anu

How You See the World was dropped from the set at both shows I saw. Too bad. I made it back to Tennessee safely. My friends are happy for me -- if a little bit jealous. I'm jealous of the person who gets to see Snow Patrol tonight, too!!

"I'm warning you -- I'm in an extremely good mood; I'm expecting a baby soon." Chris Martin made my weekend two nights in a row. Moving from the main floor to side stage, lower level, I enjoyed my great view of the band, who are absolutely on their game--personal and passionate and totally professional. At least twice, Chris commented on how the crowd exceeded his expectations. Now, it's hard to find a fellow fan having as much fun as me -- but people were as friendly (although not as drunk or wild) as in New Jersey. I still don't understand why some folks feel compelled to talk during a show (as some near me did during R. Ashcroft, prompting me to move) or constantly play with their phones -- an activity Chris M. apparently condones ("Cell phones is cool"). Seeing all the waving lights during "What If" was inspired, but I wonder what it would be like if people just turned them off and got more into the show. Into the show, indeed. An unparalelled ecstasy could be found at the close of Clocks, a stunning climax that sent the whole place into a deafening post-orgasm moan. At the close of Fix You, I grabbed my coat and sprinted to the car, motivated by Martin's leaping and dashing acrobatics, the best, of course, being his mad lap to the back of the building during In My Place. As Chris warned of his mood during the opening strains of Square One, I want to carry that joy home with me on the plane and back to work today. We certainly all need the love that Coldplay carries every time we hear their hooks, in a big hall or privately on headphones. Square One Politik Yellow Speed of Sound God Put A Smile Upon Your Face What If Don’t Panic White Shadows The Scientist Til Kingdom Come Ring of Fire Trouble Clocks Talk Swallowed in the Sea In My Place Fix You

Coldplay, Continental Airlines Arena, aka The Meadowlands 25 March 2006 Last year, Jon Pareles wrote an article for the New York Times called “The Case Against Coldplay” where he called them “the most insufferable band of the decade.” Last night, I went to his neighborhood (northern New Jersey, to be exact) to witness the case for Coldplay. While I never thought I’d share so much spiritual geography with teenage girls and emo rockers, it seems like that it’s exactly that kind of “guilt by association” that turns Mr. Parales sour. While he doesn’t like what Coldplay does, he clearly realizes that they’re good at it. Witness this impeccable prose: “It's not for lack of skill. The band proffers melodies as imposing as Romanesque architecture, solid and symmetrical. Martin on keyboards, Jonny Buckland on guitar, Guy Berryman on bass and Will Champion on drums have mastered all the mechanics of pop songwriting, from the instrumental hook that announces nearly every song they've recorded to the reassurance of a chorus to the revitalizing contrast of a bridge. Their arrangements ascend and surge, measuring out the song's yearning and tension, cresting and easing back and then moving toward a chiming resolution. Coldplay is meticulously unified, and its songs have been rigorously cleared of anything that distracts from the musical drama.” No, it’s the emo effect that gets this critic’s goat. It’s Chris Martin and his lyrics: “I hear a passive-aggressive blowhard, immoderately proud as he flaunts humility. ‘I feel low,’ he announces in the chorus of ‘Low,’ belied by the peak of a crescendo that couldn't be more triumphant about it.” While it was an epic and eternal sound that sucked my brain on the first listen to “Clocks,” the spirit of the project kept me. Emotion truly pulled me to Coldplay and kept pulling me. My first emo band. In such an intensely miserable world, it’s this cozy component of Chris Martin’s sensibility that makes a Coldplay concert a kind of postmodern love-in. I still like my anger in folk, punk, and hip-hop, but sometimes such ranting can leave me cold. Coldplay makes me warm and wet. People of all ages, arms waving, hearts swelling, vocal chords wailing: we are in this fucking together, and we want more. Now, some people get that buzz at church or singing the Star Spangled Banner at football games. But for those of us unable to access too much religion or patriotism, we have rock and roll. And of those rare and bombastic and hokey enough to try transforming a hockey arena into a homey happenin’ hoedown, Coldplay has come to the top of their crowd and can draw the crowd. Northern New Jersey is a kind of example of why modernity might have been a bad idea, an exurban unimpressive pavement monster. Just finding my hotel room and getting to the show were a chore. But once in the parking lot, with the Amstel Light and Dominican rum warming the hears of the hospitable tailgaters I happened upon, the beauty of the pre-concert communion shed my doubts about why I’d traveled so far again—just to see a band. While some of my friends are baffled by my devotion, my new friends were just impressed. They had the same infection as me and completely understood. The etymology of the word “fan” (from the root fanatic) is instructive here. I’m a fan in the true sense. Two nights of Coldplay equals my March madness. There’s more to say about last night, but it’s time to get ready for tonight, with Ashcroft onstage in less than two hours!!

Richard Ashcroft, Continental Airlines Arena, aka The Meadowlands 25 March 2006 When people discuss the similarities between Coldplay and U2, they likely invoke the epic, skin tingling, huge and hallowed guitar sounds or the crowd-pleasing, charismatic lead singers. But another thing these bands share is the commitment to choosing superior opening acts. With the price of concert tickets a serious investment even for the privileged, getting your money’s worth at the gig is important, and a billing with some serious sonic depth is more than desirable. On the Twisted Logic Tour (oddly named for a song that never appears in the set), Coldplay has chosen some great acts like Goldfrapp, Rilo Kiley, Fiona Apple, the previously obscure psychedelic blues of Black Mountain last summer, and now, much to my pleasure, the vigorous former Verve frontman, the soulful and sensational Richard Ashcroft. Ashcroft took the stage and precisely 8pm and began what would be his habit for the entire night: talking before every song. This took his 8-song set to the 50 minute limit. Knowing how long many rock songs are, we could do the math. He loves to talk, and most of it was genius and generously spiced with the F-word. He also had the courtesy of properly introducing each song, which I thought excellent, making it easier for me to compile a setlist and allowing me to listen to most of the tracks while I pen this review. As I go, I will offer some quoted (or more likely paraphrased) samples of his blessed banter. “Springsteen sold this place out for 15 nights. Fuck me.” “Here we go again” seems an appropriate refrain for an opening song, and the title track to the new record “Keys to the World” pulled in the few thousand fans smart enough to get to their seats on time. “Most British musicians owe a huge debt to black music going all the way back to the church” introduced the old-school anthem “Music is Power.” He mentioned Curtis Mayfield (the musical saint who brought us so much funky gospel with the Impressions and the classic “People Get Ready”) and, interestingly, Jay Z. The significance of the latter was revealed when Chris Martin later told us that Jay Z was at the show (as was Michael Stipe—too bad he didn’t do his Katrina relief collaboration with Coldplay). When Richard sings this delicious hymn to the medium that’s saved our sanity so many times, he asks, “Are you invited/to the party of life,” and reminds, “in these wild wild wild days you live in/yeah i know sometimes we all wanna give in,” and finally, commands, “don't give up/oh no, alright/let the melody flow/all night all night.” Of course, at that moment, I wouldn’t have minded if Ashcroft were the headliner and would have welcomed him all night, indeed. But sadly, the 50 minutes flowed too quickly through amazing versions of pieces like “Break the Night with Color” and the moving ballad “Words Just Get in the Way” to his remark that he regretted sharing the last name of a particular “dickhead in your country.” While claiming “I’m not bitter,” he did complain that radio had forgotten him since the Verve, so he unhooked the hit to remind us all. “Bittersweet Symphony” had me dancing in the aisles until the ushers politely urged me back to my seat; reluctantly, I slowly obliged, but not without sharing several smiles with other fans as pleased with this last song of the opening set as I was. I’m glad the only road I’ve ever been down took me to this show. Setlist: Keys to the World The Drugs Don’t Work Music is Power Science of Silence Break the Night with Color Lucky Man Words Just Get in the Way Bittersweet Symphony

Only major change, I think, was the deletion of How You See the World Square One Politik Yellow Speed of Sound God Put A Smile Upon Your Face What If Don’t Panic White Shadows The Scientist Til Kingdom Come Ring of Fire Trouble Clocks Talk Swallowed in the Sea In My Place Fix You

I know that floor seats are reserved, but do people move around? What's it like from the back of the floor? Can you see? I haven't been on the main floor at an arena show for years and want some ideas from y'all who have had floor seats on this leg of the Coldplay tour? Saturday night I'm at the back of the floor, Sunday night I'm side-stage. Which will I like better? Anu

I'll be there--traveling from Tennessee for Saturday's and Sunday's shows. Do people hang out at the arena during the day to meet the band? Does Chris do the whole shake hands and sign things thang? Are there pre-parties and after-parties?

Thanks so much for the prompt reviews!! I read somewhere--now I can't remember where, so someone here might know the exact reference--that the band obsesses over fan reviews and the four all really care what "we" think. So, perhaps the group will begin to see us as a serious group of fans who travel to see them, spend serious chunks of change on the show, and hope, really hope, to see the setlist jazzed and jolted and jumbled in such a fashion as to make each night new. I don't want to end up saying "August was better than March" and "Outside was better than inside" . . .or "they were better before they got so popular," so here's hoping they hear and heed, or if it is the same set that it blows the roof off the places!!! Anu

If you have tickets for this leg, please help us who are eager in anticipation by posting your reviews and setlists. We want to know what they play, what they do, how they interact with an arena crowd, what Chris says between songs, and so on . . . Two months til my shows!!! Anu

I thought it was incredible when I saw them in Nashville--the goosebumps reference applies--but I wonder why they picked it? The five percenters are a radical sect of the Nation of Islam--the group of Elijhah Muhammed, Malcolm X (only for awhile), and Louis Farrakhan. Why do Coldplay choose that black power vibe to begin the show? Read more about five percenters here: http:// http://www.apologeticsindex.org/f14.html Anu

Steve, Glad to see I'm not the only over 35 person on these boards! I can't imagine they won't use screens and other elements of major visual production for an arena show. I almost decided to go to Louisville, since I'm in Tennessee. Instead, I'll be in New Jersey and New York in March. When we saw Coldplay this past summer at Starwood in Nashville, there might have been as many people as an arena show; my stepson had lawn, and he thought it was great from there. I think they used screens at that show. On U2 tour, I had as much fun at my nosebleed show as at my sidestage show.

For the price and the band's graduation to arena status, it's not too much to expect a longer set. But with an 8pm local time on the tickets, and the likes of Ashcroft and Apple opening, it won't be too long. And setlist changes will be subtle. I'll be happy with "A Message." So happy.

Looks like I'm going to be on the floor in New Jersey--about half way (or a little more) back. I have a sidestage lower the next night, so I can compare the views. Is this Coldplay's first real "arena" tour? How will the band adjust to the bigger places? Anu

I've been off the boards for awhile, so forgive me if this has already been discussed. Are the Floor Seats all reserved for this coming US tour? How good will a show be from the middle to back of the floor in an arena? thanks!!

I'll be there for my first Coldplay show and am anxiously awaiting for some details on last night's St. Louis show to see how Martin's voice held up. And have been listening to al 3 Coldplay records in steady rotation for weeks in eager anticipation. Anu