Coldplay
Manchester Evening News Arena, Monday 19th December 2005

It has been something of a roller coaster year for Coldplay. The bands third album was finally released in the summer after numerous delays – mainly due to apparent artistic tensions attendant in the recording sessions. Fractious moments in the studio – that nearly resulted in X&Y not being released.

There was also the added pressure the news that their record company EMI had posted a loss in profits as a result of the delayed release. When the record was finally released in some quarters the album was received with muted criticism from a number of critics. The fact that the band had become so big – was seemingly the main reason they had become more of a target.

You can certainly see why in the live arena that the band seemingly thrives away from the minutiae and resultant pressures of being one of the World’s biggest bands.

For all the criticism of the new album, Coldplay do cut the mustard on the stage and tonight’s triumphal gig was no exception. Be it headlining a festival or on a tour in their own right. Three albums in Coldplay have become the band that people will go to see without having purchased the new material. Mainly in the hope they will play the old stuff and the single they have heard on the radio. You could say they have reached U2-like status

This was something of a homecoming night in the vast space that is the MEN. For Coldplay it was a return to the city which they were first discovered at the In The City event - for tonight’s support act, Richard Ashcroft it was a return to his spiritual home of the north west.

Back in the saddle after a layoff to recuperate from the critical mauling his previous album received. He played a smattering of new songs from the soon to be released ‘Keys to the World’. Which sound on first hearing is a step in the right direction – but still weighed down by platitudinous lyrics that to some ears seems mystical, but more often than not sounds trite. The day was saved though as the newer stuff began to plod on - with a selection of his greatest hits from his Verve days.

‘Square One’ started the proceedings again as it had at the summer gig at the Reebok Stadium – this was given a greater sense of occasion given the indoor setting with the clock backdrop showing a countdown to the bands introduction. In fact there were very few surprises and amendments to the set but what was apparent was the verve and vigour of the band despite being nearly the eightieth date of the tour.

The energy of front man Martin was there to see as he raced from the stage to the back row of the first tier of seating during ‘In my Place’. He managed to make it back in time for the next number and was even forgiven for fluffing the lines to ‘Fix You’ on his return.

Next year will see more touring and a number of festival dates. When a new album will surface is difficult to tell. But given the lofty status of the band and the material that they can now omit. The wait for new material could be a long one.

Coldplay

Coldplay
Live at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton, Tuesday 5th July 2005

Set List ‘Square One’ ‘Politik’ ‘Yellow’ ‘God Put A Smile Upon Your Face’ ‘Speed Of Sound’ ‘Low’ ‘Warning Sign’ ‘Everything’s Not Lost’ ‘White Shadows’ ‘The Scientist’ ‘Till Kingdom Come’ ‘Don’t Panic’ ‘Clocks’ ‘Talk’ ‘What If’
‘In My Place’ ‘Fix You’ played again for a video shoot ‘Fix You’.


You buy your tickets for these events in the hope that it will be a balmy summer night, which will add to the spectacle that is an outdoor summer gig, but what greets you as you drive to the stadium is rain that makes visibility through the car windscreen something of a lottery. Luckily the rain relents as soon as the car pulls up to the car park at the Reebok Stadium.

Coldplay touring the country after the recent release of the rapturously received third album ‘X&Y’ tonight is the second of two gigs held at Bolton Wanderers ground.

They are ably supported by local lads Doves, fresh from supporting Oasis and U2 on their recent stadium gigs they have certainly justified their elevation to the big league and with performances like tonight, it certainly wont be long before they are packing these places out in their own right. The set was a brisk run through the highlights of their three-album career to date and ‘There Goes The Fear’ was a fitting climax to a well-received set by the audience arriving for the main turn.

Fresh from Live 8 at the weekend it was back to the day job for singer Chris Martin and his band; the lobbying is put to one-side, he has an album to promote. Though judging by the charts it seems that he is preaching to the converted.

The new album is a lot more an expansive sound that its predecessors and prior to tonight ‘X&Y’ had left me feeling a little disappointed, but in the live arena, some of these songs seem to have an added dimension when belted out into the back of the arena, even when they slow things down with an intimate acoustic set with ‘Don’t Panic’ and the song written for Johnny Cash ‘Til Kingdom Come’ these more subtler songs work in the vast expanses of a football stadium.

With the bands elevated status it is now apparent that Coldplay now have their own resident guitar hero in Will Champion and on the new tunes such as ‘White Shadows’ and ‘Talk’ his skills are pushed to the limit to great effect.

Coldplay certainly have what it takes to be a stadium band and if U2’s star begins to wain then, it is likely that Coldplay can fill the void, but for the punter I’m still left a little cold by the stadium experience, but it was a good gig and one that justified the price of the ticket.