Jenjie

squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee just got in. Chavi leading the vote at 60% & the Killers on Absolute :D

nope :confused: but I do know they've been in contact about our week 1 entry, so fingers crossed :D

Please could the 4 of you PM me your full names & telephone numbers, for the competition. tyvm :D

they changed yesterday oh no :( did they say why they won't let you in?

hopefully those who bought the day it went on sale get front, and those who bought just before it sold out will get back. otherwise it would be so very unfair

think we may need more than 1 :lol: squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! shall indeedie that's the current plan trust you to think of barbie's & beer :p

erm no :P Terry's chocolate orange is the god of Christmas chocolate. and you can't beat a Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut bar :lol:

they do seem to be ridiculously expensive

its looking very yellow out there :D sales upto 01/08 are: original t-shirt x 34 butterfly t-shirt x 46 original maternity t-shirt x 1 butterfly maternity t-shirt x 2 original messenger bag x 4 butterfly messenger bag x 4

ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww peanut butter kitkat chunky is wrong on so many levels

T-shirts have now changed over :) And there's a new product on sale!!!! They now do water bottles, so how could I resist adding it to our selection after playing with it and seeing how cool it looks :D

Concert Review: Elbow and Coldplay, July 30, Toronto It was a rare alchemy that made last night's concert at the mammoth Rogers Centre a ticket to good to pass up as Elbow, the Mercury Prize-winning British critical darlings, and Coldplay, the Grammy-winning heir to the title of "world biggest band" joined forces in Toronto. Before the big bands, the night was begun by the young British rockabilly trio Kitty Daisy & Lewis, who were hand selected by Coldplay's Chris Martin for the tour. Playing on the massive stage, the group - fronted by a trio of teenage siblings - did their best to warm up the slowly filing-in crowd. The reception was polite, if not quizzical. As Elbow readied to take the stage, three massive video screen behind the stage turned on, and it was clear that the production level was about to go up a notch. Elbow is smart-rock: big, epic lullabies and devastatingly-orchestrated complex Mancunian rock set to Guy Garvey's biting lyrics. One could only wonder how all that would translate to the caverns of the Rogers Centre. Starting off with Starling, the first track from their Mercury-winning album Seldom Seen Kid, singer Garvey lifted a trumpet and helped blast out the opening staccatos of the song before taking the mic. The band confidently whipped through a too-short set featuring songs such as Everything Has Changed (introduced by Garvey with: "This song is about the day after falling in love. Which I highly recommend if you've never tried it."), the chant-inducing Station Approach (a "song about our hometown, but you can borrow it whenever you like"), at full stride during Ground For Divorce and the lovely closer "One Day Like This". The mix was perfect, allowing the stadium to swell with Garvey's warm voice. There were indeed only two things wrong with their set: a bit of audience indifference and the notion that it should have run a full hour longer. This was an opening act, but swap Toronto for anywhere in the UK, and Elbow could have filled the arena themselves. But this arena was full for the main act. Coldplay has been functioning as the heir apparent to U2 ever since their first world tour, although, that seems to suit Chris Martin and company just fine. With each tour they hone their show, upping the spectacle and stage presence. After hyping up the crowd with a combination of U2's Magnificent, Jay-Z's I Just Wanna Love You, and Strauss' Blue Danube Waltz (presumably a salute to Coldplay's friends and influences), the lights lowered, the trio of screens fired back up, and a large giant orb descended from the roof of the arena. In darkness, the band – Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion and Guy Berryman – took the stage and opened with the instrumental "Life in Technicolour" and by the time they started the first verse of Violet Hill, the audience was singing along. After asking for some lights, Martin surveyed the almost 50,000 strong and remarked "that's a lot of people" before launching into In My Place. The band has clearly perfected the routine of the tour, now into its second year. With the opening chords of their first-ever hit, Yellow, a hundred or so giant yellow balloons were tossed and dropped into the crowd. As the song progressed, Martin encouraged some crowd interaction, asking everyone to sing along "even if you are here because of your girlfriend". After a few songs from last year's Grammy-winning Viva La Vida, the quartet played the mesmerizing 49. And it was here where it was clear just how orchestrated the video team was. With the songs quiet piano opening, the screens displayed Martin singing in black and white with dramatic filters, and through a pin-hole camera effect. As the song exploded, the edits become chopping, then transitioned into full colour. The unsung video team acted from then on like an invisible band member - adding another layer to the show. In the first stage shift of the night, all four members came to the stage-left extension for sped-up, self-remixed and slightly sinister versions of God Put a Smile Upon Your Face and Talk. Martin then cued the "Michael Bolton" segment of the show, where he joked about his need for a haircut and thanked the audience for coming through the traffic and the garbage to see them play before launching into Hardest Part and then bringing the crowd to frenzy with the thundering Viva la Vida and Lost!. As the song wrapped, a sudden tide of movement down the aisles and from security towards a wooden platform near the bottom of the field below my seat in section 130. Then it immediately made sense as the band sprinted off stage and ran through a secured field- level aisle and onto the platform. From there, they played a few acoustic songs, pleasing the fans on one side of the stadium, whilst making several others envious. Drummer Will Champion took the mic from Martin for a version of Death Will Not Conquer. That was then followed by the band's oft-criticized recent addition: a cover of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. After the interactive dalliance, the band returned to the main stage under cover of a Viva La Vida recorded remix and the lovely Lovers in Japan as confetti canons poured multicolored paper butterflies over the ground level crowd. Ending with Death and All His Friends, Martin returned and thanked the crowd for "giving us our job" and followed that with the cryptic: "you guys will never know how important this day was for us as a band". The encore then featured The Scientist – and then a birthday interlude featuring cake and a massive sing-along for Will Champion's 31st birthday – before closing with The Escapist. Overall, Coldplay was a pleasant surprise. Since the last time I saw them they've become darker, their live show more fluid: measured but with a sense of spontaneity. Martin, while still a self-effacing jokester, has become less of a sensitive singer/songwriter and more of showman, while avoiding becoming a barmy version of his old self. While Coldplay may not yet own U2's moniker of "biggest band in the world", they don't seem to be in a rush to grab it. And that's a good thing. http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/07/31/concert-review-elbow-and-coldplay-july-30-toronto.aspx

Well, it finally happened. Coldplay came to town. The popular British band had to postpone its original late May date at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center due to singer Chris Martin’s illness. Monday night at SPAC they made good on their absence with an impressive concert that had to fulfill any fan’s dreams. Martin certainly seemed in good health as he bounded about the stage, singing the band’s ethereal, but muscular songs. Martin and company often get compared to U2 because they share a certain anthemic quality as well as a commitment to both causes and their crowd. They could just as aptly be compared to classic bands like The Who and the Clash, because what separates them from the mass of average rock and roll bands is their distinctive swagger and rhythm. Lots of other bands sound a little like Coldplay, but nobody sounds just like them. That uniqueness was apparent on Monday on every tune. Jonny Buckland’s swirling guitar figure, for example, introduced and decorated “Strawberry Swing.” Will Champion’s thumping yet somehow understated drums defined but didn’t overpower “Politik.” And Guy Berryman’s simple but relentless bass kept a heartbeat in “Glass of Water” and “Cemeteries of London.” But Martin is more than just the face of the band. He is its soul, too. Whether playing piano, guitar or simply singing Martin was magnetic in a friendly yet heroic way. It’s beautiful how often he improvises within the context of such a heavily-produced show. After “Talk” for example, Martin had the band leave a small second stage because he was concerned that patrons in the balcony couldn’t see. He apologized for the same before leading the quartet out to a third satellite station for an acoustic mini-set topped with an in-tribute cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” At other points in the show giant yellow balloons floated overhead (during “Yellow,” natch), Martin threw out lightsticks (“Lost”) and confetti cannons exploded (“Lovers in Japan”). But few of these potential distractions really drew much attention away from Martin. He gave especially hard during the band’s hit “Viva La Vida,” which features a classic arena chorus, the fact of which was not lost on the very participatory crowd at SPAC. By the end of the song he was laying face down on the stage in one of those spent-but-ready-to-give-more poses that define true stars. Opening acts Kitty, Daisy & Lewis and Elbow did just what they were called upon to do, which was, in the words of Elbow frontman Guy Garvey, “warm you up for Coldplay.” Elbow’s hushed sound took Coldplay’s quiet dynamics even deeper into whisper territory, brightened with occasional flashes of horns and strings. Kitty, Daisy & Lewis went even further field, adding ukuleles and banjos to the mix. Coldplay, though, owned the night. “If at this point you’d accept our apology for being two months late,” Martin half-sang, half-teased during “Violet Hill.” Apology accepted. Michael Eck http://blog.timesunion.com/reviews/coldplay-spac-72709/1156/

Last night, Coldplay came to SPAC, two months late but still a great show. They are one of the bands that I enjoy and never have seen, so now I can cross them off my list, but they put on a really good show. I went with a friend of mine who really didn't know anything more than Coldplay's singles, and for not knowing more than the singles, Coldplay put on a "show." They entertained. They played their music, and played it well, but they also performed in a way that was quite entertaining. For instance, during "Yellow," giant yellow balls bounced around the audience making their way from inside the venue to the lawn seats. During a later song, towards the end of the show, multicolored butterfly confetti shot out at the audience at every chorus. It looked incredible. And during the show, Coldplay kept moving from one spot to another. For example, they played on the left side of the audience for one song, at the right side of the audience for one song, and then they came into the lawn seats to play three incredible songs: "Green Eyes," "Death Will Never Conquer," and "Billie Jean." Each band member (except for Chris) had an acoustic guitar and they were playing in really close quarters. It was really, really cool. It brought them closer to us, the cheapettes in the lawn section. Basically when they started playing there, everyone stormed to the stage. I watched comfortably from a close distance. The night variated from their fast-paced songs to a lot of slower, piano songs. They mixed up singles and non-singles, which was nice. The concert started off with a lot of older singles back to back to back, which is fine, but it might be nicer if they were spread out. I thought they played A LOT of slower stuff, which is part of the band, but for this live show, I thought it was a bit too much. I would have preferred more faster-paced songs to liven up the crowd. I was really impressed with the talent of the band members. I was really blown away by Will the drummer who is also an excellent singer. He played different kinds of drums, guitar, and vocals during the show. He's incredible! Chris danced around all the time, which was entertaining. He messed up a couple of times, which was kind of awkward, I found. One time, he messed up TWICE and then just asked the audience to make a lot of noise and they called the song a day. Kind of lame. But Chris tried to work with the audience a lot. He had us finish "Yellow" with them in unison. He had us help him finish songs a few times. He incorporated Saratoga Springs into his lyrics a few times. He spoke to us a few times, apologizing at the end of "Violet Hill," the first song they played. "If you forgive me, won't you let me know..." (for cancelling the show). It was clever. I liked his audience involvement. He really cared about putting on a good show for the balcony and us out on the lawn--even those listening outside the grounds. It was impressive. Coldplay's attire seems to be that of their Viva La Vida and Death and All His Friends look. They look kind of like Civil War apparell but they are multicolored. They all got into that look. I wonder how they came up with that idea? I think it's unqiue, to say the least. I was a bit upset that they didn't play some of the songs I wanted to hear, not all necessarily singles. They focused a lot on playing their new CD, which is fine, but I hate when bands play the majority of their new album and ignore their other plethora of music that fans really connected with. They did play some older stuff too, but nowhere in comparison to the new stuff. I missed them playing "Shiver," "Trouble," "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face," "Warning Sign," "Whisper," "Square One," "Speed of Sound," and "A Message." But they played a lot of other good songs I like. These were just ones I wish they'd played! I just enjoy their sound. It's different than a lot of other bands out there. And Chris is such a different lead singer. I just love their unique energy they bring to music. I really enjoyed myself last night, and it definitely has to do with their talent. Very well done, Coldplay. So what did you think of Coldplay live? http://musingforamusement.blogspot.com/2009/07/coldplay.html

Words cannot explain the feeling of complete and utter happiness that I feel when I’m at a Coldplay concert. If you ever attend a Coldplay show with me, you will not be able to wipe the smile off of my face no matter how hard you try. A sense of euphoria rushes through me, almost as if the sensation I’m experiencing is a drug being pumped through my veins and spreading all throughout my body giving me a high like no other. Basically, I was feeling ecstatic without actually using the drug Ecstasy. Simply put, I LOVE Coldplay and their songs! After Green Day, Chris Martin and Co. are my favorite band without a doubt. Each member can play each other’s instruments and as a bonus, each member can sing! I love that during the band’s live shows, all four guys harmonize with lead singer and frontman Chris Martin. Singing backing vocals is just another part of playing in Coldplay for guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, and drummer Will Champion. For the song “Death Will Never Conquer,” Champion takes over lead vocal duties, giving Martin a brief break, and proves that some drummers really can carry a tune. Opening with “Life In Technicolor,” fans couldn’t quite glimpse the band as the lights were still off, leaving the stage dark and the audience’s anticipation growing. “Life In Technicolor” is the instrumental track off of Coldplay’s latest studio album Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, which was released in June of 2008. It is the first song on the record and also happens to be the first song that kicks off Coldplay’s live set on their Viva La Vida Tour. During the band’s performance of their hit single “Yellow,” which brought the English foursome mainstream success, gigantic yellow balloons were dispersed from each side of the stage by tour crew members who chucked them out into the crowd to be thrown about like beach balls, much to every fan’s delight. Coldplay performed a medley of songs from a B stage positioned halfway between the lawn and the stage on the far right edge of the pavilion seats. Those four songs can be found below in the set list with (B) following their titles. Coldplay then returned to the main stage to perform their massive hit “Viva La Vida” and past single “Lost.” Once more, the guys were seen running up the far left side of pavilion seats to a C stage positioned in the center of the lawn directly behind the mix. The three songs performed in the lawn can be found below with a © following their names. The C stage set concluded with what was probably the best cover of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean” that I have ever heard. While the band ran back to the main stage from the lawn to launch into “Politik,” a remix of “Viva La Vida” kept the crowd singing along and desperately wanting more songs to be played. Confetti in the shape of multi-hued butterflies covered every single fan (me and my friend Vilmarie!) in the GA pit, as well as the majority of fans in the pavilion seats, during the second half of Coldplay’s newest single “Lovers In Japan.” Although “The Escapist” is not listed as an actual track included on Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends, Coldplay ends their Viva La Vida Tour with this outro. If you have the album, you’ll recognize “The Escapist” from the last 2 minutes and 46 seconds of the closing track “Death And All His Friends.” I have seen Coldplay live in concert five times and this was by far the best show yet. You must make it a point to see the band play a show at least once during your lifetime. You will NOT be disappointed. And make sure to catch Coldplay on tour NOW to pick up your free physical copy of the band’s brand new live album LeftRightLeftRightLeft. I got mine, now go get yours! http://thedeadhub.com/coldplay-continues-to-viva-la-vida/

Coldplay live! Once in awhile, a concert comes along that is so captivating in all of its parts that after its short-lived moment, one leaves feeling brighter and more inspired than before. This past Saturday, Coldplay brought such a show — complete in flawless, live performances and luminous visuals — to Alpine Valley. The set opened with “Life In Technicolor” as the shadows of Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion were seen behind a dimly lit sheath suspended in front of the stage. As the audience echoed the song’s one, chanting lyric followed with wild applause, the band transitioned into “Violet Hill.” Martin sang with his iconic Coldplay voice, alternating between low and high pitches, as violet lights beamed on a giant backdrop of Eugéne Delacroix’s painting, “Liberty Guiding The People.” Keeping with the French theme, Martin and crew — dressed as shabby revolutionaries — played their way expertly through Viva La Vida’s title track, on to “Cemeteries Of London” and eventually “Clocks,” which was aided by Martin’s piano expertise and a mesmerizing red-and-blue light show. “Fix You,” didn’t come soon enough for the crowd, who sang the chorus while electrifying guitar riffs from Buckland reverberated throughout the amphitheater. “Lost!” soon followed, booming in with heart-pounding drumming from Champion. Ever generous, Coldplay soon left the glowing stage and ventured out to their fans on the lawn. Fortune smiled on the band during “The Hardest Part,” as rain poured while Martin sang, “I could feel it go down/Bittersweet I could taste in my mouth/Silver lining in the clouds.” Through the cloudburst, Coldplay proved to be the silver lining as they soothed the crowd with the ironic song, managing to bring forth smiles amid the shivers. After honoring the late Michael Jackson with a cutesy rendition of “Billie Jean,” Coldplay returned front and center to put the unforgettable final touches on the show. From start to finish, the band’s performance of “Lovers In Japan” was a rush of chiming melodies, flashing lights, and spinning colors all blended together into a cheerful symphony. It began with echoing plunks from Martin’s piano prompting fellow band members to fall, with perfect unison, into their allotted parts in the upbeat song. Then, when the chorus came each time, billows of paper butterflies in all colors fell from every corner of the pavilion ceiling. Fireworks flashed on the video screens and the audience became a sea of laughter and up-stretched hands, eagerly grasping at a new, welcomed rain. The butterflies seemed endless, as did Coldplay’s ability to please. Not once did they falter in their music or the loving attitude they extended to their fans. The entire set was a breathtaking spectacle — a beautiful blend of music and aesthetics intended to leave those in attendance with hearts aflutter. And, just when you thought you couldn’t love them more, they gave you a free CD at the door. It was epic. It was revolutionary. It was Coldplay. – Stephanie Sadler http://illinoisentertainer.com/2009/07/coldplay-live-2/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed

See The World Goes To Coldplay Hope life is well where you're at. Just wanted to fill you in on our latest undertaking. Sam and I went to see our first Coldplay concert on Saturday. Driving from Minneapolis to East Troy, Wisconsin was about 350 miles, and the tickets cost an arm and a leg, but it was totally worth it. I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more, just to be the man that sits 100 rows up at a Coldplay show (insert witty quote from 40 Year Old Virgin here). Coldplay offers something that almost no other band today can offer: a chance to hear the biggest band in the world (34,000 fans + Chris, Johnny, Will, and Guy) sing in unison. The crowds a capella performance at the end of Fix You gave me shivers (reminded me of The Chordials and some of my other favorites). In addition to the spot-on performance by the band, the big-screen video production was exceptional. Though it was displayed in real-time, the footage looked like a professional music video. I can't imagine the cost of lights and visual effects-- I wonder if the band even gets paid at the end of all that goes into it? Kidding. http://seetheworldblog.blogspot.com/2009/07/see-world-goes-to-coldplay.html

Coldplay, Kitty Daisy and Lewis @ Verizon Wireless Amphitheater, Maryland Heights, MO My evening for this concert coverage started off rather bumpy for this concert as I was unfortunately not allowed in to photograph Kitty Daisy and Lewis who was the opening act for Coldplay. I was sadly stuck at the VIP entrance pleading my case with security or making frantic phone calls to their tour manager. Without the photo pass, I was stuck outside the venue for roughly two hours until Coldplay took the stage. Luckily, I was still able to hear the soulful sounds of Kitty Daisy and Lewis, which to my surprise features a band so young in age (16-19) and with such a strong sense of family as some of their parents were also in the band. I encourage everyone who is coming for Coldplay’s show to beat the foot traffic and show up early for Kitty Daisy and Lewis; you will not be disappointed. After contemplating a trip to the casino to kill time, I consulted my bank account and realized sitting in the parking lot was more financially responsible. Upon being escorted into the set up for Coldplay, I found myself in an aisle amongst a sea of people just beyond the pit. As there was no photo pit for this tour, I primarily used my 70-200 f/2.8. I really didn’t know what to expect in regards to how their live show would be, but for all those Coldplay haters, see them live and then get back to me. The material from their new album in particular, Viva La Vida or Death And All his Friends, was particularly effective in a live sense, more so than recorded. As a special treat, the band for this tour has several mini stages set up around the venue so if you don’t want to get stuck out of your seat for awhile, be sure to get all your beer and nachos beforehand. Before closing out the show that they’ve said they’ve rehearsed for 142 times around the world, the crowd was blanketed with glow in the dark butterflies as the band performed “Lovers in Japan.” As the show was coming to a close, Chris made sure to inform the audience that they were going to be treated to a free copy of their EP Left Right Left Right Left as we exited the amphitheater http://popwreckoning.com/2009/07/30/coldplay-kitty-daisy-and-lewis-verizon-wireless-amphitheater-maryland-heights-mo/ Retrieved from "http://wiki.coldplaying.com/index.php/24_July_2009:_Verizon_Wireless_Amphitheater%2C_Maryland_Heights%2C_MO%2C_USA"

Coldplay’s Viva La Vida Tour Justifies Grammy Domination This is Coldplay’s year. Long time fans of the British band’s melodic pop tunes have been able to celebrate the success of Viva La Vida, and the previous three beloved albums, on this year’s tour that seems almost endless. The thing about Coldplay that keeps reeling listeners in, is the consistency of innovation in their artistic rock that relentlessly reflects any and all streams of emotion. In 1999, the popish breakout single, “Yellow” from their debut album Parachutes, put Coldplay on the map. Later, we were introduced to “Clocks,” “The Scientist” and “In My Place” from their second album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. A deep soulful album, X & Y, followed up in 2005, giving us the hits “Fix You” and “Speed of Sound.” Then, most recently, Viva La Vida or Death With All His Friends, provided a breath of fresh air to Coldplay fans with a feel good album full of uplifting and inspirational tracks like “Violet Hill,” “Lost,” “Lovers in Japan” and “Strawberry Swing.” It must be said that if you have not given “Strawberry Swing” a listen at this point, you must lend your ears for a quick minute of your day and enjoy. Coldplay brings more than sound to a show. They bring real entertainment and a beautiful performance. For a second, one might think a Coldplay concert would be boring, with all the emotional “slow” songs. However, the thousands of fans at the sold out show on July 22, at The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion in Houston would say that it’s just not so. From the large yellow balloons floating in the air and crowd surfing during “Yellow,” to the bursts of confetti throughout “Viva La Vida,” to the crisp and riveting up close video of Chris Martin rocking on the piano, there was no denying that this show was all about having fun. Twice during the two hours of play time, the entire band – Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion – traveled into the crowd to perform in the middle of their adoring fans. This kind of intimate surprise is rare during shows at larger venues housing thousands of passionate fans. Coldplay reached out and kept it fresh. Another treat for fans included a special cover of the late Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Thousands sang along in tribute. Martin’s vocals were almost flawless and quite similar to studio perfection. He danced and spun around free – arms flowing in the air – as he normally does during songs like “Lost” and “Strawberry Swing.” There is one message this band exudes through their perfection and brilliant execution in performance, and the message is clear – this band was meant to tour. As the show ended and fans flooded to the exit, each person was given a free CD with live tracks from previous shows. The CD included live versions of “Strawberry Swing,” “Clocks,” “Glass of Water” and more. Sadly, Martin mentions at the end of the show that it may be a few years until we see them again. If a few years is what it will take for another Grammy dominating album and top notch entertaining world tour … well, we’ll just have to accept the wait. -Melissa Kabilio http://envymags.com/2009/07/coldplays-viva-la-vida-tour-justifies-grammy-domination/

Review: Coldplay, winded but still winning Coldplay returned to Dallas for their second, but less spectacular sold-out show in a year. DALLAS -- Still coasting on the bold energy of last year's Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends, Coldplay returned to the Metroplex Tuesday night, less than 12 months after it last visited. Aside from the obvious changes (venue, season, some of the set list) and a surprisingly ragged first half, there wasn't a drastic difference between Coldplay at the end of 2008 and Coldplay in the middle of 2009. Swapping out a few tracks (Speed of Sound and Chinese Sleep Chant disappeared, while Trouble and a sharp cover of the late Michael Jackson's Billie Jean materialized) at Superpages.com Center helped renew the band's spirits, which flagged mightily early on. Coldplay prides itself on delivering a high-intensity, multimedia blitzkrieg; the pieces were in place but the British quartet didn't truly lock into its rhythmic and melodic groove until Fix You. Once the swelling anthem from X&Y subsided, the band never really looked back, even scampering out to two different stages -- one near the middle of the pavilion and one out on the lawn -- which thrilled the sold-out crowd (although, to be fair, they screamed loudly for just about everything that happened). It was on those stages, away from the lasers, projection screen globes and sprawling backdrops, where Coldplay appeared most on point, in tune with one another and freed from high-tech distraction. Yet on the whole, the 2008 tour stop felt tighter and less labored than 2009; the band has flogged its new record mercilessly for well over a year now and has to be growing tired of the grind. Not content to rest on its laurels, Coldplay also had a free nine-track live album, LeftRightLeftRightLeft, to give away as the audience filed out. Frontman Chris Martin, who, at times, struggled to nail some of the more complex vocals and even mangled some falsetto moments, alluded to the band leaving everyone "alone for the next couple years," which would suggest they'll be heading back into the studio before terribly long. However, a break might just be in order before turning out another record. Coldplay has weathered a decade in the ever-fickle music industry and managed to remain one of the most popular rock acts in the world. If that doesn't call for an extended vacation, what does? The openers were a study in trendy curiosity: Kitty Daisy & Lewis, a rockabilly/Dixieland jazz-tinged trio (augmented with additional performers) hailing from London conjured a speakeasy vibe that was as unconventional as it was refreshingly weird. Bonus points to the outfit for trotting out a left-field rendition of Canned Heat's Going Up the Country. Amadou & Mariam, a Malian duo that spiked its self-described "Afro-blues" grooves with funky washes of piano and shards of electric guitar, was a bracing delight. The crowd didn't quite know what to make of the pair, who utilized a pair of drummers and some enthusiastic back-up singers/dancers, but by the conclusion of Amadou & Mariam's eclectic, freewheeling set, the skeptical were waving their hands in the air like freshly converted fans. http://www.dfw.com/117/story/156082.html

A few issues back, I used my column in The Philosopher's Magazine to lament the fact that I'd missed the Coldplay concert in the fall (and to confess that I am a Coldplay-lover), but now all is well. They were back in Dallas last night. Here's the thing about hearing live music. It kind of disrupts a certain illusion that I enjoy. You see, Chris Martin and I have kind of a special connection. I understand him, and he understands me. In fact, he wrote many of his songs specifically for me--like "Clocks" and "Viva La Vida" and "Lost". So what are all those 20,000 other idiots doing there, acting like his greatest fans? How, in fact, do they even know his songs and the lyrics, considering that they're MY songs? Sigh. The band was good. But back to the audience. Not only did they barge in on my special thing with Chris, but they made me notice that I'm no longer the age of a typical Coldplay fan. No, I'm not 24. I'm not even 34. One of the ways the 20,000 called this to my attention was by engaging in Strange Youth Behaviors. Um, must one listen to music while waving around cellphones? I asked my two 12-year olds about this, because they got into the cellphone thing too. In fact, they took to it like...well, like ducks take to water. After the concert I attempted to provoke them by hypothesizing that this is all about the deep and intimate connection that people have with their phones these days. To hold your phone is practically like holding your heart in your hand, so raising it is a gesture of love and exultation. But they wouldn't be provoked. In fact, they just looked at me like I was an ignoramus. The point is that the phone lights up, they said. It's like holding a candle. Sure. Whatever. I'm sure Chris thinks it's silly too. He encouraged it a bit, getting people to do that wave thing, but I think he was just pretending. He and I think just alike. http://kazez.blogspot.com/2009/07/coldplay.html

What a show these guys put up. I am not a particularly fond bloke of their music, but they do have some good tunes and I do like the way they arrange lyrics and prose. But now, I have to admit and kindda admire them. These four Brits do know how to interact with their audience. Their showed kicked off around 8:45PM when the Sun was already saying goodbye to the Superpages Center (formerly known as the Smirnoff and Coca-Cola respectively) located somewhere in the south-east Dallas area. Coldplay treated us to the full array of their “classics” such as Yellow, Shiver, Clocks, and Politik -my personal favorite: I can’t help the shivers down my spine on the verse “give me strength, reserve control, give me heart and give me soul“; of course they flamboyantly played songs from their latest album, of which I have to admit…don’t like all too much. Perhaps I just gotta give them another year until I start to like them. Who knows. Of the memorable moments: they did run up to two mini-stages setup right in the middle of the audience. One of them on the right side of the numbered seats area -for fancy people- and another one to the left by the lawn. Of which I was able to take a couple of decent photos and some OK video footage -some of which you can watch right here. Another conspicuos moment arrived when they rendered they own tribute to Michael Jackson by playing their own, brit-pop version of Billy Jean -Chris just missed grabbing his crotch and doing the moon-walk. They vowed good-bye to the audience after almost two hours of music to the return for a little speech and two more songs. That marked the closing of a very interesting concert @ the Big-D. On our way out, we were treated with a free CD with a handful of their songs. http://www.myrotarycar.com/blog/index.php/2009/07/23/coldplay-in-dallas-superpages-center/

There are certain parenting milestones that make all the sleepless nights, whining, chaos and mess worth it. We had one of our very best ones yet on Sunday night. We took our oldest son to see Coldplay in concert at the Verizon Amphitheatre in Irvine. He’s a huge Coldplay fan, knows all their songs but is only 10 and I wasn’t sure if it would be entertaining enough for him for the whole evening and I didn’t want to hear ‘I’m bored’ in the middle of a concert I really wanted to enjoy. I asked if he’d like to go and he bounced up and down with excitement. I’d say that was a yes! He looked a bit bored during the warm up acts. It was a bit dull, no bright lights, no energy amongst the crowd, no songs we knew, so I could see him thinking there was nothing special about a concert. Then Coldplay walked onto the stage. The noise, lights, the crowd going wild, he was memorized. He knew every single song they played so was singing his heart out and dancing, pretending he was playing the drums and waving his British flag. People around us were smiling at his excitement and enthusiasm. Coldplay are such a fantastic band live. I feel like I’m watching regular guys who, if I met them, would just chat to me. There’s no airs and graces, they just happen to be amazing and passionate about what they do. One of the first songs they sang was ‘Yellow’ and they released huge yellow balls into the audience. They were released behind us so we didn’t see them coming, all of a sudden, they just came flying over our heads and we caught them and threw them across the crowd. Coldplay also move around the audience to sing their songs. They moved up to a tiny stage just 10 rows in front of us for a few songs, so we could really see the band members. Later on in the concert, they moved up to the lawn at the Verizon Amphitheatre, the crowd went wild. They thought they’d only see little figures down on the stage in the distance and all of a sudden, the band is there, right in front of them. Then you know they’re just regular guys who probably used to go to concerts and sit right at the back. For ‘Lovers in Japan’ they release thousands upon thousands of paper butterflies, firing them up into the air so that they flutter down on everyone. It’s magical. My son gathered some up and those, along with his concert ticket and a free CD the band handed out to everyone, is going in his keepsake box. He loved every single second and will probably be a Coldplay fan for life and a concertgoer. And I’m so glad I was able to have that experience with him, even though it means he’s growing up. http://califlorna.com/coldplay-10-year-son-430

My dad was dropping off my mom, my sister, and me to avoid the trouble of getting a parking space, so we left the house around 6 PM. The show was at "7:30" (I'll explain the quotation marks later.) My dad was so paranoid that we'd be late, so I had to reassure him that there's an opening act anyways. I didn't and still don't know who the opening act was. Anyway, getting to the exit was horrible. In addition to the horrible exit traffic, it took about 15 minutes to get into the actual amphitheater area. To get there, we have to go across some trail. I think it was a way to seclude the amphitheater from the rest of Irvine. I'd go to Wild Rivers (a water park), and I'd always see billboards and signs saying "Irvine Verizon Wireless Amphitheater." In my head, I'm just wondering WHERE THE FUCK IS IT?!? When we reached the amphitheater area, there are tons of stands, some for food, advertising, and MERCHANDISE. I told myself that I'd buy one of the gorgeous shirts, but when I saw the price tag, I freaked out. FOURTY FUCKING DOLLARS?!?!? I saw the same ones on http://coldplay.com/ for twenty-five! My mom and I are planning to buy them online. I still wanted the tour program and the bag though. Concert nights are strange. I'm almost never hungry and never tired until I reach home. I think I run on adrenaline. Also to be quite honest, most of the time before the concert, I wasn't excited at all. I was bored to death, especially since Idol was 2 days before. Coldplay didn't start until 9 PM, which explained the amphitheater not being full until about 8:45. When they came out playing "Life in Technicolor", they came out with a bang. That song's an instrumental, JSYK. Most of this is quite a blur, so I'll go through my tour program to guide me. HA. "Violet Hill" is an amazing song (one of my favorites on Viva la Vida), and it was well-sang, as per usual. During this time, I get my cell phone out to call Sarina, who really wanted a cellcast. "Clocks" and "In My Place" are also great songs, well-done performances, and mesmerizing lighting, but they just didn't stick out for me. When "Yellow" came on, I just freaked. There were yellow balls coming from the air, thrown up in the air like beach balls. It was great. I also could have sworn that I saw Gwyneth Paltrow in the audience; I saw her on the screen. Or maybe my eyes were playing tricks on me. I'll believe that I saw her. Sarina had also given up on cellcasting, so I hung up on her and enjoyed the rest of my night standing, singing, and screaming (They all start with "s"!). Too bad Sarina hung up at the wrong time since "Glass of Water" is one of her favorite Coldplay songs. SUCKA. "Cemeteries of London" and "42" had only recently grown on me (I used to skip those 90% of the times I'd listen to them on my iPod, iTunes library, etc.). Now, I really enjoy those songs, especially "42." After those songs was a fan favorite, "Fix You". Not going to even lie, it's probably my favorite from X&Y. Gah <3. Unfortunately, less people were standing up as the band began playing "Strawberry Swing". I think it's because it's quite an unpopular song among a casual Coldplay fan. I know that it's the least played out of all the songs in Viva la Vida in my library, but it's still a great song. After "Strawberry Swing", the band went up to a mini-stage set toward the back of the amphitheater to play more and interact with the fans farther in the back. I thought that was a great way to do so. They played "God Put A Smile Upon Your Face", "Talk", "The Hardest Part", and "Postcards from Far Away". The arrangement of "Talk" was different, so I had no idea what the song was at first. However, I noticed myself singing to it like it was second nature. Have you ever done that? Have you ever sang a song, knowing every single word but having no idea what the song was? It wasn't the first time I did that. I freaked out when they played "The Hardest Part" because not only did I love the, I knew that right after, it'd lead to "Postcards From Far Away". I played "Postcards" for National Guild for piano, and I totally rocked it. Obviously, I was not going to be better at Chris Martin when I played it, but I was proud. It was great hearing it live by the original composers themselves. After their stint on the mini-stage, they went back to the main stage, playing "Viva la Vida". That song was another fan favorite. The minute the drum came on, everyone (including my mother and sister) was on their feet. Many, including myself, were singing their hearts out. After "Viva", "Lost!" came on. I love that song so much, especially the piano only one ("Lost?"). Currently, I'm looking at the tour program, and I'm a bit irritated that they didn't play "Speed of Sound". Maybe because too many people would think that it sounded like "Clocks". However, there was a better replacement. As the band went to the other mini-stage set up, Chris had asked us to do a cell-phone wave. Right after this cell phone wave, Coldplay covered "Billie Jean". I was freaking out. It was such a big deal that it was probably the only thing I tweeted during the entire show. After "Billie Jean", they played "Green Eyes" <3. It was awesome live. They ran back down to the main stage and sang one of my favorite songs, "Politik". The lights were just so enchanting, going with every single beat of the piano. Arguably one of my top three performances of the night was "Lovers in Japan". Not only was it well sang, but it was beautifully lit and there were paper butterflies coming from the air! BEAUTIFUL. Their "last" song was "Death and All His Friends", which is ironically the last song on the Viva CD. Love, love, love it! They bowed at the end, and everyone was cheering their asses off. I knew it wasn't the end though. I just felt it. They left the stage, and everyone sang the "oh oh OHHHH oh oh" part in "Viva la Vida" to bring them back. And so they did. Chris began with the piano in "The Scientist" and then soon, Jonny, Will, and Guy came out as well. At this point, I was singing my heart out and (almost) crying, as this was one of my favorite songs of all-time. It was sang with such emotion. *Swoons.* After "The Scientist", they played their official last song, "Life in Technicolor ii". It's a continuation of "Life in Technicolor" with lyrics. AFTERTHOUGHTS AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING! I had never been to a Coldplay concert before, and this sealed the deal. Whenever they're coming back to anywhere in LA or Orange County, I'm going to see them. In YouTube videos and during the concert, I noticed that Chris Martin, the lead singer (and pianist), humps the piano. Kris Allen does that too. I actually find that really hot. LOL. It just shows that he's really passionate when he plays, and I wish I could bring that passion into my own piano-playing. Minus the humping :). I got the Leftrightleftrightleft CD on their website the day it came out, and as another souvenir, I got the physical copy at the venue exit. I wanted to get one for my friend, but the people passing them out wouldn't let me :(. Oh well. http://whoaaatraceyy.livejournal.com/35089.html

Coldplay convert in the OC Yes. I did mean to use that word, "Convert." Prior to last night I'd been a fan of the band, just not a super freak for Coldplay. But, that was prior to about 9:05 pm last night. Because, I am now. Mind you, I'd been very excited to learn we had tickets for an A-list event like this. But, I have to admit, I really had no idea what I was in for going to a Coldplay concert. The Coldplay concert last Sunday was massive in the true meaning of the word. It was multi-sensory experience, and larger than life and an event that clearly a great deal of thought and planning and expense had gone into. I should have known things would be massive given just the size of the tickets. This event was so huge even the tickets were airplane-ticket sized. Amadou & Mariam is a West African group opening for Coldplay and they so rocked the place. Their music was infectious and had us up and dancing in our seats well before sundown or before Coldplay's limos even arrived in Irvine. I would have been happy to hear them again -- I loved Talking Heads and it's clear to hear the influence of West African music has had on their music. Great stuff. Also, they had these two gorgeous women dancers who were, maybe, two of the best dancers I've ever seen. Serious dancing going on w/ the Amidou girls...Hot, hot, hot. The seats were filling up. The sky was still light. Pete and I invented a game called "spot the cougar couples." There seemed to have been a sale on young men at South Coast Plaza this weekend. Either that, or the moms in the OC are way cool. And, I think we know what's really going on, here. Okay, back to Coldplay. The evening was perfect. The air not too hot, not too cool. As the light faded from the sky things just got better and better. Coldplay was spectacular. It got me on every level: Audibly, visually, spiritually -- you just had to move the entire night. We had amazing seats, but never sat once. We were up moving, dancing, watching and trying to soak up very morsel of the evening. Didn't want to miss one thing. I was carried away on a magic carpet of music and thought and looking at things in ways I hadn't expected to -- I adored it all. Hard to pick a favorite moment from the lovely, flow of music and light and sound, but "Haiku" in particular, about blew my mind. I loved the entire production of that number. It was heavenly. It started out with a back drop of clips from black and white movies running fast speed into a montage of interesting clips that increased speed and more and more included footage of some 1950's videos of cherry blossoms blooming and some history of haikus, I think, and then, without warning suddenly the once open, starry night sky was suddenly flooded and raining down tiny paper butterflies all over the audience. Just like a snow storm fluttering down around our heads. At first the butterfly snow was in primary colors. Thousands of fragile paper butterflies everywhere. Everywhere. Like snow. I put my hand out, palm up and just opened my hand and a tiny blue butterfly softly landed in it. Then I put out my other hand and a little red paper butterfly landed in that one, too. As if someone had deliberately, gently placed them there. I was astonished. Then, I peered up again into the night sky I saw, yet one more cloud of more paper butterflies falling like snow, again, and these were even more vibrant - these were fluttering down in neon colors. And after that there were more explosions of butterflies falling from the stars twinkling and shimmery rainbow colored butterflies. Tiny explosions of color softly falling around us. It was extraordinary. I felt like I was a child of two, again. My eyes welled up with emotion at the sheer beauty and epic scope of it all. I was overwhelmed by what Martin and Coldplay were giving back to us all of us. Call it corny, but it was very moving. With any other performer this kind of deliberate "giving back to the audience" would have seemed completely contrived or empty...But, not with them. We all felt the love and joy and it was pure and childlike and profound and, frankly, a whole lot of fun. They were determined to connect with all of us, not just us fools in the pricey, front section, but way, way back. So, several songs were done surprisingly once from the middle of the second section and then even, way, way, way up high in the nosebleed section. Coldplay was bending backwards to connect with everyone there that night and not have that predictable fourth wall up that most big rock groups have. It was a socialist performance, I guess. Good seats for everyone. More memorable moments from Louise on the Left... During "Fix You" the camera panned back into the audience and I noticed one black and white face seemed very familiar singing along with the lead singer: It was Paltrow. The look of love on her face was evident and moving and adorable, I have to admit. At one point, Coldplay broke into an accoustic version of "Billy Jean." Which was unexpected and moving and carried not a hint of gratuitous explanation about why it was necessary. It was a graceful nod to Jackson's legacy. http://louiselarsen.blogspot.com/2009/07/coldplay-convert-in-oc.html