Coldplay

Over 27 years ago, a little unknown band named ‘Starfish’ announced themselves onto the UK music scene, playing their first ever gig at The Laurel Tree in Camden. 10 albums, tens of millions of copies sold and countless broken records later, here they were reaching a milestone many deemed untouchable:  playing ten shows at the home of English football, Wembley Stadium. Over 800,000 people have gathered to see four men who met at University College London, but have since taken over the world. And even a quarter of a century later, they are continuing to get bigger than ever. Coldplay’s impact on music, whether you like them or not, is irrefutable, with this historic run of shows further cementing their status as one of the all-time great bands.

Although they have been on their record-breaking Music of the Spheres tour now for over 3 years while breaking the all time attendance record for a tour, the large majority of people I spoke to said this was their first time seeing the band. A few even told me it was their first ever concert, but as soon as Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland stepped on the stage, it was clear to see why there has been such high demand to see them live. As the opening instrumental, titled “Music of the Spheres”, blasts across the Wembley tannoys, Chris almost orchestrates the flashing of Xylobands, the light-up wristbands that have been a mainstay on Coldplay’s tours since 2012. As fireworks and confetti rise into the night sky at the beginning of “Higher Power”, an out-of-this-world journey is about to begin. Everywhere you look, it seems the band is throwing something new at you: large balloons during Adventure of a Lifetime, lasers displaying projections on the stadium roof, a large mirrorball emerging from behind the stage shining through. It certainly isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but there’s no denying that the band have put their money’s worth into making their live experience more than just a concert. 

Thankfully, even amongst all the theatrics, there is something that really shines through their music. Yes, they have one of the most impressive catalogues of music across their career that even Coldplay haters know the words to, but they still find unique ways to make it shine in a live setting. During “Viva La Vida”, their first ever number 1 song in both the US and UK, drummer Will Champion echoes out a series of “oh-oh-oh-oh’s” throughout the song, even doing it a capella with the crowd at the outro. Hearing 80,000 people all singing in unison almost takes your breath away and really helped add to the moment. As a self-confessed Coldplay superfan who went to multiple of their UK shows, I was questioned as to why I’d listen to the same songs each night. However, the band have paid homage to their illustrious career during this Wembley residency by dedicating each night to an album and playing a selection of songs. As this was their third show, they played a selection of songs from their 2005 classic X&Y, an album the band don’t look back on too fondly. Nevertheless, hearing songs that very rarely see the light of day, such as “The Hardest Part” and the Brit-award winning “Speed of Sound”, was a joy in itself.

A huge part of Coldplay’s tour has been its emphasis on both sustainability and inclusivity. Initiatives have included powering the show using rechargeable batteries, planting one tree for every ticket sold and funding various climate action organisations across the world. A Coldplay show has also been made a welcoming space for anyone, with sign language interpreters and sensory packs on hand for those who need it. During “Something Just Like This”, Chris even performs the first verse using British Sign Language (BSL), a touching moment that highlights how much the group go above and beyond to make the experience special. The frontman constantly echoes a sentiment of togetherness, going as far as to stop their hit song “A Sky Full of Stars” and ask the audience to put away their phones for one song. In a day and age where concertgoers almost feel an obligation to record every big moment of every gig, it’s a refreshing reminder why we go and see live music in the first place: to feel a sense of joy, freedom and happiness. As Coldplay moved to a C-stage placed towards the back of the crowd, the more stripped-back nature gave the audience the chance to get a feel for why Coldplay are big in the first place. Their musical cohesiveness provided the opportunity for the entire band to shine in what feels like a more intimate setting, to a point where it doesn’t feel like you’re in a massive stadium. One last big encore, one last gimmick in the form of “moon goggles” that enhanced the lights already on display (it’s hard to explain without actually seeing it) and one last MASSIVE fireworks show helped cap off the night. While it feels like the band have been on tour forever, they have said they will now be taking a short break and won’t return to London at least for a “long time”. But as the band continues to innovate and redefine what a concert can truly be, a long break is fully deserved for these four guys. Who knows what other ground breaking theatrics they’ll come up with during that time!!