Concert Review: ColdPlay - Auckland - 13th November 2024

Presented By Live Nation

SEE THE FULL GALLERY OF IMAGES BY TOM GRUT HERE

REVIEW BY SARAH KIDD

Artist: COLDPLAY

Date: WEDNESDAY 13th NOVEMBER 2024

Venue: EDEN PARK, AUCKLAND NZL

There aren’t many bands around now days who could sell out three nights at Tāmaki Makaurau’s Eden Park, and even less who can claim to still be touring with the same members they started with when they signed with their first record label – Parlophone – in 1999. But Coldplay are one of them. And one of the biggest.

Love them or hate them (Coldplay weirdly taking on the tar and feather brush of Nickelback and U2 and loathed just merely for existing), Coldplay are a juggernaut of the music industry. Many New Zealand fans last night were there when they played their first set in Auckland, in the middle of the day at the 2001 Big Day Out (if you don’t count the not-so-secret preview show the night before at Galatos that is) and most would agree, the band has come an awful long way since then.

Ten albums later, Coldplay are currently traversing the world on their biggest escapade yet (two hundred and twenty-two shows over three years to be exact); the ‘Music of the Spheres’ world tour producing performances that are completely enrapturing fans old and new, and it is easy to see why. Fireworks, confetti, alien headpieces and a dancing security guard to name just a few highlights, would all culminate in a fully immersive experience that would not soon be forgotten.

A powerful pōwhiri opened proceedings, before a short film showcasing the incredible lengths that the band have gone to ensure that this tour is as sustainable as possible was played.

As the nostalgically heartwarming John Williams ‘Flying Theme’ (from the Spielberg classic E.T) filled the stadium Chris Martin and co, made their way to the stage, thunderous applause welcoming them as the spherical screens sprung to life around them.

The biodegradable wristbands issued to every audience member (along with their ‘Moon Goggles’ aka 3D Glasses that would later turn all the lights to love hearts when viewed through them) lit up right on que, their full effect not being able to be deeply appreciated until later in the evening when darkness fully enveloped the stadium within her velvet lined cloak.

Opening track ‘Higher Power’ was rather apt considering where Coldplay are in the terms of their career. Their last few albums have all nodded towards dreams and celestial bodies, from moons to galaxies; and who is to say that isn’t where those of higher power reside?

If they do the members of Coldplay are certainly going to ensure that this planet will be harmed as little as possible during the tour – take one look at their website (or download the app!) and it is all laid out. From energy generating stationary bikes and kinetic dance floors in the GA section (which harnesses and uses the energy of the fans attending) through to biodegradable confetti and the avoidance of fossil fuels where possible.

And before the ‘nay-sayers’ can thumb their noses, Coldplay are well aware that despite these measures and more besides, the tour will still have “a significant carbon footprint,” however a tree will be planted for every ticket sold. And this is on top of the 10% of their general profits overall that fund numerous charities.

Moving into ‘Adventure of a Lifetime’ felt like running headfirst into a technicolour dreamland, the sheer overwhelming joy of both the song and the visuals as the wristbands flashed, attendees danced, and multicoloured inflatable orbs exploded from the ground and were immediately volleyed around by ecstatic fans would have warmed even the hardest of hearts. Everyone in the stands was on their feet and it only seemed to propel Coldplay more.

‘Paradise’ was a nice follow up, Martin taking the first of many opportunities to interact with the fans, but it was ‘The Scientist’ from one of easily their best albums - 2002’s A Rush of Blood to the Head - that had many of the older fans salivating. Lyrically endearing it also showcased what the quartet can do instrumentally as a band when stripped back of all the bells and whistles; Martin beginning the track on the piano as Jonny Buckland came in with the iconic guitar riff; Guy Berryman on bass, and Will Champion on drums, sliding into place beautifully, the song swelling in power before fading out, the screens playing it back in reverse in homage to the magnificent music video where Martin spent a month learning the song backwards along with phonetic movements to make it look like he was singing the words.

Splitting the show into three acts, ‘The Scientist’ brought Act I (Planets) to a close, the band quickly reappearing on a smaller stage at the end of the catwalk for an energetic version of ‘Viva la Vida’ - which saw Champion use nothing more than two floor toms and a cast iron bell for the percussion section - before ‘Hymn for a Weekend’ with the instantly recognisable Beyoncé vocal intro had the fans once again dancing as if their life depended on it, an animated Martin stumbling along the stage as he sang the line “I oh I, oh I, got me feeling drunk and high”.

Allowing Buckland, Berrryman and Champion a quick break, Martin settled down behind the keyboard for ‘Up&Up’ but not before spending some time reading out fans signs that they were frantically waving around the B-stage. His genuine mirth at some of them enchanting the audience. Inviting a couple on stage to join him he seemed delighted when he discovered they were from Mexico, speaking to them in Spanish by which they were just as enamored.

Back on the main stage and it was once again a return to older material with the brooding ‘God Put a Smile Upon Your Face’ executed brilliantly, the track packing a punch in all the right places, Champion’s backing vocals providing additional body to an already phenomenal rendition. And then it was back to where it all began, the year 2000 and their debut album Parachutes, the stadium turning into a glistening valley of sunflowers as the wristbands glowed golden yellow and a giant disco ball lazily spun behind the stage.

Many in the audience would have been transported back to that midafternoon slot at the Big Day Out, and Coldplay’s debut Aotearoa performance; the entire audience singing with gusto, Buckland letting loose on guitar as Martin hit the falsettos with ease. It is not easy to have fifty thousand people eating out of the palm of your hand, but Coldplay were clearly demonstrating how to do it, Act II (Moons) closing with the rather lovely ballad ‘ALL OF MY LOVE’ from their recently released album Moon Music. It is a track that is destined to be played at weddings for years to come; sweet without being saccharine, a track that could have easily been written in the eighties along with some of the greatest love ballads. In other words, a classic.

Act III (Stars) and Martin suddenly appeared to have stumbled into an episode of Sesame Street, as he sang ‘Human Heart’ with a puppet, the song itself meaningful in its message. The momentary stillness it brought quickly swept away by the gargantuan ‘People of the Pride’, the screens displaying animations of space battles as the rocky chorus (which any Muse fan would have cocked their head sideways at as it sounded deceptively like a hybrid of ‘Uprising’ and ‘Will of the People’) rippled across the crowd like a shockwave. Martin proudly waving and then wrapping himself in a progressive pride flag for all to see.

The beloved ‘Clocks’ once again had people joined in harmony, before ‘WE PRAY’ featuring Shone, a Zimbabwean singer songwriter (seen earlier as a support act) and a gorgeous local troupe of Pasifika vocalists stole the show, Martin even stopping the song and asking them to sing the chorus again because he was so blown away by it. It was also a touching nod to the culture of Aotearoa, which is not just Māori but Pasifika too.

‘Something Just Like This’ Coldplay’s collab with The Chainsmokers justifiably blew up, one of those tracks that whether you adored or despised it when it was released back in 2017 was guaranteed to be an earworm; tonight it was just another joyful track to dance to with any distaste thrown to the wayside in the spirit of enjoyment.

‘A Sky Full of Stars’ saw Martin request that all phones be put away, that everyone just live in the moment, and live they did; angelic white lights twinkling on everyone’s wrists as confetti cannons (one of several throughout the night) filled the air with white paper stars bringing Act III to a close.

Act IV (Home) began with the smooth baritone voice of Louis Armstrong’s intro speech to ‘What a Wonderful World’, which allowed the British foursome time to travel to the back of the general admission section and reassemble on the C-Stage, giving those at the back of the venue a chance to see their idols up close and personal. ‘The Jumbotron Song’ allowing Chris Martin to demonstrate just how quick he is at ad-libbing; the camera panning the audience and settling on someone it finds interesting, Martin quickly making up a little verse about them. It is deceptively clever as there is no way to pre-programme this and everyone was absolutely enthralled by it. English humor at its best.

Quickly coming into the home straight and ‘Fix You’ lovingly cradled the audience within its melodies; lyrically modest, it is a song that elicits varied emotions for many; tears flowed openly, couples and friends held each other, and everyone sang with pure abandon. This, this moment right here is what live music is truly about and why Coldplay sells out shows time and time again. It is the ability, with one simple song, to bring thousands of people together in a moment. And it is truly breathtaking.

‘GOOD FEELINGS’ featuring Ayra Starr – a Nigerian singer-songwriter who also shined earlier in the evening along with Emmanuel Kelly from Iraq (whose backstory is one of true survival) led into closing track ‘feelslikeimfallinginlove’, again from their latest album. Confetti cannons filled with coloured butterflies and fireworks bringing the extraordinary night to a close, fireworks punctuating the air as Coldplay took a bow and left the stage, the words ‘Believe in Love’ emblazoned across the screen and the stands courtesy of the wristbands.

In an age where so many countries are in turmoil, and social media often breeds negativity, Coldplay bring forth a show that speaks in the colours of positivity, love and unity, one only has to experience it for themselves to realise that regardless of what you may think of their music, it is a message that these four gentleman genuinely believe in, and one they wish to share the best way they know how.

Coldplay also perform on Friday 15 and Saturday 16 November – both shows are sold out.

SETLIST

Higher Power

Adventure of a Lifetime

Paradise

The Scientist

Viva la Vida

Hymn for the Weekend

Up&Up

God Put a Smile Upon Your Face

Yellow

ALL MY LOVE

Human Heart

People of the Pride

Clocks

WE PRAY

Infinity Sign

Something Just Like This

My Universe

A Sky Full of Stars

Sparks

The Jumbotron Song

Fix You

GOOD FEELINGS

Feelslikeimfallinginlove

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