14 December 2005: Earls Court, London, England
From WikiColdplay
Setlist
- Square One
- Politik
- Yellow
- Speed Of Sound
- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
- X&Y
- How You See The World
- White Shadows
- The Scientist
- ’Til Kingdom Come
- Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash Cover)
- Don’t Panic (Acoustic)
- Clocks
- Talk
Encore - Swallowed In The Sea
- In My Place
- Fix You
Reviews
Coldplay kicked off their indoor UK tour in London last night (December 14). The band, who had previously played a series of outdoor dates in Britain, performed their first significant British gig under a roof this year at Earl's Court.
Boasting to the crowd they'd played in "116 countries" this year, frontman Chris Martin told the audience "it was great to be home" as the band played to a sold out and enthusiastic crowd.
Earlier, Coldplay had been supported by Richard Ashcroft who mixed new material including forthcoming single 'Break The Night With Colour' with older Verve favourites including set-closer 'Bitter Sweet Symphony'.
"This is a blues version of an old favourite," he informed the crowd. "Without the strings and the fancy bits, without all the lawsuits."
Coldplay then performed a set that mixed up songs from all their three albums, plus with a mini-acoustic set midway through their that included the song they wrote for Johnny Cash - 'Til Kingdom Come' - plus a cover of Cash's 'Ring Of Fire'.
Coldplay played:
'Square One' 'Politik' 'Yellow' 'Speed Of Sound' 'God Put A Smile Upon Your Face' 'X&Y' 'How You See The World' 'White Shadows' 'The Scientist' 'Til' Kingdom Come' 'Ring Of Fire' 'Don't Panic' 'Clocks' 'Talk' 'Swallowed In The Sea' 'In My Place' 'Fix You'
Concluding the performance by sprinting to the back of the venue to say hello to fans sitting at the back, Martin told Earl's Court: "Anyone who says that London audiences aren't the best in the world is lying to you."
Were you there? What did you think of the gig? Send your comments with Coldplay in the subject to features@nme.com.
Meanwhile, Coldplay continue in London until December 16, before their tour moves round the country, concluding in Belfast on December 21.
Source: NME.com
OMG! How blinding was tonite!! First off I must say that Richard Ashcroft is amazing on stage! He has a great voice and he started off his set with ‘Lucky Man’, which is one of my all time favourite songs.
The Verve were such an awesome band. It’s a shame they broke up, but Richard is still going strong with his new band and with his new album, of which he played some new songs, which were still in the same melancholic vein of The Verve. I liked them a lot and I may have to make a purchase [when I get some cash]. He also looked great in his tight leather jacket and jeans. He’s such a cool dude. He also played a blues version of ‘Bittersweet Symphony’, which was just plain awesome to hear. I did a few video clippies. I’ll upload soon.
As for Coldplay, when they came on, it was all of a sudden. Usually they play this sort of intro music, but they didn’t tonight, they just launched into ‘Square one’, which took me totally by surprise. I wasn’t ‘camera ready’. Don’t ever do that again! LOL
Speaking of cameras, I wish someone could double my memory card! I’ve only got 512mb and it’s no way near enough to get the whole gig. I got most of Square one and then it said ‘card full’. I was like WTF? I think my new Samsung A7 uses up more memory. I ended up reducing the size of the pictures I took to 640 pixels, which isn’t really that great, but what the hey!
‘Politik’ was blinding, as usual and everyone was jumping about [as you do]. When ‘Yellow’ was played, Chris chimed in with ‘I drew a line, I drew a line for you/It’s Chico Time for you’ LOL. Also, there were the huge big yellow balloons, which being my first time experiencing this, was lovely! I wanted to touch them, but they were just a little out of reach. Chris ended up popping quite a few as they ended up on stage. He also held one up over his head for the rest of the song, then he threw it at Jonny, who didn’t budge or attempt to break it [what a killjoy! LOL]. Chris managed not to break his guitar [a nice, shiny new white one!] this time round... ‘Speed of Sound’ was lovely and Chris was all over the place [as he was during most of the gig, much to the fans delight]. He was up close and personal with me and a few others, who were lucky to be front and centre! And he was up to his usual antics, such as lying on the floor and rolling off the piano stool. Thanks for the nice view dude!
Just before launching into ‘God Put A Smile’ Chris started singing ‘I’ve got a one way ticket to hell and back’ [he also ad-libbed Madonna’s ‘Hung Up’, at some stage, which I thought was cool. I guess he loves that song LOL!]. ‘GPASUPF’ was electric! Especially Jonny and Chris just giving it at the front of the stage and then Chris falling on the floor and rolling over. Excellent!
I have to also say that I was very impressed with the stage design. It was heaps better than Crystal Palace and the background screen is crystal clear and very detailed, especially during Square one and Speed of Sound. You could see all the guys beautiful faces and I love the way they mixed the upclose shots together in a kaleidoscope type of fashion. I want that program! LOL
X&Y was beautifully rendered. I love the way Jonny opened the song. There was a long period of wailing guitar melancholy with just a single light behind him - absolutely fantastic and it sent shivers down my spine.
Then the band changed places and launched into ‘How you See the World’ [the ‘Help: A Day In The Life’ version]. That took people aback, because it’s a song not everyone is familiar with. I sang away to my hearts content. That was fucking good too!
Guy was way over on the other side to the left and Chris to the right and Jonny B was in the middle, really close to me and he looked good! He also played his butt off and I have lovely footage of that. I love you man!!! Guy was playing that maracas thing in between his bass duties. coldplay_steph, who was standing way over left, got some lovely footage of that, which I’m looking forward to seeing!
Then the guys huddled close for ‘White Shadows’, which I must say is awesomely funky live! Chris was up to his usual antics and went over to the side rail and then just went over it [he has got a lovely bum! LOL]. I’m so glad that Guy insisted that the song made the album. Good call duder!
‘The Scientist’ was strong and poignant. Nobody said it was easy, but man, you guys are making it seem easy. And my favourite favourite thing is when they play The Scientist backwards and then re-arrange things for the acoustic set. They got their cameras out and took shots. Chris took a shot of my banner, which said ‘Guiano Berrymano, aka ‘FORE PLAY’, Primo Classo de Basso’ [thanks Chris!]. He then threw the camera to someone else [the bastard! LOL]. Guy had seen the banner previously - that was the aim, to get his attention! He was a little sheepish, bless ‘im!
Also when Guy wasn’t playing, he was drinking beer and smoking [as usual LOL]. The guy is such a tyke…
At one stage when Chris was way out yonder in the audience, we shouted at Guy how much we love him. He acknowledge us with a shy grin and a sort of wave. He is just too ADORABLE!
I’d also made another banner, which pleaded with the band to play ‘Sleeping Sun’, which I absolutely fucking ADORE! Will looked at the banner and then straight at me with those big down, penetrating eyes of his. I nearly died. There was some murmuring amongst the band, but in the end, they didn’t play it. Maybe tomorrow, maybe tomorrow [I’m hoping!]. I also threw something on stage for Will [at fudgie’s behest]. I was contemplating my bra, but I’m kind of attached to that, so I decided to throw a chocolate bar instead. I hope he got it…
I sang my heart out during ‘Til Kingdom Come’. I love the whole intimacy of the acoustic set. There’s a real fraternity amongst the guys. And the fact that they were so darn close to us - it’s such a treat! They straight away launched into ‘Ring of Fire’, which was the first time I’d heard them perform it. I loved that! It’s a fave song of mine, because it features in one of my favourite films ‘Feeling Minnesota’. If you haven’t seen that, you should…
‘Don’t Panic’, was beautiful. Will and Chris’ harmonies, perfect and dolce, dolce dolce! I love Will’s singing voice. I had hoped that Chris would have done his new descant ‘All I ever wanted, all I ever needed was here in my arms/Words are very unnecessary, they can only do harm’, but alas, he didn’t. It was good anyway…
Then back to full on rockin’ with CLOCKS! The best darn thing ever! It really gets you going, especially when they speed up at the end. ‘Talk’ was an absolute stonker! Chris was all over the floor. He took someone’s phone [the girl nearly peed her pants [LOL] and was singing to who ever. How’d you be if that happened to you! They really went all out during that song, and everyone was singing along. It was fab!
I also loved the way they shone handwriting over the band and over the audience during ‘Swallowed In The Sea’. Shame that Chris kept singing the wrong words [you really need to stop doing that man! LOL]. It was good, otherwise…
‘In My Place’ was the crowd pleaser it always is and ‘Fix You’ was very strongly supported by the crowd, who sang their hearts out, as well as Chris. Altogether it was a blinding set. I was on Cloud 9 when I left the auditorium. Thank you Coldplay for being the Best Band in The World!
Oh yeah - the setlist…. [thanks Hoppy!]
Square 1 Politik Yellow Speed of Sound God Put a Smile X&Y How you see the World White Shadows The Scientist
Till Kingdom Come Ring of Fire Don’t Panic
Clocks Talk
Swallowed in the Sea In my Place Fix You
[Thanks Nettie @ mycoldplay.com]
Coldplay could be accused of striking down a generation of British rock: Embrace, Athlete, Keane, and Kuwb, even Jamie Cullum are their children.
Where frontman Chris Martin started the dilution of Thom Yorke's genuinely agonised howl into a bleat of polite distress, these others have followed. It has diverted bands who may have been part of the rock tradition straight into the middle of the road. In the process, Martin has become a major rock star, while his band affects EMI's share price as the Beatles once did.
His unworldly, earnest attitude is a far cry from previous, anarchic generations. It is summed up by the big hit from Coldplay's new album, X&Y, "Fix You": a palliative for people who aren't really broken, just slightly sad. The whole album is equally rapid. Initially intended as a Kid A-style, great sonic leap forward, Martin soon gave up on that.
However, so crucial are his band to magazines' bank balances (not to mention record companies), it has passed as some kind of classic. It's not Coldplay's fault - they are an honest band. But they've been disastrous for music.
Support act Richard Ashcroft - who, with The Verve, joined Radiohead in creating a far more passionate version of the sound Coldplay have cribbed - might be expected to act as a corrective. But a streamless, chain "Bittersweet Symphony", though, suggests he has lost his way too.
When Coldplay do appear there's little to visually distract from their music. "Yellow the limpid ballad that made their name, is tossed away early, a sure sign of perceived strength and depth. Though not to everyone's taste, it's the hardest thing in pop, a natural hit, one of half a dozen they've manufactured to date. "Sound of Speed", an X&Y single built on a slick Kraftwerk bass riff, proves their variety and skill. Both songs cause mass embracing and clapping, the same communal experience Oasis once gave. Before long, Martin, briefly alone at the piano casually leaves spaces for the crowd to sing for him, knowing exactly where they will.
"Clocks", built around an urgent piano line reveals they are U2 as much as Radiohead, as the singer essays a Bono-like screw of supposed transcendence. As the beat battles into overdrive, we finally arrive at rock and roll.
For "Talk", there's a moment of dark, near mystery as screens show a hunched, shadowy Martin pleading, "I'm so scared about the future - and I don't know what to do.
The encore, "Swallowed in the Sea" is then genuinely, ambivalently epic - a glimpse of why they're loved.
