Lovers in NYC

"Young and feeling free" - well-said indeed :). The album conjures these words for me as well and the studio version of the video personifies this and the song well. It makes me smile...perhaps from an unexplainable sense of hope and escape that one may find in love. It does have a very 'Skins' episode vibe...the notion of highly-charged, young love, finding escape together and with each other. The song itself and video also remind me of Rihanna's 'We Found Love' and its video..similar themes. Regardless of whether it's been done already or not, I do love all the bright colours, even the underground club feel, and seeing the boys jump and play directly in and amongst the crowd - imagine if Chris ever turned up at a club with guitar in hand and did just that :stunned:?!...one can only dream :P Given (or at least I think) that MX was intended to be heard as a collective piece in its entirety rather than as individual songs, I think CB's video fits into that collective formed by the other videos from MX. It's different enough but with some common motifs that make it a member of the MX family.

I am absolutely gutted as well!! :( I'm moving back to London from NYC in Nov and woke up at 4am (US time) to try for tix on both days but failed to get any ;( I just want to echo everyone's thoughts on how utterly disgusting it is indeed!!...that scalpers are scooping them and devoted Coldplay fans have to suffer. And thanks for reminding me of how absolutely mental it is to be paying a bloody 200 to even 300 pounds!! for a ticket through sites like Getmein! I paid nearly 200 for a seat miles away from the stage at Wembley two years ago. But tried to comfort myself saying it was an extra special one..as it's the last gig of the epic Viva tour, it's in their hometown, it's an excellent support lineup etc.. I absolutely had time of my life at that gig...but not sure if I can afford all of that again this year :( I only pray that a new date is added or play once more in London soon...would love to catch them early on in their tour...while a lot of the songs still feel fresh to the boys. Thanks so much again for your sharing your stories...and for taking the time to read mine...as non extra-ordinary as it is :( I am sad but also comforted by the similar stories in this forum... Fingers-crossed for a second London gig date!

Oh ~ I hope so indeed!...I need to try again tomorrow as well :(..fingers-crossed lower tier will be available!...:worried:

I ABSOLUTELY love this tune!... and feel SO lucky that we got to hear a studio version for sure! But must admit am surprised....surprised the first studio version we hear is thru an advert, ...surprised that whoever makes decisions at Sky even picked up on this song, which has only been officially performed on telly once I believe? (at Jimmey Kimmel Live?). Perhaps one of the decision-makers at Sky is a Coldplay follower and suggested it? :P Am slightly surprised the band OK'd it too...doesn't seem like something they'd fancy doing. BUT perhaps it shows the band is evolving and trying to approach things differently with this album...perhaps not just sonically but also career-wise? And maybe Dave Holmes did have to bring them around to the idea of introducing the studio version this way and leave people wanting to hear more. But it's great that Coldplay continues to surprise us in different ways...over 10 years into their career...which is the best thing any band would want to hear I guess :P Sorry for talking any rubbish here ;P...I am very happy INDEED to have even a snippet of the studio version. Can't wait for more!

LOVE it!....Absolutely epic indeed!...had secret wish/hunch they would play MTM....SO pleased they did!...I'm just bit sad at moment that my computer/iTunes keeps freezing both a udio and video-wise :'(...so I keep only hearing choppy versions of each song :(...hoping can grab full video later :) 'Tis refreshing to see the boys play a smaller venue in their hometown :)...reminiscent of their early days :)

Took a sec (or two :P) adjusting to the choppy, stop-and-go shooting style. But LOVED the splashes of summer-y, graffiti colours popping out against the grey concrete...very fitting to the bright, uplifting nature of the song. Had a playful, artsy, animated feel...a combo of the Viva La Vida, Lovers in Japan and Strawberry Swing videos (which feels true to me for the vibe of the song in itself :))....with glowing lyrics and slow-mo shots. It's simple and stripped back yet bleeding with life and energy through all the colours.

SUCH a beautifully sad and wonderfully haunting song. Absolutely love Chris' aching low voice floating over the piano and the lingering sad undertone of both. The melody had a very Elton John meets Ozzy Osbourne's "Dreamer" vibe...in all the right ways :) The best bit was the element of surprise...I don't know what song I was expecting but I don't think it was this at all. I imagine this song being on film soundtracks...maybe a Woody Allen one ;P And yes, a lovely change indeed to hear more piano again :)...unlike the other great but more 'guitary' new songs we've heard so far.

I do fancy the live version more but the recorded one is cool in its own way too. I miss more of Jonny's guitar scratches?/riffs that we hear in the live version between verses. But I love hearing the other boys sing too!...adds a tint of colour and sprinkle of a different dimension to it all...tho, of course, I adore Chris' singing per usual :) I agree that it would've been fine or perhaps better without distorting Chris' voice...his natural one sounds absolutely great especially live. The general vibe of the song reminds me of the Parachutes era....i.e. the distortion in Chris' voice.

Blimey!...what an absolute once-in-a-lifetime experience you had indeed!: Chris in his element, in his local town, unplugged at a pub...like the early days of the band ;)..we're all speechlessly jealous! I've passed by the Bakery/Beehive a few times but have never been lucky enough to catch Chris or any of the other boys/crew ;(...but here's to hoping I get lucky one day like you :)...many cheers for sharing your story and videos!

Actually...I'm kicking myself for not asking Zane about this when I saw him today :shame:. I regretted not going to Radio1 when the boys performed Christmas Lights...so told myself to go today. I was there from the start of the interview. No sign of Chris or Will afterwards...but Zane came outside to smoke...I so wish I'd said hello :(...don't hate me ;P...but Zane is one of my fave radio hosts :). But I was too shy and bit embarrassed to be one of only two that turned up to stand in the cold rain :embarrassed:...there was a guy who was already there when I first arrived - assumed he was there for Coldplay too...but he settled for a pic with Zane instead and left afterwards. Not sure why but felt intrusive approaching Zane right after the other guy just did ;P...and my feet/fingers grew numb :P...was bloody cold and wet...so gave up :( I can be too shy for my own good...sometimes :\...need to learn to 'Don't Panic' ;P

I noticed too ;)...and when Will said it's early to speak about that...I thought he was referring to playing live gigs in general and not specifically Glastonbury? Whatever the case, they seemed to be dodging the comment ;P...but perhaps the answer was in their faces?:wiseguy: ...and maybe only Zane knows the truth? :inquisitive:

Cheers, Jimmy!...for the much-anticipated detailed review! It is a mystery indeed tho :thinking: why Chris might have had that stern look in your pics...can't imagine him recognizing you as some 'crazy fan' or whatever. I would think they can't make out the faces of fans during concerts anyhow...more just a sea of people or darkness cuz of the lights hitting their eyes. So I can't see how he might have remembered you as 'the crazy fan' from previous gigs and decidedly avoided you. But glad you belted it out anyhow and had a smashing night nonetheless :) I do feel bad for the boys tho :( that this crowd didn't given them the well-deserved crazy, warm, familiar welcoming. Even after the Homecoming song, I noticed how JayZ was telling the crowd 'that was a one-off, present for you all' type message...but it seemed the crowd clearly didn't get just "HOW mind-boggingly once-in-lifetime" it was to see all three of them do this song on stage LIVE!...so perhaps anything supposedly 'out of character' that the band or whoever seemed to show was just a reflection of this slightly odd lot that were invited to this gig? And I agree with others that probably whatever 'weirdness' in Chris's eyes or behaviour on the side stages was just his usual crazy enthusiast self...especially during Homecoming given he's on stage with two artists he REALLY REALLY admires, sure he was having a bit of a starstruck moment :P...and didn't know what to do with himself...and also felt out of control that it wasn't rehearsed. And even IF he did have a drink backstage after their gig...I reckon it was nothing more than a glass of champagne with the band or GP...I mean it is New Years Eve, no? ;)...and for people who rarely drink, even a little sip can really turn your face warm and eyes bleary ;P ( yours truly much included :laugh3:) ...so it could've been the same for Chris. Dead jealous of the great view you had!...surprising to see only about 10 real fans of Coldplay but least you got an AMAZING spot! I would have felt more intimate with the band too. I like JayZ a lot as well...I've met him for a tv show I'd worked at and he really was a very down to earth, nice guy :) And was so nice of you to offer that extra ticket out on Twitter!...I'm sure you totally made the New Year for the person who found you!

Random thought...wonder if Brandon Flowers was there?....don't know why but was under the impression that he and Chris were good friends :P...well, since Chris is a massive Killers fan..and think I remember reading they've hungout a few times as well:P...so figured he'd be invited..especially since he was there for the hotel opening, no? :P

Thanks so much for the vids/pics, Jimmy!...clearly had a brilliant night! Also, I know you said most people seemed clueless on Coldplay...d'you think the boys noticed/felt that as well? :(...wondering whether it affected the general vibe from song to song...and especially Chris?...I know he always wants to please the crowd in every way possible :P...wondering if he looked/acted bit different as a result?... And did you ever figure out why Chris seemed to turn around each time your friend tried to take a picture?..you said 'something was definitely up' about Chris's eyes...perhaps he was bit under the weather? ;(...just curious ;P And how did you indeed get to be so lucky and attend this gig?....sorry to be nosey...we're all just massively jealous...do tell ;P Thank you again! Soo

THANK YOU!! xx....absolutely love Chris in this stripped back, unplugged setting :D

Aw~ thanks for the lovely Coldplay-karma wishes and a very happy Christmas to you too :D...and yes, think you may be right...we never can be too old to be a Coldplay-fangirl ;)...I'll probably be pining over them ten years from now as well :laugh3:

Oops...I just realised it was another Dan who uploaded the mp3 :P...but major major thanks to huds601!!

Aw ~ thanks SO much, for reading and for your warmest commiserations on me being pushed back :D..haha...I was kicking myself in the head for a bit as well :P...that I couldn't bear the cold and didn't make it back earlier but I certainly can't complain...I still feel SO very lucky to have been part of it and just to be in that tiny room with them was absolutely incredible :o And thank you SO very much, btw, for uploading that mp3 of the studio recording....really does allow you to re-live the event which is permanently etched in our minds I imagine. Very smooth of you to record so discreetly ;)...and triple thanks for sharing your work with all of us to enjoy! :hug:

Aw...you're SO very welcome, fru.overvad! Thank YOU for reading and enjoying my review...your lovely appreciation is so heartwarming :) I am totally jealous of Piggy as well!...that will go down her Chris Martin interaction history :D I've said this before too but I feel like my luck certainly for this year and probably the next have been all used up this month...first with the boat trip and then the TOTP gig!...I'm bit paranoid that my luck ends here :embarrassed: BUT am ever grateful and still in disbelief at the past two weeks...and fingers-crossed for BOTH of us that we may have at least a personal encounter with Chris one day soon :smug: And yes, I miss them already...they certainly do bring out the 'fangirly side' as you say, in me as well...which I probably am too old for at my late twenties :P

2010 TOTP recording review It has been two days already since the best day ever of my life with Coldplay :)...but I am still buzzing, as I'm sure all of you probably are, and wanted to absolutely agree with everyone on what an amazing, legendary day it was indeed! I must say well-done to everyone for braving the unforgiving cold weather outside! Sounds crazy but I actually was the first to arrive at 5.30am...having learned a lesson from the last time I attempted to make it to a free Coldplay gig in NYC when they were performing at the Today Show. I arrived for that concert at 4am and the queue was circling around the entire city block at that hour!...so I thought I'd make the extra effort this time around and arrive super-early...also because I knew I wouldn't be able to see any of the band/stage unless I was at the front of the crowd at the TOTP studio given I'm quite a short little lady :P But sadly I got pushed back to number 59 ;(...as I had gone to the nearest open cafe I could find due to the excruciatingly cold weather...at that hour, you literally couldn't stand for more than a mere few minutes outside without losing all sensation in your extremities. This tiny cafe didn't have any heating but was the best I could do at this time to try and feel my toes again ;P And I had to wait for Westfield to open to use the restroom...so by the time I made my way back to the Beeb, the queue had already long been forming ;( But all of it was absolutely well worth the wait!...I was quite close to the stage but needed to stretch and stand as tall as I could when we got inside the studio ;P...to see the boys. I still simply cannot believe that we were in SUCH an intimate setting...with Chris, Jonny, Will, Guy, Phil...all just standing right there on the side,...within a mere few feet from us ready to get on the stage! All of them looked absolutely dapper in their smart, grey and black suit attire from the video. The vintage stage setting with the pretty lanterns and christmasy lights strung across the top of the stage and that purplish-vintage piano, and mustn't forget the three Elvises :)...all carried the vibe of the video set. It was SO nice to hear Chris say that it's great to play in front of people again as they've been stuck in the studio for so long they forget that there are people out there...perhaps they've missed us just as much as we've all missed hearing and seeing them as well! They seemed quite jolly...I didn't really get to see Guy and Will at they were out of my line of sight but Jonny was certainly his very warm shy smiley self and Chris gave us his usual clever, charmingly funny remarks and even flashed a jokingly posey and devilishly handsome smile at I think someone trying to take a picture from the crowd I assumed from my view...at which point everyone, even the boys in the crowd, went a bit crazy...seeing this not-so-usual cute side of Chris :P Then the lovely Miss Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates came on stage to do their link bit of the show and asked the band their thoughts on this year's X-factor. When Chris said the band all thought Gamu was brilliant, there was a funny bit of silence from the crowd ;P. Then Chris remarked: "Look at that, I killed it [the vibe] with that comment. Ok fine then...its 'One Direction' (he said reluctantly with slight roll of his eyes ;P) But Guy did say Rebecca was pretty great which the crowd seemed to agree with. When the song recording got started, hearing Chris sing live and get the crowd going was brilliant. When he heard us practice our 'woa~uh-oh' bit of the song,...he said: 'That was f***ing lovely' And loved it each time we did it during the recording as well. He even adoringly said we were doing a second take of the recording because we the crowd were "too good" and making the band look bad :P But singing the song with the band and the intimate crowd of 300 in this tiny room was simply incredible. I really think nothing pleases and flatters certainly Chris and the rest of the band more than a big sing along from the fans,...who knew all of the lyrics already as well! I even heard some harmonising from people who were behind me..so well-done indeed :) After three or four takes, it was sad indeed to see the boys leave the stage so soon of course...and all of us couldn't keep our eyes off of them as they stepped off and walked just past the crowd and those lucky sideliner fans who got a last handshake or smile or two or maybe more ;P before the band completely disappeared from our sight. Will was kind enough to throw his drumsticks to the crowd, well-done to the one who got it at the front...we're all jealous! I'm even more jealous of the person who got Chris' flower apparently...which I didn't actually witness...but whoever you are, lucky lucky you indeed! :) I was so mesmerised by the whole experience...believing this was the only time I would probably ever be this close to the band ever again and will carry this memory forever...but fingers-crossed I'll get to have an upclose encounter someday in the future and tell them how inspirational they are in so many ways to so many people. I love living in London because of Coldplay...sharing the same environment and witnessing the same influences around us that shape who they are. I was so honoured to have been a part of the legendary TOTP show which I'd heard about even when I was in America and seen Coldplay perform on it in previous episodes. It was so great to be inside the legendary BBC television centre as well...and to have stepped foot also outside where Coldplay did their outdoor Viva concert in 2008 (I think it was) as well!...so many lovely associations with this place and this one will probably top them all. Our biggest and warmest cheers to Chris, Guy, Jonny, Will and TOTP for giving us this unforgettable experience...the best Christmas gift ever! We are all absolutely so very excited and eager to see you guys again very soon!! **For those of you still in the room,...cheers for patiently reading my long-winded review til its end :( xx Soo

Yea~,,I actually was waited a moment after the last note of LIT2, anticipating he'd give some final words but he didn't ;(...and just gave the usual quick goodbye and went straight to the huddle with Phil and the others...which was SO cute and lovey ;P Maybe he just didn't think people were too interested...like this night being the last one was really only a big deal to the band (**nothing could be farther from the truth!)..and so maybe at that moment, he only had eyes for the people who share that importance (the band members :)...and the others just faded out... I was surprised tho that there were people leaving even before they came back onstage for the encore...I was thinking 'OMG...are these people insane!...we won't be seeing the band for awhile after the next few minutes...and they're leaving?!'...hehe. But Chris especially certainly did look very tired...even from the start of the concert - ready to give it his final go but really having to push...I think they are so ready to disappear for a little...but also itching to play something new. Nonetheless...they've got one of the best jobs in the world...I'm so jealous... -Soo-

The re"View from Top" Hello everyone~...so as many of you did as well indeed, I got to bed very late night for obvious concert-high reasons ;P and also got up very early this morning for reasons alike as if I were waking up from a dream, which last night felt like for sure. I hope I can remember everything from this particular dream before any bit of it slips away. I’ve waited SO long and endured many miles to make it to Wembley and write this review, my first but one of Coldplaying’s last reviews for their concert threads, so I was very eager to get inside. I turned to be the first person to take a seat in my section as the usher had so kindly noted to me  And I looked forward to giving a not-as-common re-“view from the top” specifically section 510 – way at the back of the stadium…or as Chris put it last night “People in another time zone” :P I know a lot of the reviews for concerts (or at least it seems to me :P) are of people at the floor level (which I imagine is an incredible experience! – being among the energy of so many in such close proximity to the band and being able to see what goes on with them on the side stage). But I was SO pleasantly surprised and just as energized from my, as you’d say in America, “nosebleed section”…which was ever so slightly to the right of center but gave an excellent overview of the massive stagework. I think someone in one of the other threads from Friday’s show mentioned something about bad sound in the back of Wembley but I couldn’t disagree more. Maybe I’m not a sound expert so don’t notice the difference but it sounded great last night to me–so dear future Wembley concert-goers, no need to shy away from the back section, for sound travels and travel well it did indeed  Oh and having my binoculars handy made it an even MORE lovely experience…enable me to get close-ups through the big-screens, which don’t seem that huge from my back but are intensely magnified marvelously with the binoculars  But in general, as corny as it sounds, I think everyone felt intimate with the band even if you were miles away. I actually didn’t realize how far it was until Chris said he couldn’t hear the screaming response to his shout-out to those way in the back of the top. The concert I went to before this one was in a smaller venue but last night felt far more intimate than that place…perhaps because of the emotions attached to this particular concert being the final one :P As I sat down and panned the stadium, you could feel the anticipation in the air. The backdrop music ironically sounded like something you’d hear at the end of a movie when the credits start to roll…at least it felt that way to me :P But perhaps putting such music on at the start of the concert symbolized the beginning of the” end”...the end of this particular chapter for Coldplay and its family of fans. Soon enough, the White Lies took the stage at about twenty past 5. It was my first time hearing them live and I must say they deserve all the credit…hearing bands just from their studio albums really doesn’t do justice….there is a lot lost I believe. All of Coldplay’s critics just haven’t witnessed the magic of their live sound. So perhaps the White Lies are a budding “Coldplay” type band – in terms of the very humble, self-deprecating posture they seemed to carry during their set. But they sounded amazing and I certainly checked out their music when I got home. I think I agree that the sound system wasn’t the best for the music of Girls Aloud. I’m not too keen on the all-girl pop group types..but I appreciated their enthusiasm , love for and pride in what they do which is what Coldplay are about and what they probably like about Girls Aloud as well enough to invite them to open. But Jay-Z certainly brought the house down for me…definitely did his job of warming up the crowd for Coldplay as he said. He is an extraordinary talent and I felt honored to hear him live for the first time…and felt an extra bond with him being originally from NY myself and as images of the NYC night sky line appeared in the backdrop of his song ‘Empire State of Mind’. I think Coldplay always try to bring an eclectic musical mix on board the concert thru the different-genres of the opening acts…creating a music “festival-esque” setting…giving people a bigger bang for their pound I’d say  Finally came the last intermission between acts and that familiar final classical piece just before the boys’ silhouettes appeared to the sound of ‘Life in Technicolor’ holding their sparkling lights. It was immediately followed by the roaring sounds of ‘Violet Hill’ and ‘Clocks’ and the anthemic feel of ‘In My Place’ and of course “Yellow”. I must say I looked forward to seeing how Chris interacts with his fellow Londoners in his hometown and he certainly showed a special bond...making an especially special reference to the British show “The X-Factor”. Simon Cowell’s classic most deprecating and high-praise remarks from the show were used to judge the singing of the crowd for ‘Yellow’…which in general I think is what Chris loves the most – just having a big sing-along ;) Every song seemed to a carry an extra stretch perhaps cuz the boys knew that it was the last time they would be playing that particular song for awhile after last night. Every single song took my heart but the ones that stood out to everyone seemed were all of the usual suspects – ‘Viva La Vida’ and the incredible sing-along and n’sync hand wave movement of the crowd on the floor. Right before the song, it was cute how Chris jumbled part of a line in ‘The Hardest Part’ and gloriously admitted to it, singing about it right in the song with the lyrics changed to something like ’Oh I tried to sing but kept messing up on everything…that was the hardest part~…” Lost featured JayZ and as always, was incredible to witness the collaboration of two different ends of the musical spectrum. When the boys made their way to the tiny stage among the crowd for their usual acoustic set (sans Simon Pegg this time), it was refreshing to hear ‘Trouble’ after the few years of its absence. The beautiful mobile phone Mexican wave led us into the Billie Jean cover..which was awesome~..really got the crowd singing…bringing the memory of the greatness that is Michael Jackson. And oh how I LOVE the butterfly rain in ‘Lovers in Japan’…that song always leaves my heart feeling so smiley and dreamy  After the boys left the stage on a high from “Death and All His Friends”…they changed outfits and returned for the beautifully sad “The Scientist” and one of my very mega-favorites ‘Life in Technicolor II”. When the last note was played to end the song, I was in bit of disbelief that this was officially over. I’d expected more words from Chris as well for this grand finale but he gave his usual, ever-so grateful and humble outro and met instead with the rest of his band. Perhaps it hadn’t hit the band yet as well, that this was really the end. It is the end of era …the ‘Viva’ era of Coldplay, an emotionally extraordinary moment for all of us as summed up by the final heartfelt ‘post-concert’ huddle of Chris, Jonny, Guy, Will AND Phil on stage…and those devoted fans who stayed behind to witness it. Even in the midst of the massive tube mess, particulary Wembley Park station, the spirit of the Viva tour was felt as the huge crowd waiting to be allowed to get onto the station platform started singing the ”Ooh-Ooh-ah- oh-oh” chant from ‘Viva la Vida’ while they waited - I think the band, and Chris especially, would’ve been so proud to hear the echoes of the chanting in the distance…I believe they always will...until the next tour ;) **sorry for the mega long review here..but thank you for your patient eyes/ears -Soo-

Hi everyone...can count me in for Russell park...looking forward to it :)...any specific spot I should head towards within Russell Square Park?...just wondering how I'll be able to spot you all :). -Soo-

Anyone know what time we're meeting and where in Russell Park?...how would we find each other?...I actually haven't met any Coldplayers in person...but would love to connect,..now that I'm here :) Any thoughts would be much appreciated! :D -Soo