11 November 2008: Philips Arena, Atlanta, GA, USA
From WikiColdplay
Contents |
Setlist
- Life In Technicolor
- Violet Hill
- Clocks
- In My Place
- Speed Of Sound
- Cemeteries Of London
- Chinese Sleep Chant
- 42
- Fix You
- Strawberry Swing
- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
- Talk (techno remix)
- Green Eyes
- Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
- Viva La Vida
- Lost!
- The Scientist (acoustic)
- Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will singing)
- Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
First Encore - Politik
- Lovers In Japan
- Death And All His Friends
Second Encore - Yellow
- The Escapist (outro)
Photos
Photos from this show can be found at Coldplaying.com in the Gallery thread for Atlanta. http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1548
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=44963
Discussion
All post-show discussion for this show at the forum thread: http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44963
Fan Reviews
Tickets to go see them play that very night in Philips Arena. Tickets I had been hoping and praying and giving up on for MONTHS. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed. I couldn’t find words, and then all I could say was “Really? Are you serious? Are you serious?!” over and over again, and then I just hugged my incredible boyfriend and thought about how I owed my roommate 10$ on the bet I had just lost. I was genuinely surprised.
Apparently, the story goes that Sam bought the tickets in August, the very first night they went on sale, and managed to tell almost no one of his plan. At some point in late September, he mentioned November 5th sort of in passing. “I have somewhere I want to take you that night… does that work?” Meanwhile, my honest and integrity-filled boyfriend proceeded to sew a network of little white lies in regards to the surprise date, ultimately convincing me completely that there was almost no likelihood whatsoever that we could be going to the most thrilling concert event of 2008. Ultimately, I have found myself filled with forgiveness for my lying boyfriend; this concert is one of two gifts I have received in my life that have both surprised and flabbergasted me. The other was a manuscript of everything I had ever blogged, from my friend Ellie. Could I be any more thoroughly gifted by anyone, ever, than these two? I felt so loved, both times, and by both wonderful people.
And the show was un. believable. They started with Life in Technicolor, played everything good inbetween, and ended with Yellow. During Lovers in Japan they dropped ultraviolet-lit confetti butterflies from the ceiling. Now I have them on my wall. :)
Overall, it was a beautiful night.
http://anniemorning.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/you-dont-want-to-miss-this/
Great show as always. Seemed that not only the band but the ATL crowd was much more energetic than last Wednesdays show. Green Eyes was a nice little touch and thanks to the very loyal Atl fans. No surprise guests. Oh well. No complaints here. Does anyone else agree that Politik may be the best live song of all time? Nighty night.
[Politikal 1.]
chris played green eyes instead of the hardest part, FINE WITH ME! I got some of it on video. It was sososososo amazing! and when they did the acoustic set in the audience I rushed down to the end of the row (I was above them) during Lost! everyone was like what are you doing? then they figured it out and TONS of people were around me, I got awesome close ups of them! SO AMAZING! I love Coldplay so much! Chris gave away 2 of his harmonicas! grr! I have to go, but I'll do a better review later and will have pics & vids!
[greeneyes1207]
The show was absolutley amazing. My third show this week and the second time in Atlanta. This was definatly the best out of the three!!! Chris was so powerful on the piano. We were right next to the B stage where they played GPASOYF, Talk, and GREEN EYES which was an amzing surpise because its me and my girlfriend's song. We mananged to grab one of the setlists after the show after 5 minutes of yelling matt and millers name even though they were gone. But some really nice tech guy that i have never seen ended up giving us one. My girlfriend stuffed her purse with like a 100 of the butterflies!!
[gmalool]
For our wedding gift to each other, Trisha and I bought tickets to see Coldplay in Atlanta.
Tonight was the night.
It was a pretty incredible concert. The band Sleeper Car opened for them from 7:30 - 8:05. Then at 8:45, Chris, Jonny, Will, and Guy took the stage...and the audience by storm.
There were lights, lasers, big inflatable balls full of video, rock ballads, pianos, butterflies, guitars, scarves, love ballads, giant video screens and everything in between. They are entertainers...and they lived up to that. They used the entire stage...they even came out and did a few songs on an extended stage right in front of our seats (Section 4, Row 3). Before the night was through, they even did a song back in the back of the arena. I loved it.
On one of the songs, blowers right above us shot paper butterflies all over the crowd.
They really did captivate the audience from start to finish. It was a constant barrage of music that you couldn't help but sing along with...Viva la Vida, Fix You, The Scientist, Clocks, Speed of Sound, Cemeteries of London, Lost...I could go on. Before I know it, I look down and it is 10 till 10 and I know our time is coming to a close.
When they were through, the proverbial cheer for the encore began. It started with clapping and slowly developed into a concise, "Yell-O, Yell-O, Yell-O"...
They came back out...and the encore...Yellow, was performed.
We had an incredible night. We got to hang out with Brad and Cat and rock out to Coldplay.
http://brodybearden.blogspot.com/2008/11/viva.html
Last night I went to Coldplay, here in Atlanta. It was incredible. It was better than the last time I saw them in 2006. I love big events. I love how people from all over Atlanta and the Southeast came into Phillips expecting something amazing to happen. The anticipation in the room was ridiculous. I am blown away by how melody and chords move people. For a few hours last night the crowd was alive. People were singing every word of every song, and they were on their feet the whole time. Some people were even dancing. I am so intrigued by what moves people to this point. Why do we expect 4 guys from England to do something so great? How does the production engage all of our senses? This is why I love music. I love how it brings people together. Different people who don’t know anything about each other, but we know we like Coldplay. At the end of the show, people started singing the “whoa-oa” part of “Viva la Vida” calling them back for an encore. It was such a cool show.
http://brettyounker.com/blog/?p=64
I’ve never seen a show like this one. It was more than a “rock concert,” that term feels so small when compared to what I experienced last night. The production was sick (as if you’d expect anything less), every song had a completely unique look featuring flex truss and giant globes that were inter-projected (maybe a new term, not really sure) and internally lit. I could get technical but I won’t, I’ll just leave it at this… it was breath taking.
http://www.treytaylor.net/2008/11/12/coldplay-and-me/
Media Reviews
“We have, as of yet on this tour, been to England. But we’ve been to Atlanta twice.”
While it’s debatable whether Coldplay is the world’s biggest band, it is undeniable that they dominate both England and the UK in popularity. So for Chris Martin, the band’s star lead, to compare their home with Atlanta, Georgia speaks volumes to their growth.
The band claims that it was a 2000 performance at The Tabernacle in downtown Atlanta that gave them their breakout performance in the States and helped launch their success worldwide. Performing to 20,000 people in the Philips Arena on Nov. 11 symbolized their continued success. As Coldplay took the stage, the recorded song slowly rose in volume over the speakers, and the live performance took over as the climax shifted it into high gear, with white lights absorbingly flashing from every angle and the band in full view.
“Violet Hill,” the first single from the latest album, followed fluidly with the same exciting energy, not giving the crowd, which surprisingly ranged from young to old, time to think. In typical form, Chris Martin exuded the most energy, dancing repeatedly from both ends of the stage that extended onto ramps that fed into the crowd from the stage’s left and right ends. Even when the sound equipment was loud and brash, and a bit heavy with bass, the crowd vocally supported Martin so much that it at times was overwhelming, giving the concert a hymnal feel.
Favorites from “A Rush of Blood to the Head,” “X/Y” and even their first LP “Parachutes” each gave off their own look and feel through specific uses of color and lighting. A large projected screen behind the band would alter and change as the concert advanced, playing videos and showing specific artwork for each track. After “Strawberry Swing,” which echoed visions of pink throughout the venue, the band shifted to a small, hidden stage near the middle of the floor seats. Shaped like a box, with illuminated panels as the floor, the band crowded around an old piano and played a techno version of “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face.”
“Talk” followed with the same electronic feel, also using a more intimate approach in lighting, and a less focused sound. Afterward, guitarist Jonny Buckland, drummer Will Champion, and bassist Guy Berryman fled back to the dark main stage and left Chris Martin alone, spotlighted on piano. Two other singles followed on the main stage, “Viva La Vida” and “Lost!” with equal excitement as before but with Champion out front banging simply away on timpani with large mallets right behind Martin. Calling out to the audience in the back of the auditorium, the band headed for the balcony where another set of instruments awaited. There they played acoustic renditions of “The Scientist” and “Death Will Never Conquer” from the rafters, and fans ran from all directions to crowd around. The band then took a pause to go backstage, and the crowd reacted expectantly, calling for their return with chants of “Coldplay, Coldplay, Coldplay!”
Their return brought the same reaction and the kinetic “Politik” followed with strobe lights aligning the front and back of the main stage. Martin shouted “Ah yeah!” and the crowd clapped in rhythm with the persistent beat of the song. But even after almost two exhausting hours of a vibrant performance, the final encore was perhaps the defining moment of the night. With a traditionally lit stage, the band huddled together at the center, seemingly discussing the following song. Out of nowhere, though, Martin ran out of the group, jumped in the air, guitar in hand, and as his feet hit the stage, the lights burst into bright yellow and the band rocked their very first single from June 2000, “Yellow.”
As the concert died, everyone in attendance sang the last notes, and the band then thanked everyone for supporting them and giving them “the best job on Earth.”
If being a member of Coldplay is the best job, then watching them perform live has to be a close second.
I’m huddled in a corner behind one of the Oxfam pop-up banners by our table at the entrance to the arena. If I look up, I can see three of Oxfam’s volunteers enthusiastically passing out free badges and signing up Coldplay fans to the Oxfam America mailing list. Here come 5 more fans ready to sign on the sheets. It’s great to listen to some of the little things that happen at the stall..
“When I say ‘Cold’ .. you say ‘Play’ .. Cold - Play. Cold - Play!
When I say ‘Ox’ .. you say ‘Fam’. Ox - Fam! Ox - Fam!”
I haven’t heard that one before. But that’s the beauty of doing this in so many different places. In the background, I can hear ‘Sleepercar’ finishing up on-stage. There’s just 40 minutes until the main attraction hits the stage. These arenas are strange places to work. So hollow during most of the day.. slowly building up a buzz as the sound checks get started, and the hazers keep spraying.. but when the doors open, it’s like working in a busy mall or station. Thousands of people wander about, filling the place up. Some wander aimlessly .. wondering where to buy a pretzel.. eyes glazed.. others stare at the merchandise for a silly amount of time. Some stop by our booth and sign up. Some rush to their seat and wait patiently, not daring to move, in case they miss something. Then there are the ones that miss all that and run in right before the set and skip the aimless/purposeful wandering.
They all have a couple of things in common. They all love Coldplay, and they all have the power to make a difference to the world. Oxfam does amazing work to overcome poverty. We are here to help people see how they can help. How their actions collectively can save lives. The more people who get involved, the more Oxfam can do.
I just have to say.. there’s a bit of competition going on. The stall next to ours is renting out binoculars for those people in the noseblead seats (*the ones up high). Seriously. Ours is a way more exciting stall. No offense.
Anyway, back to the show. I have to run and get the volunteers tickets, so i’d better go. Hoping for a smooth trip tonight.. Atlanta - Kansas City. Wow. We’re covering some ground.
Back in production.. 10 minutes to stage time. I can hear Chris Martin in the next room warming up his voice..
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=103
