TTV06

Let me start off by saying that this is my first post and I'm glad to contribute to the forum of Coldplay fans who share a passion for the music and love the band has. I wanted to share my review of their concert in Dallas because since that concert ended, I haven't stopped smiling on the inside about how amazing the whole experience was. I felt I should share my experience since I'm recently been studying for the CPA exam. If you don't know what the CPA exam is, imagine the longest test you ever took, now take subjects like the Tax Code and other accounting junk and make it the subject of the test. Needless to say, studying for it can be like watching paint dry. I answer 100's of multiple choice questions in studying for it and find myself watching clips and videos from old Coldplay shows because they remind me of one of the greatest feelings I've ever felt before; the Coldplay concert in Dallas on June 23rd. This week especially, I've been listening to more and more Coldplay. I stay up very late studying and get up early for work, and the other night I stayed up an extra 2 hours till 4 in the morning because I watched the entire Howard Stern interview of Chris. I highly recommend it. Now the concert... I had read about the homemade shirts fans wear to the shows, but being an accountant with little to know creativity I opted out of the custom t-shirt contest. I did however, make the mistake of showing up early enough to be forced to endure Robyn's entire set. I noticed that the top level of seats fills up the fastest. I admire those of you who watch from such heights. I also see why that's where the show's crew pulls people from to upgrade to the front rows. We saw a family get led down thru our section by a guy wearing a pretty official looking tag and seated in the front by the stage. I wondered what type of crowd Dallas would show up with. Dallas is probably one of the most stereotyped cities in America. If you got to a sporting event these days, leave the jersey at home and find your hottest outfit. I had really hoped the Coldplay crowd would be one ready to jam their asses off. Robyn answered 99% of the audience's prayers (there were two girls in the top corner of the lower level who were jamming out to Robyn) and finally exited stage left (or is right? I don't know, I'm an accountant...). When Jay-Z's 99 problems came on I knew that we were in for a show. The Show When the Xylobands lit up and the AAC became a wide spectrum of color and light I could feel the crowd's energy levels increase. After Hurts Like Heaven, I fell in love with a new song. I have been listening to Coldplay ever since they released "Yellow". I have never bought a poster, but I've purchased every album and find their music, more than any other band, gives me a deeper connection to the lyrics, rhythm, and message of each song. My new love became "In My Place". It has everything I want in a song. A great guitar rift, lyrics I can get behind, and a part of the song where you get to scream. How can you beat that? Hearing The Scientist in person is pretty epic. The Willie Nelson cover had gotten a lot of plays on my iPhone lately, but hasn't seen the play button since. And now I will give you an ultimatum: IF YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN TO A COLDPLAY SHOW BEFORE THEN SAVE YOUR MONEY AND BUY YOURSELF A TICKET TO THE NEAREST SHOW THAT YOU CAN AFFORD TO GET TO. WHEN YOU HEAR THEM SING "YELLOW" LIVE YOU WILL NEVER LOOK AT THE NIGHT SKY AND THE STARS IN IT THE SAME WAY. off soap box... Fact: Seeing a concert with your wife surrounded by 18,000 screaming people wearing bracelets with flashing neon lights is a lot more romantic than you would think. "Up In Flames" was evidence of how well structured their set list was. I never felt like they were rushing the show or that each song wasn't in there for a purpose. Obviously they played more from their current album, but I found myself with a bigger smile after each song. *SIDENOTE: One Direction was also playing a concert in Dallas that night and I feel like Coldplay should have a bus painted in the MX graffiti style to pick up guys who get dragged to concerts like that when Coldplay is in town. I challenge all of you to find three songs as fun and exciting as Viva La Vida, Charlie Brown, and Paradise. The Xylobands on all three of these songs make the iPhone video I snapped of each of them a permanent member of my video collection. If I lose my job tomorrow, the first job I'd apply for is Xyloband light show coordinator. The lights and the bracelets completely immerse your mind in the show. You feel the rhythm of the show AND see the rhythm of songs with the bracelets. When Chris told us we were going to jump during Charlie Brown I looked down at my feet and smiled. I normally wear flip flops during the summer... tonight I had worn my Nikes. Needless to say, I jumped. And sang. And screamed. And clapped. And cheered. And I heard many people around me say how their view of Coldplay had completely changed halfway through the show. Standing on Seats For UATW and Speed of Sound I got an up close view of the band who I view as a group of shy, funny, but mostly just music-loving guys who want to give audiences the best show each and every night. Chris remarked on how great of an audience we were, and that we we're making this one of the best concerts he'd played. I sure hope he enjoyed it, because I did! He decided to come out one section over and five rows up from us. Chaos ensues. If you ever want to pickpocket someone, do it when they're distracted by there favorite band being 20 ft. away from them. What came across most then was how selfless they are about their music. None of them claim to be the best at what they do, they just know that if the fans are happy and pleased then they have achieved the goals. The show wrapped up with Fix You and ETIAW. Fix You has special place in my life and I'll tell you why since if you've read this far you probably enjoy my ramblings. I started dating my wife when I was 16 (8 years ago). I used to drive an old minivan that had a tape deck with an ipod adapter coming out of it. To get to my girlfriend's (now wife) house I would have to go down a large hill and then back up the hill. As a new driver, hills meant you could go fast and enjoy the thrill of speed. I used to stop at the top of the hill, turn on Fix You, and then wait for the climax of the song before I sped along my way to see my Lady Friend. In college before tests I would listen to it outside the classroom and envision myself channelling the passion Coldplay has for their music into my studies. I feel like everyone in the world should have a similar connection to some sort of music. When Coldplay wrapped up with ETIAW you could tell that this show was different. There were no crazy technical issues to distract from the task at hand : entertain and enlighten the audience. For Coldplay, it felt like mission accomplished. For 2 hours, Coldplay had turned the most macho of men (and Dallas has a lot) into a lover of Coldplay. For me, I will never forget holding my wife's hand and putting our Xylobands together to frame our view of the stage as we sing Paradise together. This was the best concert I have ever been too. If you have the chance to go, GO! I know I probably just set the record for longest first post ever, but that's what happens when you go and see a band play and then 1.5 months later you haven't even so much as turned on any other music but Coldplay. Thanks for reading, TTV

While I'm hardly country, I am from Texas, and I am new to the coldplaying forums. I'm looking forward to sharing in the excitement and joy that Coldplay brings the world!