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It was a great show. The light show especially is much better than the last tour. Question though. Have they been using the lasers for this tour? Chris said he hoped we enjoyed the show but it wasn’t what he wanted. He said if it was up to him he would have tons of lasers and exploding ... girls. He also said he had a shitty day in San Diego and it was nice to come out at the end of the day and play. He even ‘worked’ the lawn section saying he knew there was a 'different party going on back there'! SD Union Tribune ... By Nina Garin UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER August 29, 2005 Here's how to tell if the moody British rock group, Coldplay, is on its way toward becoming the biggest band on the planet: DAVID BROOKS / Union-Tribune Chris Martin (pictured) and the lads of Coldplay sold out the Coors Amphitheatre Friday, but is that enough to make them the next big, but really big, thing? A. Its songs instantly sound familiar even though you may have heard something like the haunting "Speed of Sound" only once or twice. B. The melancholy music appeals to shaggy-haired teens, their Explorer-driving parents and everyone in between. C. At least one of the band members (Chris Martin) champions political causes (free-trade). D. The band sells millions of records. In the 12 weeks since the release of Coldplay's latest album, "X&Y," it's already gone platinum twice (that's 2 million). Yes, it seems that the four blokes in Coldplay – front man Martin, guitarist Jon Buckland, drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman – have what it takes to conquer the world. But as Friday night's sold-out concert at Chula Vista's Coors Amphitheatre proved, the only thing stopping the guys from total domination is their polite live show. Unlike U2 or even Radiohead, bands that make you feel that their concerts are the most exhilarating musical experience of your life, Coldplay instead plays it sweet and nice. The quartet – dressed in a uniform of all-black outfits – gave its show plenty of artsy touches, such as projecting giant images of digital clocks or infusing dreamy strobe lights to complement its quiet songs. But for the most part, the 19-song set that began with the beat-heavy "Square One," was more about the genuineness of the music than crowd-pleasing arena antics. It makes sense if you think about it. Coldplay is so universal because its music is safe and courteous. The songs are never too weird or too loud or too political. Who hasn't felt love or heartache? The band's pretty songs such as "In My Place" or "The Scientist," manage to sum up the best or worst day of your life into catchy four-minute packages. Unfortunately, on a big stage, things like good manners and sincerity aren't easy to reproduce. Still, Martin tried. When he wasn't playing guitar or sitting behind a piano, the charming front man (who is also Gwyneth Paltrow's husband) chatted up the audience of 20,000 as if they were all his old friends. He joked to the large crowd far up on the lawn seats that the reason he looked so small wasn't the distance between them, but because he was really 3 feet tall. There were other sweet moments, like releasing giant, yellow balloons throughout the amphitheater while the band performed its early hit, "Yellow." But at crucial times, such as during "Speed of Sound," the intimate feel of that song came off as muddy and cold in such a big venue. Adding to the problem was that for a good half hour, between "Low" and "The Scientist," there wasn't much spark between Coldplay and its audience. Martin even said the band was having a bad day and they would feel much better if the crowd sang along with them – a moment that pretty much sums up what Coldplay is all about. It wasn't until the end of the almost two-hour show, when the band did an acoustic tribute to Johnny Cash complete with a harmonica and a cover of "Ring of Fire," that Coldplay finally revealed its potential to be a the world's next supergroup. For these last few songs, Martin ventured beyond his prim and proper persona. During "Talk," he grabbed a fan's cell phone and sang to the someone on the other end of the line. And for the arena-friendly "In My Place," the front man jumped off stage and sang the popular song from the middle of the arena. Even after the band took a group bow at the end of "Fix You," Martin lingered on stage and did a belly flop onto one of the leftover yellow balloons. It's these kinds of personal moments – the ones that are unpolished and electric – that make you feel that you're watching a band that's taking over the planet.