Madrid…watch for the drummer playing the acoustic guitar and switch back to drums…good back-up vocals too, he is a workhorse, great talent… [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGLwhTQsxUw]Coldplay - Every Teardrop is a Waterfall (UNSTAGED) - YouTube[/ame] There is no such thing as a “bad” Coldplay song…I am going because Coldplay makes me feel good…I plan to get there early and have a couple of beers…of course…See y'all on the backside of the Fourth. Have a great one. <<<<< I'll share one other small thing from the concert. The band performed an extended encore which was in two parts. When they first came back out to play - after the usual several minutes of non-stop cheering, facilitated this time by vibrant, rock and roll starlight - they did not return to the main stage. Instead they surprised us by coming out on a tiny, maybe 15-foot stage that had been set up over a few seats opposite the arena stage. In other words, they performed the first part of their encore cramped together on a platform smaller than most Atlanta clubs would offer their bands. No room to jump around, tightly packed, the band did their thing in close quarters actually in amongst the crowd, giving people who had paid mega-bucks to sit hundreds of feet away from the stage a chance to see them up close. During this time, the band was not carried by Chris Martin's insatiable energy but rather by the drummer, Will Champion on keyboards (he also plays guitar) and (a rarity) lead vocals. A very nice treat before they all ran through the floor crowd (with heavy security, of course) back to the main stage to powerfully wrap things up. It is no exaggeration to say these songs were performed pretty much as you can see them in the links above. Only it was live, a feast for eye and ear, tangibly electric...and instead of fireworks at the end (we were indoors after all) there were other great effects including the starlight bracelets. This concert is with me today, the day after, and it will stay with me for a long time. With any luck at all, I will think back upon it with delight for many years, just as I think back fondly now upon on some college-day concerts. The energy of thousands singing along, the energy of the band loudly rocking through one great tune after another, the energy of all the special concert effects - all of it coalesces in my memory and, well, puts a smile on my face. Late Note: It turns out the LED wristbands given out during the concert are called Xylobands - after than the name of the tour. A technical view of them can be found here. The end result can be seen here. Luckily, I did not get OCD about finding tour videos on youtube before the concert in Atlanta. So, the xylobands were a surprise. A wonderful surprise. http://uhmaguhma.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/coldplay-put-smile-upon-my-face.html

About 7 months ago I begrudgingly purchased tickets to Coldplay – Christmas gifts for my 13 and 15 year old daughters. I liked Coldplay, but not enough to pay close attention to their music or to try to distinguish between their songs, which to me, all sounded similar. Not being the biggest fan of huge, mainstream productions in arenas, I cringed at the thought of going, and continued cringing all the way up until the point that I entered the venue. Coldplay’s graffiti-inspired Mylo Xyloto set has got to be one of the most vivid backdrops I’ve ever seen – almost to the point of distraction. Adding to the spectacle, upon entering the arena fans were given “Xylobands,” light-up wristbands to wear during the concert. (A quick Google search revealed that the band spends nearly $600,000 per night on these bracelets for the tour.) The wristbands were programmed to light up at certain points throughout the show. I was skeptical at first, but have to admit, it really was pretty cool to see Atlanta’s Philips Arena, lit up with 20,000 lights. In fact, the Xylobands almost stole the show. About half of the songs on the evening’s set list were from their most recent Mylo Xyloto album. And the other half pretty evenly spread from their older albums. The highlight of the evening was the encore set. Spotlights illuminated a small section of the lower balcony where two rows of about five seats were roped off. One by one, the band members joined Chris Martin in that very small area and performed an acoustic set of “Up Against the World” and “Speed of Sound.” (The only thing that could have made this any cooler was if the band members weren’t wearing matchy-matchy colorful outfits with parachute pants…but I digress.) The encore then continued from the main stage with “Clocks” “Fix You” and “MMIX”. Chris Martin led into “Fix You” with Ray Charles’ “Georgia on My Mind.” The crowd went wild. The music was much better than expected, and the scenery was spectacular. So over-the top in fact, that every now and then I found myself feeling like I was watching some sort of elaborate Disney concert, or perhaps Coldplay had stolen the Wiggles’ uniforms, but those thoughts were fleeting and overpowered by the fact that, all in all, it was a really good show. http://www.rarasfarm.com/2012/coldplay-atlanta-concert-review/

http://ifstonescouldtalk.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/coldplay-atlanta-style.html

Coldplay and Soul Food The other night I ventured out for my first concert in I don’t know how long. I use to be a concert junkie back in my day; always making it a point to see any artist I deemed a “legend” or who produced music that just spoke to my soul…and hips. I’ve seen The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, Elton John, Billy Joel, BB King (4 times), Dave Matthews, Plant and Page (the closest thing to Led Zeppelin I’ll ever get), Pearl Jam, Blues Traveler, Harry Connick Jr,Tori Amos (3 times), Alanis Morissette, ZZ Top (long story), Widespread Panic, Lenny Kravitz, Pink, and the list goes on. I slowly stopped going over the years, not only because of time dwindling and kids multiplying, but because I started developing a sort of phobia about being stuck in massive crowds. Now, just thinking about being on the fringes of a mosh pit at Pearl Jam sends my pulse racing and not in a good way. I’m pretty sure the fear solidified when I was at a convention back in my home town of North Little Rock. I was standing against a fence line listening to Bill Clinton speak. I knew that I’d get to hang out with him later (it’s good to have connections) so I was just enjoying the speech. But he decided to walk down to where I was and the crowd behind me all rushed forward, crushing me against the fence. It was horrifying and I had a massive panic attack complete with hyperventilating and tears. It culminated with the President holding my hand and looking at me like he was sure I was crazy, dying, or both, and one of his secret service agents wrangling me under the fence and getting me to safety. That experience taught me three important things: the secret service are good folks even if they do like to party, a crowd of 50-year-old liberals is more dangerous than drunken ZZ Top rednecks, and I would never set foot in a crowd like that again. But last night I bit the bullet and went to the Coldplay concert. I’d be prouder of myself but I have to be honest and admit that it was purely because my husband had received suite tickets for the show. I decided I could handle that scenario because the crowds are thin in the platinum levels of the AA Center. So I put on my rock-n-roll hooker shoes, headed out, settled into the suite with our $50 nachos, and relaxed…seriously relaxed. By the time Coldplay took the stage, I was already in my happy place. Every audience member was given a wristband to wear. When the lights went down they all lit up, blinking and flickering to the beat. The entire stadium looked like it was full of multicolored fireflies. Then the confetti canons exploded and huge balloons dropped down. It was a complete celebration of joy and Chris Martin said something that really struck home with where my thoughts had been earlier that day. He said (and I’m definitely paraphrasing), “I hope you have a f*cking great time tonight because you sound great. If you don’t, that’s ok because we’re going to have a f*cking great time tonight because you sound great!” And you saw that in every moment of the show. They were having a blast. It was “play” for them and every moment was a moment of pure joy. And what this got me thinking about was a small epiphany I’d had earlier that day. I was recently asked to be in a music video for a friend’s band. They have a minimal budget (meaning actors will be paid with credit and a craft table full of Little Debbie’s) but I didn’t hesitate to take the job. And that’s what brought on my “lightbulb” moment. I don’t have to be paid to do something I love. I’ve been paid to act and I’ve done it for free. In fact, I often prefer the free gigs in community theatre and independent film because every person involved in the production is there because they LOVE what they’re doing. I’ve invested hundreds of hours in productions knowing I wouldn’t receive a dime in return. Why? Because when I’m standing on a stage or hanging out on a film set, every synapses in my body is ignited. It sets my soul on fire. It’s those moments that I experience pure joy. It’s those moments that I feel completely and fully alive. So while I watched Chris Martin and the rest of the band run and jump around, I knew what they were feeling. They were completely submerged in their art and feeding off the energy of the audience. Nirvana. But I also wondered if someone walked up to them today and told them they’d lost all funding and would no longer receive any money for performing, if they still would? Would the need to share their art and live in their “joy” outweigh the need to be compensated for it? I think it would. I think that when an artist–a true artist– walks away from their craft, their soul dims. We’re built to express and evoke emotions through the gifts we were given. When we’re cutoff from that, part of us wilts and shrivels away. There are probably millions of people trying to make it as an actor, musician, or artist; and I imagine for many it’s the lure of fame and fortune. But I think there are many that do it because they have to. They have to because that is the only way they feel whole. Proof is the simple fact of how many artists are willing to scrape by on pennies just to do what they love. I bet there are very few people who would be willing to live off Ramen noodles and wait tables while they try to get their big break in accounting or the insurance industry. So what did all of this do for me? It made me look at some of my pursuits and ask,”Would I do it for free?” I think it’s a good gage of what’s important to you. I think everyone needs something in their life that lights them up without any promises of providing anything else but joy. I’m curious about what ignites the people reading this. What would you do for free? What sets your soul on fire? If you don’t know, then for God’s sake, find it! You owe it to your soul. It’s hungry, so go feed it. Now!! And when you figure it out, I’d love to hear about it…even if it’s accounting. [thanks Ash Robbins] [2]

okay so it's not a review of the concert, but I love the pic on this blog :D http://helenofwichita.blogspot.co.uk/2012/06/coldplay-confetti.html Mommy went all the way to Dallas to see the most rockin' band in the world and all she brought back for me was little pieces of paper instead of a ($45!) concert t-shirt? (June 23, 2012)

my red one ffrom 9/6 lit up on Fri lunchtime. Sam spotted it and i took a picture. need to upload it. the one from 10/6 was quiet!

oooooh! timeanddate.com have changed their settings. I've created an event for tonight and it gives lots of time zones around the world :) http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Coldplay+%40+Dallas%2C+Texas&iso=20120622T21&p1=70 so the gig kicks off at 3am my time :D

As there are a few of these threads now, I've merged them into one and I'll be putting all the individual links in the first post. Makes it easier for Ian trying to tweet & fb for support for you :)