22 June 2012: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX, USA
From WikiColdplay
Contents |
Setlist
- Mylo Xyloto
- Hurts Like Heaven
- In My Place
- Major Minus
- Lovers In Japan
- The Scientist
- Yellow
- Violet Hill
- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
- Princess Of China
- Up In Flames
- Warning Sign
- Don't Let It Break Your Heart
- Viva La Vida
- Charlie Brown
- Paradise
- Us Against The World
- Speed Of Sound
- Clocks
- Fix You
- Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall
Photos
Photos from this show can be found at Coldplaying.com in the Gallery thread for Dallas. http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1954
Videos
Videos from this show can be found in the first post of the Coldplaying forum live thread for this show at http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90966
Discussion
All post-show discussion for this show at the forum thread http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90966
Fan Reviews
All fan reviews have been submitted to us by the members of Coldplaying.com[1], unless stated otherwise.
Wow, no words for this show tonight... I'm speechless. I can't believe the RED rows ticket auction that I won ended up being front row on Guy's side, right next to the ramp. The boys were on point and seemed to have a great time. No setlist changes but still an incredible show. Highlight of the night was when Chris kneeled down in front of me, looked at me and asked if I was doing okay. I grinned from ear and ear and shook my head yea and then he smiled. I couldn't believe he actually talked to me lol it was so surreal. I hope everyone else had a great time too!!! [thanks l0wxo2]
I got to the venue at around 5:15. Door were to open at 5:30, so had a little walk around. I saw Jackie giving some venue staff people instructions on keeping people away from the C-Stage gear. Tried to get her attention but failed. Doors did open at 5:30 but we weren't allowed to go into where the seats were. We had to stay out on the concourse / hall part. Some one was soundchecking. Wolf Gang I believe. I went to the place I saw the C stage stuff. Def gonna be near me once inside. Finally at around 6 they let us in.
When I got to my seat I saw Jackie out in the middle of the venue. I asked the floor ushers to go get her. She came over and we talked about all kinds of stuff. We talked about Jen(Nettie). She wanted to know how I had met her. She asked how many shows I was going to. She said some guy went to all the Euro Festival dates and did I know him? I told him he was on Coldplaying, so I knew of him but hadn't met him. I told her I have two kinds of friends: Coldplay friends ( people I know from either shows or the forum) and football friends. Like English football? Yes English football. She wanted to know what teams I supported and I told her the story of Will being on my train to the Southampton game. She said Jonny supports Spurs and I said I know but I forgive him any way and she said 'Yeah really" LOL Don't think she cares much for the Spurs. Then she asked I have ever been to a meet and greet. I said no but I had meet the band many times. More back in the days when they traveled by bus. She said she was gonna try and get me into one. She went and got some paper and a pen and asked me to write down all the shows I'm going to and my phone number and email address. then she left and I went back to my seat. After a short time she came back and called me down to the floor and asked if I wanted to go sit up front. Hells yes! She said is row 2 ok? ...like row 2 was some kinda crap seat. She told me seat 10. After I was there for a bit someone came and said they have seat 10. 10 was the section, seat was 16, which was the aisle seat. Good because I could move around more and that's where all the staff went in and out from the back stage area.
Trainer Dan kept walking past looking at me like where do I know you from. So I said "what's up Trainer Dan". He stopped and asked how do I know who he is. I told him Mexico.....YES you were there doing that blog about the car and the little girl. Holy Crap, trainer dan remembered Ryan's Mini. . At least he didn't say...Yes you were that girl that drank those 3 brandy glasses of tequila that night in the bar. I asked if the boys were gonna play some footie in Houston. We have a new beautiful stadium right accross the road from the concert venue...hint hint. He said no, not unless it is air conditioned cuz it is too hot to play outside here. I told him to suck it up! He sounded like David Beckham who whinned about the Texas heat. See this is why England doesn't ever win, lightweights.
After Robyn finished I turned around and guess who is standing like 6 feet behind me. Jonny's wife. She was there through the whole Coldplay show. She was close enough to see the display on my camera and the fact that I mostly only took pictures of Jonny. Stop spying on me woman! I think there was some problems before the show started. 1st night gremlins. Dan Green had to go up on the stage and help Matt fix something with Jonny's guitar sound. Dan never goes up on the stage. I think they were a little late starting the show because of it. Dan did stop and say Hi on his way back to the sound booth.
I thought the show was awesome. The Xylobands looked amazing! The show flowed well. There was Chrissy and Jonny love. The crowd sounded good. My phone died when I tried to call Christa during Warning Sign. . I'm sorry. I will try again tomorrow night. My seat is on the floor close to the X stage tomorrow night so I thing I'll get a better view of the show effects, can't really see the lasers up front. [thanks Texasluvsjonny]
Coldplay was fucking incredible. When Jay-Z's song came on, internally, I was like, "HOLY SHIT IT'S HAPPENING." And, when the Back to the Future them started -- I have no words. Literally. I cannot describe that feeling of the first minute. Everyone was telling me the truth. The second leg of the US tour kicked off with a bang. Lovers in Japan was badass, as was Charlie Brown, DLIBYH, Viva La Vida, GPASUYF, and everything else. I was singing like a maniac, while it seemed everyone else around us was either dragged there, or came for their singles/popular songs only.
Also: Every Teardrop is not just a great closer, but a fucking amazing experience. Seriously. Out of all the concerts I've been to, I've never seen a more-fitting, so full of energy and extraordinary closer. I think half of my Coldplay high that followed for about two hours came from solely that. I don't even care about the setlist. I stopped looking about a month ago, but kind of figured it was the same. I purposefully forgot the order, and so I was pleasantly surprised on 90% of it. But still, I don't give two craps about it. Coldplay wants us to "forget about everything for a while", and sure enough, they did that. Bravo, Coldplay. Bravo. About ten minutes after it was all said and done, we go down to the floor section to try and get some confetti. As we're halfway down - and I MAKE EYE CONTACT WITH MATT - some guy asks me what we're looking for, so I say confetti. Apparently that was a stupid idea, and he says, "Oh, that's done and overwith. Please leave now." What the hell? But later, as we were waiting outside for the boys (to no avail) someone dropped a river of confetti outside, so I picked up as much as I could. I figured something was wrong beforehand, Angie. Was that Matt or Dan fixing Jonny's guitar? I was too far away. [thanks DundahMifflin]
I held off on getting tickets to the June 22, 2012 Coldplay Mylo Xyloto tour until a couple weeks beforehand. I was only interested in getting the cheap seats. Prompted by Ticketmaster, I was warned that the tickets were behind the stage and may have an obstructed view. Doing some research, I found out that the stage setup did not have a back to it, so seeing the band should not be a problem. I ended up going with a friend and we got tickets behind the stage, but slightly to the right side of the stage. At about $45 a ticket, they were not bad seats. We just got to see the back of them, instead of the front. I think we got better tickets (and cheaper ones) than those who sat at the top of the arena and got to see the front of the band.
Upon entering the AAC, you are asked to pick up a wristband. You are told that these will be used as part of the show. Who knew then what an amazing vision these wristbands would create? As the instruments and stage were in their final preparations for Coldplay to begin, a song came on. It was none other than “99 Problems” by Jay-Z. Mind you, Coldplay I like to think of as an all ages band, something that those who are higher up in digits and those still in elementary school could probably enjoy. The Jay-Z song was not an edited version, so sorry kids and grandma! The large screens in the AAC, four up high and one above the stage, told us to put our wristbands on if we had not already done so.
The stage was comprised of a runway leading out from the main stage area and ending in a large “X.” Behind the stage was a semi-circle ramp. On both sides of the stage was a square platform. The theme for tour is obviously graffiti. It is everywhere, on the instruments, on the stage, and the colors are bright and fluorescent like you are having an 80s flashback. The arena went black and some Star Wars theme music started to play. Once the band was on the stage and ready to play the full effect of those wristbands became amazingly apparent as they all lit up and blinked in unison. The opening songs were, appropriately, “Mylo Xyloto” and “Hurts Like Heaven.” Not having read about the current tour or what theatrics Coldplay was employing, I did not know that those wristbands were only the start.
The second song was “My Place,” and during the chorus, Chris Martin ran out onto the runway and while doing so, huge cannons of confetti shot out over the crowd in the lower section. The confetti also covered the end section of the runway. The confetti cannons went off at least twice during the song. During another song, large, fluorescent, paint splattered balls were dropped from the ceiling onto the crowd to bounce about, reminiscent of those outdoor concert and the travelling beach balls above the crowd. There was another song where some inflatable objects were placed at the entrances of some of the 200 and 300 sections of the arena. I did not really get why these were used, since they seemed small for such a large arena. They did not register much of an effect on me, and I was wondering if some of the audience even noticed they were there.
The band performed a couple of songs on the large “X” at the end of the runway. This was the only drawback to the behind the stage seats. A large stack of hanging speakers blocked half of the view of their performance. One of the songs sung out there was “Princess of China.” Rihanna did not make a surprise appearance, but Rihanna singing her part of the song was on the screens. Chris Martin messed up part of another song out on the runway and was quick to stop and say “I f***ed up. I f***ed up.” with a smile and start over. While they do sell seats behind the stage, those fans back there are not neglected. The band members used the ramp at the back of the stage to give us a little piece of their “front-facing” performance. Chris Martin used the ramp several times and the side platforms. Those in the very back of the arena got a little treat. At the beginning of the encore, Coldplay played two songs in the back corner of the arena.
The one song I was desperate to see live was “Fix You” and it was the second to last song played. While I wanted the fireworks and the single, floating light bulb that is in the video, Chris Martin made up for this with his energy at the point in the song where it picks up in pace. If you read any part of my narrative on last night, it should be that Coldplay has earned every single fan they have based on what an amazing performance they gave the crowd in Dallas. The energy of the band, and especially Chris Martin, was astounding. Even if there were no wristbands, confetti, or balls to bounce around, it still would have been a top notch concert. Chris Martin said early on in the evening that the band was going to have an amazing time, even if we did not. Energy does transmit to an audience, and that was widely apparent on Friday night in Dallas. So go get some of those cheap seats and be prepared to be blown away by a little band called Coldplay. [Thanks Sarah Ksiazek] http://lostinreviews.com/2012/06/coldplays-mylo-xyloto-tour-hits-dallas/
I started watching their live shows on TV, MTV World Tour Tokyo, MTV Live, VH1 Storytellers, How We Saw the World, etc. They were here in Dallas either last year or 2010 and I couldn't afford to go but I swore the next time they were here I would go, even if it had to be the worst seats in the house. Watching all of the festivals this last year just amped me up more, but I was still iffy on going, not sure if I could handle the noise and all. Gradually I've been getting my sister and mom into Coldplay. They aren't into it the way I am, but they like many of the popular songs. My sister really enjoyed MX though and wanted to go see them. I knew my sister and mom were regular concert-goers, so I wanted to take them and paid for their tickets even though it meant sitting up in 330. All I've heard from them about concerts was negative. "It kinda sucks because all you hear is distorted sound and you can't see anything, you have to watch them from the screen. You actually have a better view on TV." I never understood if they hated concerts so much, why did they go? But I had seen the festivals. I knew this would be different. But I didn't know how different. I promised them it would be nothing like any concert they had ever been to.
We got to the AAC about 7:30. Parking was great and we got our Xylobands! We were completely patriotic! My sister had a red one, my mom a white one and I got a blue one lol! Wolf Gang was actually pretty good, despite all the teasing I give my sister for her love of indie bands . Robyn was just... wtf. That's the only way to describe her. But that's ok, I didn't care about seeing them Coldplay was late and I saw them working on the guitars... correct my memory it was after either God Put a Smile or Don't Let it Break Your Heart that he actually threw his guitar. I've seen other artists do that, but not Chris. You think they figured it was broken anyway? Initially when the Xylobands came on it was possibly (without overstatement) one of the most incredible things I have ever seen. It was like Christmas x 1000. My mother literally cried. Thanks Chris Martin, you made my mother cry! "50 years and I have never seen anything like this!" I was a bit in shock when HLH came on. Live it is probably my 2nd favorite song of MX. I don't actually like the album version as much as the live version. But I love the way they perform this song with the MX intro, the guitar sling, everything! I think what's most surreal about the concerts is the "realization" of the band members. Before I had only seen them on TV, so they were no more real to me than Super Mario or a TV character.
The view from the top wasn't actually terrible, even if the seats were airplane-narrow. Perhaps to make up for the time in which they were late it seemed they were running at more of a breakneck pace than others I have heard because it started like 15 minutes late and ended about 5 minutes early. I've seen so many of the festivals, but I don't think Chris has ever sounded better. Except for one minor screwup on Warning Sign at the end, his voice was virtually perfect. I know his voice can vary, but he was really, really good tonight. They all were. Even my mom was like "their drummer is AMAZING!" This would have been a great show to use for the Blu-Ray, but there were no disclaimers anywhere (I think they will regret that! ) After the show my sister and mom both agreed that this was far and away the best concert they had ever seen. My thoughts were that it was amazing, I wish I would have gotten that hat (though it looks to be cheaper on the CP site, so I might still) but I really wish I could go see it again tonight with my camera. Either way, the next time they're here I'm definitely going, but I still don't think there's another concert in the world I would go to. I think going to anyone else would pale in comparison. You have an amazing team who are the most genuine musicians I've ever seen who really want and know how to get 20,000 people to have the best time of their lives. What more could you ask for in a band? [thanks Ceej]
The way Coldplay makes such an amazing effort to get the crowd totally involved with the show, and watching the four of them throughout the show, it's obvious that they truly do put every single thing they've got into their shows, and really, genuinely, want to make sure it's an all-round epic experience for everyone involved. I always had nothing but the utmost respect for this band, but after experiencing them live, I only have even more respect for them. It had so long been a dream for me to see my favourite band live, and the #1 thing on my bucket list. Now my dream has come true and the #1 thing on my bucket list has been marked off (and I'm only 16! ). It's something that I could never, EVER forget...a truly life-changing experience. And right now, it feels right to quote the lyrics of one of my favourite CP songs ever, Strawberry Swing: "It's SUCH a perfect day..." Because it truly was. And I'm still in a daze... I LOVE YOU COLDPLAY!! [thanks SupermassiveCPnerd]
Hi Everyone! I haven't been on here in a while, but I've loved reading everyone's reviews and all the pics and videos. I'm finally getting a chance to spend some time on here, and it's been a week since this show, and I figured I better sit down and write something out before much more time passes. I bought the tickets to this show when they went on sale way back in February. We had originally planned on taking our kids to the show, so we settled for less expensive seats in section 324, thinking the kids would do better with a little distance from the stage. But as the show drew closer, I got worried that they would not be able to see, and that my youngest one just wouldn't be able to last for the whole thing. As a result, we ended up selling their two tickets to my friend, and I ended up disappointed that we were going to be so far back for no good reason.
My husband and I drove up to Dallas Friday afternoon and met up with my friend and her sister-in-law before the show. While I was waiting outside the venue, I began to realize that I was nervous. I was overflowing with nervous energy and just felt like I needed to be moving around doing something. We walked in and got our Xylobands, and that's when the excitement really hit me. I saw Coldplay back in September for Austin City Limits, when they had already begun incorporating a lot of the elements of the MX tour into the show. Of course, since it was a festival, they didn't do the Xylobands, so I was very eager to experience that for the first time. Before we made it to our seats, I got to meet up with fellow Coldplayers, Lauren and Jimmy. Lauren was in from California, so it was great to chat with her and catch up a bit and talk about our excitement for the show. I love that I've met so many wonderful people from all over through Coldplay, and that we occasionally get to meet up at shows!
We missed the first opener, Wolf Gang, but were present for the entirety of Robyn's set. Suffice it to say, we weren't big fans. After Robyn, quiet, atmospheric music began playing over the loud speakers while the roadies rushed about the stage getting things set up. It seemed to be taking longer than usual, and just as I was wondering whether the boys were still using 99 Problems as their lead-in, it started playing. That was when I lost what shreds of composure I had left. I started bouncing in my seat, a huge grin on my face, and my heart just racing. I told my husband I had finally realized that I ONLY get that feeling before a Coldplay show. I distinctly remember feeling that mix of excitement and anticipation before the Viva shows I went to, too. And though I always get excited for concerts I attend, it's never quite like that.
The lights dropped after 99 Problems and the Back to the Future theme began. The crowd was loud and the atmosphere was electric. We could see the guys make their way to the stage and even louder cheers went up. But when the first trills of MX started and the Xylobands began twinkling, there was a collective gasp from the audience (I swear you could hear it!) and everyone went wild. I'd seen videos of the Back to the Future/MX/Hurts Like Heaven Xyloband extravaganza, but even then, I was not fully prepared for experiencing it live and in person myself. It was just so amazingly perfect. The colors, the music, the energy from the guys and from the audience... it was truly magical. By the end of the song I may have gotten a little teary-eyed.
Before the show, I had really tried to steer clear from setlist postings and detailed reviews, because I wanted to retain an element of surprise for myself. I did know basically which songs they'd be playing, but not in what order, and I'm glad I'd kind of kept myself from memorizing the setlist, like I'd done for the Viva shows. I loved the confetti and balloons for In My Place and Lovers and Japan, the latter of which remains one of my favorite songs to hear live. I loved how they re-arranged Yellow, with Chris starting out alone on the piano; it was beautiful. I also love the new arrangement of GPASUYF with the building lead-in and Will just going crazy on the drums. But the highlights of the night for me were probably the absolutely gorgeous Warning Sign, which I'd never heard live before, and the acoustic version of Speed of Sound. I was so happy to hear them play it, since it was completely left out of the VLV tour, and that version was really lovely.
Though our seats were far from perfect, we still had a really great view, and did really get to enjoy the light and stage show in all its glory. The lasers during Don't Let it Break Your Heart, and of course, Clocks were very cool. I also noticed big inflatable (I think) MX symbols positioned at different stairwells during DLIBYH. They were huge, and all lit-up, but the only one I could really make out from where I was was the Paradise butterfly. The others just looked like non-descript blobs from the angle I had. It was pretty cool, but it seemed kind of odd that they were only out for that one song, and that they weren't more scattered throughout the arena. From what I could tell, they were only in the 300 level... which now that I think about it is kind of cool... the guys' way of saying "hi" to us way up in the "cheap seats".
As with everything you don't want to end, the show passed so quickly, and before I knew it, we were dancing around to Every Teardrop is a Waterfall. At the end of the night, the crowd was euphoric, the guys had sounded absolutely amazing- including Chris' voice, which was pretty much perfect- and I had a huge smile on my face. Though I wish I could have been there for the second Dallas show the following night, and the 2 shows in Houston, I am so thrilled I was there at all, and am so, so impressed with the show Coldplay put on. I think it'll be hard for them to top it going forward, but I can't wait to see them try! [thanks jenflor]
Once 99 problems came on, everybody was up and ready for Coldplay. Then, the Back to the Future theme started we could see the band enter the stage from where we were. I was so excited!! The crowd exploded with delight when the Xylobands lit up for MX/HLH! It got the crowd up and moving, unlike in 2008 when it seemed nobody got out of their seats until VLV. As expected there were some wonderful Buckin' moments during IMP. And a TON of confetti. After this wonderful intro, Chris as usual, thanked us from going through the ticket prices and parking and whatever else we had to go through to get to the concert. Another highlight for me was when Jonny went out on the catwalk like the rockstar he is during his solo for GPASUYF. He's really gotten out of his shell! Chris came up and performed on the little plaform closest to our section several times. He also ran up on the back of the stage and performed for the people who bought seats from behind the stage, as did Jonny at one point. They really do a good job of trying to give everyone the best view that they could. Chris was adorable with his F***k up on the Hardest Part. LOL! I also really enjoyed the C stage set. It was so nice to hear Speed of Sound! I also really love that they just powered through the last few songs without the pretention of an "encore". Everbody who's a fan knows that their encores have always been planned out anyway!
Overall I have to say that this is one of my favorite times I've seen them. The crowd was good with lots of singing along and dancing, unlike some other times I've seen them. The band seemed to have a lot of energy and really enjoyed themselves up there. Also, the Xylobands have to have been the coolest thing I've ever experienced. Truly breathtaking! Now for some pictures! I didn't take to many, because these were the best seats I've ever had and I wanted to enjoy the show with my own eyes.
Oh and I have another story to tell! LOL! I almost forgot! So me and my friend Emily, who went to the concert with me went back to the AAC the second night after the concert to try to meet Coldplay. So we went around the side to the crew exit and sure enough there were 3 other people waiting beside a partition. So we decided to hang around and see if we could meet the band. We wait for about 30 or 45 minutes and some guys start to walk out. My friend was like "Is that Wolf Gang?!" I wasn't sure, but sure enough some lady a little farther down stopped them for a picture. So we ran over just as they were about to walk away and said "Wait! Can we please have a picture?" They were so adorable. I don't think they are used to getting noticed, but they complied and let us take a picture with them. They didn't stay to talk, though. So we wait a little longer. And Matt McGinn walks out! I was so terribly nervous to talk to him that all I could say was "Hi!" and wave, to which he tiredly held up a hand and said "hi" quite annoyed sounding as he walked over to the bus he was staying. I really wanted to be like "I've read your book! It was fantastic!", but I just couldn't say anything lol! So then we waited again, talking to the security guard and two other people who were waiting and I see another familiar face, Hoppy. This time I had a little more courage saying, "Are you Hoppy?". He seemed surprised that I knew who he was as he slowly turned around and said, "Yes." as he kept walking. I waved and said, "It's nice to meet you!". Now it's around 1 or so and a crew member with an English accent (so I assumed Coldplay crew and not AA venue crew) says to us, "Who are you waiting for?". My friend replies, "Coldplay". and He's like "Oh yeah, they've been gone for a while. Left in the Limo through the crew door (you can drive underneath the venue). They're already back at the hotel." So no meeting Coldplay, but at least we met Wolf Gang and some of the crew! [thanks lotrobsessed101]
Media Reviews
DFW: Dallas Friday night, Coldplay began at the end. More precisely, the convergence of a confetti deluge, enormous balloons, columns of smoke, blitz of lasers and thousands of vivid, blinking lights adorning the wrists (a LED-powered freebie known as a "xyloband") of a sold-out American Airlines Center felt like the climax of an epic performance, the culmination of two hours' worth of music and sensory overload. Instead, Chris Martin and his Grammy-winning, multi-platinum bandmates were just on the second song of the night. They were only getting warmed up. (The band plays the final, likewise sold-out installment of its two-night stand Saturday.)
What was most apparent, aside from the fact that Coldplay now has a confetti budget to rival that of the Flaming Lips, was this veteran band is finally displaying a brashness only previously suggested. Martin and his collaborators have always been the aw-shucks sort of group, routinely selling out global, years-long tours, but laying on the self-deprecation thick in concert. No more of that -- touring behind last year's dreadfully titled Mylo Xyloto, Coldplay brought an impressive confidence to the stage Friday, ripping through a 100-minute set and scarcely pausing for breath.
Mixing the new material with staples like In My Place and Yellow, while also taking care to put fresh spins on tracks like God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, Coldplay managed the rare feat of playing nearly all of its latest album while never letting momentum slip. Part of that is due to the ADD nature of the night -- the band had crammed screens or inflatable widgets in seemingly every corner of the AAC -- and much of it is because Martin continues to be one of rock music's most charismatic frontmen, bouncing around like a kid making his dreams reality. The trade-off, of course, is that Coldplay's more tender, intimate moments are scrapped in favor of excess. When the band did stop down to play something less outsized, like The Scientist or Warning Sign, the intensity continued to smolder, rendering even the heartfelt in shades of swagger. Not that Coldplay's embrace of its status as bona fide superstars is a bad thing -- I'll take exuberance over timidity any day in an arena show -- but in doing so, it's erasing part of what made the band stand out to begin with. But then, a good 15 years has passed since Coldplay first formed, and they've evolved from shameless Radiohead recyclers into something more grand, more globally minded and more interesting. The over-the-top spectacle is earned, grounded in songs rich in feeling and melody. Perhaps the reverse engineering of its show is instructive: Coldplay might just be warming up.
Openers Wolf Gang and Robyn neatly bridged the headliner's past and present. London quintet Wolf Gang anchored the "past" end of things, full of brio for a baby band and delivering chiming songs underpinned with synthesizers and a dash of style swiped from the Killers. Indefatigable Swedish dynamo Robyn continues to make the rounds of American venues, doling out smart, highly danceable sets steeped in electronica and just enough quirk to keep arriving audience members from heading back out for another order of nachos and beer. It remains an utter mystery to me why Robyn has such difficulty breaking through in America, but her fantastic songs set the mood in style. [2]
Dallas News: We Were There: Coldplay brought us Christmas in June during colorful, exhilarating concert at American Airlines Center...
It looked like Christmas in June. A sea dotted by multicolored lights. Showers of fluorescent lasers. A spherical screen of swirling rainbow shades. A deluge of pastel-hued confetti. The Coldplay show Friday night at American Airlines Center was one of the most colorful and exhilarating concert performances I’ve ever seen. Chris Martin, Will Champion, Jonny Buckland and Guy Berryman delivered nearly two hours of passionate and accessible arty rock that teetered between ethereal and explosive.
The gig, the first of a two-night stand at the venue, was nearly sold-out and electric. The moment the lights went down, after opening stints by Wolf Gang and Robyn, the atmosphere lit up. And we were all part of the wattage. We all donned the wristbands handed to us at the front doors. They looked like toy watches, except that the bands illuminated fiber optic-style. Add to that perfectly rounded balloons that resembled beach balls decorated in patches of paint reminiscent of the Mylo Xyloto album artwork.
The abstract canvas effect blended beautifully with the music. Coldplay’s songs leave emotional impressions, particularly “Clocks,” “Hurts Like Heaven,” “In My Place” and “Paradise,” all of which were highlights of the show. There is a sweeping quality that enthralls and engulfs. It can be penetrating, cathartic even. Martin and drummer Champion deserve special mention. Champion’s drum work was beautifully muscular, especially for “God Put a Smile On Your Face,” “Viva La Vida” (featuring timpani drums) and “Yellow.” Martin was a dynamic frontman – unbridled energy, prowess on the piano and the acoustic guitar, and genuine appreciation of the fans. That’s a deep connection. In front of me stood a young man who I would guess was no older than 16. He religiously sang the lyrics to every song as if the music was nourishing his soul. He sometimes looked oblivious to the show’s colorful overtures. All he needed was the music. [3]
Pegasus News: It was a magical evening at the American Airlines Center on Friday night as fans filled the sold-out arena for the first night of Coldplay’s two day stay in Dallas. Attendees were handed different colored Day-Glo wristbands as they walked into the venue without an explanation. It wasn’t until Coldplay took the stage later in the evening that the bracelets revealed their purpose.
Wolf Gang, a London britpop band influenced by Coldplay, tried their hand at warming up the crowd as they trickled in. The band’s sound was clear and concise, leaving many impressed with what they had heard, but it was Swedish electro europop sensation Robyn that got people out of their chairs. The pint-sized pixie is not as well known in America as she is in Europe, but she put on quite the show. She danced all over the stage to her electric beats, performing tracks like “Dancing On My Own” and “Call Your Girlfriend” from her Body Talk album series.
When it came time for Coldplay to take the stage, the air was electric with anticipation. The British band is known for its crowd interaction and props, so it was fitting when the arena went dark that each wristband lit up and blinked along while John Williams’ theme from Back to the Future played. Fans went wild and screamed to a deafening pitch when lead singer Chris Martin struck the first notes of the night. A rainbow sea of lights illuminated the arena with their twinkle glow – a magical sight to behold.
Coldplay wasted no time in kicking the celebration up a notch as the air filled with an overflow of confetti during the second tune of the night “In My Place” – which could have been reserved for the encore. During another tune, giant balloons fell from the rafters and bounced around the arena. The stage, the lights, and Martin’s clothes kept with the neon splatter paint graffiti theme of the band’s newest release Mylo Xyloto. Coldplay went through most of the hits in their musical catalog from their first album, Parachutes, to their most recent record. “The Scientist,” “Yellow,” “God Put A Smile Upon Your Face,” “Viva la Vida,” and “Paradise” were some of their biggest performed in Dallas on Friday. The band reserved the bigger hits for the encore.
As usual, the band made its way to the back of the arena a play a few acoustic tunes in the audience during the encore. Performing “Us Against The World,” each member appeared in the audience one by one, adding beautiful harmonies to the song. Fans surrounding the band loved it, many grabbing their phones to take photos or record the special moment. After Coldplay performed “Speed of Sound,” they made their way back to the stage where they closed the evening to a sea of blinking wristband lights with “Clocks” and “Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall.”
The bouncing balloons, confetti, and singing in the audience were expected, but the twinkling wrist bands really tipped the experience over the edge. We can’t wait to see what they do with their next album and tour. [4]
Twitter Updates
- @oxfamontour: Bye bye London, hello Dallas for the next leg of the @coldplay your #lovefoodhateinjustice twitpic.com/9yi27f
- @coldplay: Just landed in Texas and can confirm that 98 degrees is indeed pretty warm. R42
- @AngieBuckland: @coldplay trucks and buses parked on road on north end of AAC. Didn't see any crew walking about. Too hot for that shiz!
- @coldplay: Can it rain inside the American Airlines Arena? It just wouldn't be a Coldplay show without the rain. WC
- @RAFFLEO72: I can't wait to see Coldplay tonight going to be an awesome concert. 13th row from stage. :) #dallas #coldplay #concert
- @rocksafaris: setting up at American Airlines with Coldplay pic.twitter.com/D42rBAx3
- @AngieBuckland: Yes there will be a C stage. pic.twitter.com/2oJ3RGtM
- @AngieBuckland: C stage equipment is outside the 109/ 110 entrance.
- @HartSpencer: We're in the American Airlines Center and ready to see some @coldplay #MyloXylotoTour
- @AngieBuckland: C stage is in section 109
- @mariapalitousa: Waiting for the coldplay concert in dallas :) soo excited instagr.am/p/MMdffMs60t/
- @AngieBuckland: Holy fucking shit! Just got a VIP up grade to row 2 in front of jonny! @coldplay and miss Jackie rock, thank you so much. #gonnacry
- @AngieBuckland: Now this is a view! pic.twitter.com/5cY9gJeK
- @AngieBuckland: There are 2 girls down on front row up graded from the nose bleeds. Said its their 1st show. @coldplay are awesome.
- @JimmyDushku: yfrog.com/odcnyfevj First row at a #Coldplay show. #Dallas
- @diplomissy: The opening act for #Coldplay, Wolf Gang, is pretty good. #coldplayfilm #AAC #Dallas #MyloXyloto
- @mclaverieberto: Just saw @Wolfgang open for Coldplay in Dallas. Amazing band!!!!!! Absolutely loved it. Have to go buy that album
- @handfulofsounds: There are people down there... I think those are people. #coldplay #coldplayfilm @ American Airlines Center instagr.am/p/MMmGnaD17-/
- @mrdmp: Robyn is definitely rocking it here in Dallas as the opener for Coldplay!
- @blairfritz5: I'm at @coldplay in Dallas and this opening act stinks. #coldplay
- @JimmyDushku: I'm not sure what I'm watching but I like it. #Robyn #Coldplay
- @ScottSwanWTHR: @coldplay takes the stage in Dallas. Wristbands lighting up. What a night! pic.twitter.com/Lf7ra3p0
- @ollyofficial: Insane!!! Loving it!!! instagr.am/p/MM0JoqHyfc/
- @JimmyDushku: yfrog.com/es1biiqj Trying to beat Roadie #42 to the panorama. @Coldplay #Coldplay #Dallas
- @DaveLieber: Coldplay lighting up AA Center in Dallas in a way Mavericks didn't this season. pic.twitter.com/1Vs74NLp
- @Lupherigno: Coldplay in Dallas... nicely done gentlemen #coldplayfilm pic.twitter.com/5tbj389n
- @Fehertwit: Coldplay just ignited the AA Center in Dallas. They were beyond brilliant, it was beyond beautiful, and they are better live than recorded
- @MadamTweetsALot: Wow I am amazed. @coldplay you have outdone yourselves. Dallas loves you!
- @sheila_h: What an incredible @coldplay show tonight in Dallas. The light up wristbands are genius and so much fun! yfrog.com/od4j3jqdj
- @CourtneyReasor: Thank you @coldplay for the experience of a lifetime <3 you are forever my favorite band! The trip to Dallas from Ohio was worth it!
- @Jayreg1969: Dallas was Fun :)
- @coldplay: Here's Roadie #42's panorama shot of last night's Dallas crowd (head to cldp.ly/dallaspana for the hi-res version) A pic.twitter.com/r6na4Y5J
- @coldplay: "One of the most colorful and exhilarating concert performances I’ve ever seen." Great Dallas Morning News review - dallasnews.com/entertainment/columnists/mario-tarradell/20120623-coldplay-unleashes-color-catharsis-at-aac.ece A
