7 June 2012: Stadium of Light, Sunderland, England
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 the Stadium of Light. http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1904
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=90354
Discussion
All post-show discussion for this show at the forum thread http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90354
Fan Reviews
All fan reviews have been submitted to us by the members of Coldplaying.com[1], unless stated otherwise.
This was my first time seeing Coldplay live and I got front row! Absolutely incredible, the atmosphere was ridiculous. Despite the rain and metro strikes making getting to sunderland an absolute nightmare it was packed out and everybody was happy! [thanks fooby]
AMAZING. Sometimes something is so good it feels pointless to even explain how incredible it was. So proud that Coldplay came to Sunderland and i hope they really appreciated the crowd, the atmosphere was brilliant and the rain didn't stop us from having a fucking immense night. The lights are beautiful and it gave me chills seeing the stadium of light lit up. [thanks sterock85]
I finally have a chance to put my thoughts down after only getting to bed at 1am and having to be up for work at 7:30am. I'm completely overwhelmed by that..so much so that i've sunk into a state of PCD (Post-Coldplay depression). With our General Admission tickets, we arrived quite late on (during Rita Ora) and were shocked to find most of the lower bowl seats taken (The OH wanted to sit as is claustrophobic). We decided on a seat at the back near the corner of the West Stand but had no cover so it wasnt nice being drenched in the build up.
As the time ticked by..the excitement built and it seemed to take an age for 99 problems to come on (slight delay caused by flooded stage?). Finally Back to the Future sparked into life and then the start of MX/HLH was something special as the Xylobands sparked in to life. I have always liked Chris Martin, but has always seemed to be rather quiet and laid back in interviews etc but in this setting he's in his element- he's perfect at pushing the crowds buttons, always making sure to show his appreciation to us ("beautful people" etc)- he's gone up in my estimation. I thought the choreography of the show was near on perfect. The way they brought on the balloons on Lovers which led on to the slower paced The Scientist to make sure the balloons could gradually be moved off the crowd in time for the next part of the show.
As the rain kept coming, somehow we just completely forgot about it. In a way the rain added to the whole atmosphere of the night and made it a show that us and probably Coldplay will never forget. The biggest cheer went to Viva La Vida then Charlie Brown/Paradise looked spectacular in the dark as the Xylobands looked at their best. For me though, the highlight was to come.. as Paradise was ending we noticed something being set up just in front of us. Two guitars, a piano? Surely not? Then we noticed the stewards creating a path right beside us. Is this really happening? And there they were Chris and the band walking past us to a mini stage right in front of us. I was completely blown away by this. Amazing part of the show and something I wasnt expecting at all (I thought the C stage was just one of the corners of the main stage?!) Speed of Sound was superb and i loved the way they introduced each band member individually. The finale back on the main stage was epic and then far too quickly it was all over..and the walk/drive home in the rain as people looked amazed at what they had just witnessed. My first ever Coldplay experience is one i'll never ever forget and something very special to see them in my home City at the football ground I attend every other week. All I feel now is sadness as I just want to relive the whole experience again. [thanks mackemlad79]
Last week, Coldplay arrived in the North East for their show at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light and were greeted with weather so harsh that they described it as “apocalyptic!” I was there getting soaked among 55,000 other Northerners whose determination left the band impressed, even after they themselves played through the downpour. The gig itself didn’t suffer too much from the rain – in fact some thought it even added to the atmosphere. It was hard to keep up the excitement and adrenaline when standing outside the stadium afterwards though, drenched from top to bottom while waiting 45 minutes for buses which were supposed be waiting for us straight after the gig (there was a Metro strike on that day). A damp bus trip resulted in getting home after midnight, but did give everyone chance to share their videos on the way which they’d recorded on soaked mobiles and cameras. With the next day’s cold having finally worn off and countless YouTube videos watched, I can safely say that it was one of the most incredible gigs I’ve seen, only next to Muse and Foo Fighters in terms of sheer size and production. The Xylobands did make it that bit more special though…
[ thnaks Transmitpromo] http://transmitpromo.wordpress.com/2012/06/15/coldplay/
WOW! Has any live act ever left you ‘gob-smacked?’ Well for me, Coldplay did exactly that when I went to see them live on 7th June 2012. Their concert was unreal – I didn’t want it to end! I am a huge HUGE huge fan of Colplay, therefore, for me, seeing them live was like a dream come true. I booked my ticket just under a year ago and from that moment, I felt extremely excited – the day I got to see them live felt like a life time away. But, when the day arrived, my whole body gleamed with excitement. Despite the heavy rain on the day, I fought my way through thousands of people to get my spot as close to the main stage as I possibly could. Fireworks illuminated the dull, grey skies above me as Coldplay entered the temporary stage at the Sunderland Stadium of Light. My face was shocked – I couldn’t believe the day had finally arrived. Chris Martin stood close to me singing my favourite songs. The songs rang in my ears and the lyrics created powerful images. Guitars, drumming and singing all blasted in my ears which forced goose bumps to take over my body. The Stadium lit up with colourful flashing lights which came from every fans given wrist bands. It was an unreal and also an unforgettable moment, as the entire night was too. Memories of this night will remain with me forever! [thanks Kayleigh] http://kayleigh1993.wordpress.com/20...-tour-2012-11/
Media Reviews
Sunderland Echo: Despite the terrible weather, despite the predicted traffic chaos, gig-goers we spoke to outside the Stadium of Light were buzzing. Hannah Lindsey, 17, from Chester-le-Street, and Peter Almond, 14, from Fulwell, were among the crowd whose ages spanned generations. “It was such a snazzy show,” said Hannah. “The wristbands and confetti were amazing. It was worth waiting in the rain for.”
Sisters Kelly Skinner, 32, Tanya Skinner, 36, and friend Mikhaela Reeves, 36, said that despite the Metro strikes they had no problems getting to the gig. Tanya said: “It was brilliant, excellent. I’d love them to come again. The wristbands were such a brilliant idea. I’ve been to a few gigs here but that was up there with the best of them.”
SAFC season holder Nick Bartlett, 17, is more used to seeing the stadium filled with footy fans but said this experience was something else altogether. “I’m used to going to the stadium and hearing the chants of the fans so it was weird to hear music there at first,” he said. “It was a massive transformation, I couldn’t believe the set, it blew me away. The stadium was quite quiet during the support acts, but when Coldplay came on they lifted the roof off the stadium.” [2]
R&R Life: I think the word spectacular fairly sums up the amazing sound and light show put on by Coldplay on a wet and windy night. Despite the awful conditions, frontman Chris Martin and his band pulled out every trick in the book to create an amazing atmosphere – transforming the stadium into a kaleidoscope of colour. The show started where most stadium show’s finish with a stunning pyrotechnical display as the much talked about LED xylobands in the crowd lit up to amazing effect, flashing along to the music.
Every ticketholder was given one of the radio controlled light emitting wristbands which beat in unison, turning the stadium crowd into one glittering, throbbing mass, like a giant dazzling Christmas tree – an unforgettable sight. A neon graffiti scrawled wall provided the backdrop to the main stage as Chris Martin threw everything at the crowd, including himself. This was not a night for cosy introspection as over the years, Coldplay have transformed from studious performers into joyous ones and they delivered up almost two hours of singalong anthemic tunes to the crowd. All the big numbers were pulled out from In My Place and The Scientist through to their breakthrough anthem Yellow and Viva La Vida complete with confetti canons, giant beach ball balloons and amazing lazers.
The younger members of the crowd were catered for with hit single Princess of China featuring a video cameo from Bajan superstar Rihanna and last year’s mega-tune Paradise. The band used the space of the stadium to great effect swopping between the main stage and a smaller one at the end of a runway. Finally near the end the band also appeared on a tiny stage at the back of the stadium, playing Us Against the World and Speed of Sound – to the delight of fans in the North Stand. It’s what passes for intimacy in a 50,000 plus stadium but it works. The rain continued to lash down through the night – even causing a break for the road crew to fix a drenched piano – but it only seemed to drive the band on more, as if they had a point to prove. The crowd reacted accordingly as the sodden masses on the pitch screamed, sang-along and waved their twinkling wristbands throughout. All in all a quite incredible night. [3]
They played all their big numbers, including Clocks, Paradise and Charlie Brown, and got the crowd to sing along to their popular hit Yellow. When the piano malfunctioned, the audience was invited to “sing among yourselves” while the technical hitch was overcome. At one point, the band said they were going to go, as they had something up their sleeve. Five minutes later, to everyone’s surprise, they reappeared at the back of stadium, where they performed Us Against the World and the Speed of Sound. They did, of course, include their own impromptu rendering of Singing in the Rain. The concert ended with a stirring performance of Every Teardrop is a Waterfall. [4]
Sky (Tyne and Wear): Against the odds, Coldplay fans arrived at the first Stadium of Light summer concert in Sunderland in high spirits. Despite no Metro services running to or from the gig, the majority of fans arrived on time, facing few obstacles along the way. Many used replacement bus services including a free bus from Newcastle to Sunderland, while others came in cars, taxis or by foot.
Cautious fans set off early to avoid potential congestion and find a parking space, with some arriving as early as 4pm. Parking spaces filled up quickly, but some concert-goers said the lack of Metro services made it easier to find parking in the nearby Metro carpark. Others said the free bus services actually saved them money which they would otherwise have spent on the Metro train fare. Most of the early arrivals appeared to be unphased by the Metro strikes, passing the time eating and drinking at nearby pubs and food vendors. Some fans arriving after 6pm did encounter transport problems, complaining about high taxi prices and crowded trains. Others told Sky Tyne and Wear they felt obliged to abandon their bus journey half way there and get a taxi for fear of being late. However, the majority of people Sky Tyne and Wear spoke to were not affected by the strikes, especially those coming from further afield.
Congestion was a problem after the concert, with queues of cars travelling slowly out of Sunderland. Stadium of Light stewards and the majority of concert-goers told us the level of congestion was to be expected after a large concert. Metro staff staged a 24-hour walkout after rejecting an offer of a 2.1 percent payrise, which they argue is below the rise in the cost of living. A second 24-hour walkout by unions is planned for June 21, the date of the Bruce Springsteen concert at the Stadium of Light. [5]
The multi-coloured bands flashed in synch to the music and the stadium was transformed into a pulsating kaleidoscope of colour and light. The crowd were soaked through before Coldplay even arrived on stage but singer Chris Martin proved to posses the perfect cocktail of charisma, showmanship and passion to lift their spirits through the roof. He sprung into life as soon as fireworks opened the show and never let up as the band worked through a selection of tracks from their new album and classic Coldplay anthems. Early doors he yelled: “If you give us everything you’ve got we’ll give you everything we’ve got.”
And indeed they did. The crown were heavily involved in the show and during the anthemic Yellow saw fans joining in a sing-along before it broke into its distinctive guitar riffs. It’s easy to forget just how many good songs Coldplay have released but with The Scientist, God Put a Smile Upon Your Face, Paradise, Charlie Brown, Clocks and more all featuring on the set list this was a tour-de-force of chart-toppers.
As if peppering the songs with lasers, lights, inflatables and confetti wasn’t enough, the band disappeared from the main stage only to appear on a small acoustic stage at the other end of the venue. It was during these pared-down tracks, Us Against the World and Speed of Sound, that Chris’ strong voice really shone before the band made a daring dash down the West Stand concourse to get back to the main stage. As the final songs, Fix You and Every Teardop is a Waterfall, rang out around the stadium, fireworks shot into the night sky marking an explosive end to an electric evening. [6]
SAFC: In keeping with the theme of the extra-long Bank Holiday weekend, which saw the nation come together to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, one of Britain's biggest bands kept the party atmosphere going when they lit up Wearside. Coldplay arrived at Sunderland's Stadium of Light, on the back of a hat-trick of shows in London, for the penultimate show of their summer stadium tour.
Anticipation had been building around the city for weeks and despite the best of British weather arriving right on show time, spirits were certainly not dampened. The four-piece kicked off their set with the title track of their fifth album, Mylo Xyloto, while the 50,000 capacity crowd lit up the venue with the much-talked about neon wristbands. Every member of the crowd became part of the show as fans were handed a light-up wristband upon entering the stadium, which were controlled at various intervals during the band's performance creating a spectacle to behold. There were more laser lights and pyrotechnics in full flow when the band burst into the thunderous Hurts Like Heaven.
The feast for the eyes continued as confetti cannons erupted against the backdrop of five big screens and the wristband display, while scores of globe-like beach balls were let loose to bob around the crowd. All of these special effects didn't distract from the show, as lead singer Chris Martin was his usual animated self, with his trademark energetic sprints around the stage - including a knee-slide through a water-logged catwalk! Following a few introductions and a quip about 'the apocalyptic weather' the band wasted no time to belt out some of the biggest hits of their back catalogue, In My Place and The Scientist. The opening bars of Yellow were met with rapturous applause from the soaking wet crowd, who actually out-sung Martin throughout this early classic - much to the singer's delight.
The longer the show went on the rain seemed to get heavier, but in true British fashion the show went on, as the band thrashed out Violet Hill, God Put a Smile on Your Face and their brand new duet with Rihanna, Princess of China, while the songstress appeared on the big screens. Following an impromptu version of Singing in the Rain, the show continued at its frenetic pace with crowd favourites Viva La Vida,, Charlie Brown and Paradise. After a faultless 90 minutes on stage, the band left the crowd longing for more of their melodic pop rock- and so, duly obliged! Martin announced: "I hope you've had a good time - we certainly have - and there's a few more surprises to come."
He wasn't wrong. The band reappeared on a smaller second stage right at the back of the stadium to get closer to the crowd during Speed of Sound. After a quick jog though the crowd the band returned to the main stage for an encore of Clocks and Fix You before ending the show with Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall - quite a fitting finale! Despite the torrential downpour the crowds were determined not to have their parade rained on and played their role spectacularly as Coldplay succeeded in illuminating the Stadium of Light. So much so, that minutes after the show finished the front man couldn't contain his excitement and took to Twitter to tell everyone how amazing the audience at the Stadium of Light had been. [7]
Twitter Updates
- @glapping1: @coldplay so so excited for your concert tonight in Sunderland! #goingtobeamazing
- @GeorgeIbbetson: Today's office view...I love #sunderland especially with #coldplay. Tonight's gonna be a belter. X pic.twitter.com/vdbFjj0C
- @LisaHotpot99: Listening to Coldplay doing sound check at Sunderland!!!!!!! Mint!
- @TomKranz3: I can hear Coldplay practicing at the Stadium of Light from my house #whoneedstickets
- @LeeMarshall9: Normal day at the office. Tea, seagulls, few clouds, passing cars, Chris Martin's sound check emanating from the Stadium of Light. #Coldplay
- @emmahildreth: Coldplay stage @Stadium of Light lockerz.com/s/215086540
- @becky_rogerson: Outside the stadium of light waiting for @coldplay having a drink #cantwait #notlongnow
- @redpathj: Looking like rain in Sunderland but I'm sure Coldplay will cheer us up tonight :)
- On tour wth Coldplay @oxfamontour: The #sunderland @coldplay queue for entrance. Even the rain doesn't stop them twitpic.com/9trgql
- @Lexylouisewood: Few hours away from the @coldplay gig in Sunderland!!!
- @Chris_Sykes92: In a flat just across from the Stadium of Light. I don't need Coldplay tickets really. Just need to stand on my balcony
- @AlexJSimpson: Arrived at the stadium of light for Coldplay! pic.twitter.com/MMmTjRK9
- @grahamweston77: Queuing in the rain outside the Stadium of Light waiting to see the mighty Coldplay please dont rain hard
- @Alex_Fletcher91: At the stadium of light to see coldplay and its raining #typicalenglishsummer
- @cardigan_lover: @coldplay just passed us on the way to the Stadium of Light, police escort right up the middle of all the traffic - that's how it's done! ;)
- @Emmas7517: Just got passed by @coldplay vans on the way to sunderland !! Omg almost peed !!
- @bbbaxter: We're here!! #Coldplay pic.twitter.com/e6N7lDFa
- @Chunkymunky1510: In the stadium of light in our seats ready for coldplay!! #excited
- @SunechoKaty: Old school, if not slightly dangerous, Coldplay traffic direction on Wessington Way roundabout. pic.twitter.com/PpgnTSfR
- @SarahSassMatson: In the stadium of light - wearing my @coldplay wristband !! pic.twitter.com/ZxIKc0X9
- @iancolborne: Waiting for Coldplay to come on at The stadium of light , no rain yet ,but i'm sure its coming
- @dan86gregory: My view for #coldplay, dry warm and didn't cost a penny #loft instagr.am/p/LlUKR_j2qJ/
- @laurenhuntleyx: @RitaOra has just completely blew the stadium of light away... what an unbelievable performance. #Coldplay.
- @CoverpointFood: Sunderland ready to rock. #coldplay pic.twitter.com/7ACUDMST
- @anaturalstate: Coldplay in the pouring rain at Stadium of Light twitpic.com/9turv9
- @mattoliver83: "God gave me a concert I won't forget, up in Sunderland getting soaking wet!" - Chris Martin #Coldplay
- @oxfamontour: Glorious inflatables :) @coldplay twitpic.com/9tvm1t
- @oxfamontour: Lasers at the ready! Sunderland you are beautiful! twitpic.com/9tvm1x
- @Helentastic: Just seen @coldplay at stadium of light! #speechless #amazeballs #coldplaylive
- @coldplay: Sunderland - you win the award for toughest crowd of the tour. That rain was fucking APOCALYPTIC ! PH
- @coldplay: Amazing audience in Sunderland and the wristbands looked more beautiful than ever . Thanks to everyone who came CM
- @Miss_KJLubomski: Had the most amazing time at @coldplay, rocked the stadium of light, would go as far as the best gig I have ever been to!!!! X
- @mphawk1: @Coldplay WOW amazing tonight at the stadium of light. Thank You
- @jessicaaaclaire: @coldplay were absolutely AMAZING at Sunderland #nighttoremember
- @albabey: Without a doubt @coldplay are the best band in the world .. Brilliant night at the stadium of light #Coldplay
- @meganclellandxx: @coldplay wow, absolutely amazing show in Sunderland tonight, worth every penny and worth being in the rain, well done :)
- @Kara8181: @coldplay what an awesome show tonight at sunderland ;) singing in the rain #lovedeveryminute
- @coldplay: the wristbands looked insanely beautiful from where I was standing tonight CM #sunderland #xylobands pic.twitter.com/eSOLafm0
