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Coldplay
PERHAPS the most important rule when attending a Coldplay concert is to check all cynicism which may stem your enjoyment at the door - last night a capacity M.E.N. Arena crowd were more than happy to comply with such a belief.
As, away from all the tabloid sniggering about macrobiotic diets and oddball names plumped for offspring, it's often overlooked just how passionate and single-minded Chris Martin and Co are about music - to the extent where looking hip or cool is of little concern.
Take this mission statement-esque quote from the man himself when the band burst into the British consciousness in 2000 with the shimmering single, Yellow: "Rock'n'roll is about doing what you want. It doesn't have to be about doing huge amounts of drugs or being hedonistic. It's about not caring what anyone else thinks of you.
"Rock'n'roll is about the seeking of the ultimate pleasure."
Two hours after whipping a demographic-straddling crowd into a care-free, communal frenzy last night, the obvious pleasure they reap from performing was reflected in the masses who merrily filed out of the venue repeatedly bellowing the "whoa-o-oah" refrain from the title track of their fourth LP, Viva La Vida.
This was date number 72 of a world tour, which won't reach its climax of for another nine months - yet there were no signs of fatique, from the get-go it was clear just what a labour of love it is for the quartet.
Sparklers
Dressed in their now trademark revolutionary outfits and clutching sparklers, the four-piece entered from stage left to the joyous string-ladden strains of album opener Life In Technicolor and didn't take long - despite sound issues on the melancholy Violet Hill - to hit the ground running.
The aforementioned Yellow (replete with the now de rigeur glitter-filled balloons) and In My Place sparked euphoric sing-a-longs, while Fix You rose to such a crescendo it was hard not to get carried away with the emotion of it all.
Bounded
All the while, as drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman expertly held down the rhythm, Martin bounded about the stage displaying energy levels to make Carlos Tevez or Dirk Kuyt look positively pedestrian.
Cannily, the band also patently had put a lot of thought into engaging the whole audience with a mix of arena-playing tricks both old and new - and the crowd reacted with gusto when divided into three for a cheesy, but effective 'call and response' moment, while two runways either side of the stage enabled the masses to get within touching distance of their Grammy-nominated heroes.
Acoustic moments
It was the more intimate, acoustic moments that really struck refreshing chords though, decamping first to the front of one of the runways for a vulnerably delivered The Hardest Part and then to back of the venue for a touching rendition of oldie Green Eyes.
Anyone who has ever read a interview with the Devon frontman will know just what an infuriating mass of contradictions he can be - one minute doubting the band's right to be so successful and even his own looks, another proclaiming to have written the best album in the world - yet his slightly bumbling, Hugh Grant-esque Englishness on stage is strangly endearing and by the time the audience is showered with fluorescent paper butterflies during the orchestral Lovers In Japan he is faced with a sea of giddy smiles.
Quick to personalise the concert whereever possible (lyrics are changed to include Manchester on several occasions), Martin had recently spoken of his desire to support reformed manband Take That and in the last encore cutely knitted their biggest hit Back For Good on to the back of The Scientist, to whoops of delight from large throngs of the female audience.
Following another performance tonight, Coldplay will return to play Old Traffford Cricket Ground next September with a pulling power-displaying hip-hop superstar (Jay-Z) as a warm-up act.
Gary Barlow and the boys are yet to confirm a support act for their run of sold out summer shows at the same venue, after this lovingly-delivered homage, perhaps Martin should wait by the phone.
What did you think of their set? Have your say.
Reviewed: Fri, 12 December, 2008
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brian duffy
12/12/08 22:14
Coldplay were on brilliant form at the men last night, they played new songs off viva la vida, including when i ruled the world, other songs included yello and god put a smile on my face. Yellow baloons and paper stars rained downed on a capacity crowd. The band also left the stage and did an acoustic set in the crowd at the back of the arena. Giant globes suspended from the roof of the arena had images of the band projected onto to them. Take that , morrissey and oasis warranted a mention and after an hour and three quarters the band left the stage, a great night.
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