1 July 2006: Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Australia
From WikiColdplay
Setlist
- Square One
- Politik
- Yellow
- Speed Of Sound
- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
- Don't Panic
- White Shadows
- The Scientist
- Til Kingdom Come
- Ring Of Fire
- Clocks
- Talk
Encore - Swallowed In The Sea
- In My Place
- Fix You
Reviews
Three years ago, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin warned that his band wouldn't be "in this neck of the woods again for quite a while".
Since that tour, the English quartet have staked their claim for the title of biggest rock band in the world, selling millions of albums and playing to vast crowds nightly.
The group even affected the share price of their record company, EMI, when they missed the deadline for the release date for their third album, X&Y.
As usual, last night's crowd was greeted by stands for Fair Trade, Martin's charity of choice.
After a sturdy set from Sydney-based rockers Youth Group, Coldplay staged a consistently thrilling night of melodramatic pop music. Martin is the band's undoubted focal point on stage, scampering around energetically and commanding the fans' attention.
In the first of their three Melbourne shows, the group delighted the 12,000-strong crowd by dipping into what has become a commanding arsenal of hits.
There was Talk, Clocks, Speed of Sound and the poignant ballad The Scientist.
During the band's breakthrough hit song Yellow, the crowd roared as huge yellow balloons filled with gold confetti were released into the arena.
The crowd roared again when the singer dedicated Don't Panic to the Socceroos.
He even managed to dedicate a song to Shane Warne. When Warne was spotted walking through the crowd, a huge chant of "Warney" went up through most of the audience.
The band's much vaunted cover of Johnny Cash's classic Ring of Fire was also included.
However, among the omissions to the set-list were tracks such as Shiver and even current single The Hardest Part.
They were jettisoned in place of key tracks from the now 12-month old X&Y such as Square One and White Shadows.
The band ended with one of their most polarising moments - the slow-building ballad Fix You, with Martin leading the crowd in a compelling singalong.
A handful of tickets remain for tonight and tomorrow's shows.
Source: http://www.theage.com.au
Some music critics have labelled English rock band Coldplay as "bland", but surely they did not mean the outfit that played Rod Laver Arena last night.
Chris Martin and his three band mates had the capacity crowd in the palm of their hands for the first of their three Melbourne shows. Last night's audience saw how success has transformed a band that was unknown when it played Melbourne's Big Day Out several years ago. Martin now leaps and prowls around the stage like a showbiz veteran.
The band played much of the latest album, X&Y, plus favourites such as Yellow, during which huge gold balloons filled with gold sparkles floated around the stadium.
Martin also drew attention to the presence of cricketer Shane Warne in the crowd.
When Warne left the concert several songs before it finished, Rod Laver Arena erupted into chants of "Warnie, Warnie".
Source: http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au
Well Im not a huge fan but I like them and have cds and dvd.
Youth Group were great zI gave them a standing ovation, although the sound was pretty ordinary from my side on position. Its an old saying that you never let the support sound as good as the main act.
The 40 minute break was too long. Then there was the non stop dreadful rap. Christ what torture, then the beatles came on and people knew it was about to start.
On came coldplay, crowd went nuts, singing like crazy and didnt stop all night,great singing was commented on by Chris several times. Clapping was great. Fantastic crowd, sold out, thousand on the floor alone so in all would have been 15,000 id say. Great range of ages, no trouble, lots of love. Crowd going nuts.
Played most popular songs, sound for the first one was way off but it was terrific for the rest of the show. Crowd fgoing nuts.
The lighting effects were minimal, one curved vid screen at the year wasnt used anywhere near enough, especially when martin ran out into the crowd, there was no big screen. Infact for the 120 bucks most people paid you expect more visual effect for your buck. As I expected after seeing the sydney 2003 dvd, you go to hear coldplay not see them.
Sure martim jumps around in a fashion that must have insurance companies shitting their pants, but thats about it. Not much coverage of the band, not much video coverage of anything for that matter.
The sound was overall better than I could have hoped for from where I sat. I made eye contact with Chris which is always good when you are applauding, also the guitarist with the cap and the drummer, lucky me, that always makes a concert special. The drummer drummed his guts out by the way.
The riggers up in the gods were excellent with what they had to work with,a few spots, there was too much shadow, at times the spots were off, but thats hard to do with a guy that jumps around at random. Lost a mark for not waving to anyone too. We know youre up there, first time at Rod Laver Arena no waves from above, make sure you guys wave tomorrow night, monday night you can water bomb.
The first set was a bit short, the crowd didnt bring the roof down for an encore and were a bit shocked. When they went off after the final weird extended one song encore I think people wanted a lot more than 90 minutes or so.
IK cant explain how the encore went, it was different, thats for sure, someone will put it into words better than me. I had to get the crowd around me standing up as I think most people didnt realise the end was approaching and that its COMPULSORY to stand at the end.
Overall Id give it an 8/10. The crowd made up for the lack of visual effects and Youth Group got things off to a good start.
Some weird Shane Warne references as he was in the crowd, I gather martin is a big fan of him.Infact during the break before the encore a chant of "WARNIE WARNIE " went up as he was moved to a better position from the seats to the floor. Made me sick, not the move but the chant, fuck shiould send a serious message to the band. melboourne people get bored easily during ecore breaks. A weird song and a version of ring of fire towards the end of the first set was a waste of time. The Hardest Part should have been played instead of those with the video on the big idle screen at the back being put to use.
Infact the lack of any video screen coverage overall gave me the shits. Im sure the people up in the gods must have been pissed off. When it was used it was great but that was only 20% of the time. Maritn mumbles a bit too at times, although it might have been related to the earlier sound problem.
I Know about these things and there really was a sound problem at the beginning and there was a mixing problem at one stage about half way through for about 5 seconds levels all dropped and there was a staccato effect, maybe it was a radio mike problem.
Dont get me wrong, Id go again if I had the money, atm there are floor tickets available at ticketek for tomorrow night and side view which is what I had for both nights, theyre cheaper and believe me better than being in front and right up the back.
Its a great sound and a great night, the fans made sure of that.
sorry if ai rambled, ears still ringing.
Big thanks to the security staff at Rod Laver Arena, always so professional, low key and friendly. They know how to judge a crowd and react accordingly. HAd a good view of the front barrier and saw lots of girls being let out over the top to go to the toot and then geting their spots back. Thats an example of sensible security at its best and you guys deserve a lot of praise.
AND PLEASE TAKE YOUR CAMERA
CAMERAS ARE ENCOURAGED DO NOT BE AFRAID THERE ARE NO SEARCHES AND BOOTLEGG TO BUGGERY YOU COULD TAKE A TV CAMERA IN THERE NO PROBLEM
YOU KNOW THERES NOT A CAMERA PROBLEM WHEN THE LEAD SINGER SINGS INTO A PHONE CAM AND THE BAND TAKES CROWD PICS AND THROWS THE CAMS INTO THE CROWD
have fun, go see coldplay, its worth it for the music.
[Thanks mickk]
Chris, Guy, Will and Jonny had the crowd in a trance last night.
After a long 40min wait between Youth group the crowd was starting to go off, it got darker and darker over a period of like 10 min until the screen went white and the four of them walked out and grabbed there intruments, chris howeva taking up the mic to sing there 1st song and which also is there 1st song on X&Y, Square One. The crowd was in a awe. Politik was next wth the band not stopping to talk, after the end of politik howeva, which was awesome he spoke and said "thank you 4 giving up ur saturday night to watch 4 little english boys" then there hit yellow was playd.
There were so many hightlights throughout the show and even a person that isnt a big fan wood admit it was an amazing performance, by the end of the show, coldplay had the crowd in there hands and I dont think there was a person that wasnt singing in Rod Laver, they brought it home wth three of there great songs, Swollowed in the sea, In My Place (which chris martin took an adventure up the bak of the stadium), and finally Fix You. Which was perfectly performed and loved by all.
Fantastic show guys. Hope you tour here again sum day. Roo
[Thanks Rhett]
This is a time when the Thesaurus needs a whole new group of words...amazing, outstanding, breathtaking, beautiful, heart-rending and mindblowing are just a handful of adjectives that don't come anywhere close to describing the Coldplay concert last night.
Starting with Square One, and loads of bass , they exploded into to song, the light show was awesome..and it just got better from there...second song was Politik and it was then that I started crying...just because I was so happy to be there, the guys were so brilliant, the sound was magic and the energy was in the air everywhere. Every song was wonderful, Chris Martin delivered and then some, and Jon Buckland is in a league of his own.
To wait for a concert for over 8 months, anticipating it, listening to the 3 albums over and over and discussing every little musical detail with friends, only to arrive at the day finally and be totally blown away was so much more than I could have hoped for.
If I could afford it I would go again tonight and tomorrow night as well.
Coldplay, you rock, we love you.
[Thanks Mellie]
Yeah I just got back from the second concert too and I totally agree I thought it was so much better than last nights concert. Dont get me wrong last nights concert was great but I found that the atmosphere was so much better tonight. I actually heard people singing and screaming and thats how it should be and thats what Coldplay travelled to hear!!
I found there was a greater applause and carrying on for the encore.. it seemed as though last night no one knew what was going on when they went out for the encore. I just felt like saying people this is where we are supposed to start screaming, clapping and cheering for them. But I was truly proud of the fans, and just as the band want to hear there is nothing that sounds better than thousands of people singing along to their song.
But as previous posts stated it all depends on where you sit. I hope tomorrow in GA is an experience I will never forget. I hope everyone around me shows them the true Coldplay spirit!! Cant wait!!
I also enjoyed the way they added a bit of variety to the show tonight and its good to know that they dont just sing the same songs and say the same jokes. I wonder what will be different for tomorrows concert and which Australian celebrity they will dedicate the next song too. Well not too long to go now! I'll keep people posted in changes from the first and second show as opposed to the third!
I took photos tonight but I was too far away to get decent pics. Hopefully I will get great ones tomorrow... well if I have a clear view anyway.
To all of those going tomorrow have a blast as well...sing like you have never sung before and scream til you lose your voice!
[Thanks Lioness]
On that fateful thursday, 6th October 2005 I nearly had an orgasm being one of the lucky ones to be pre-selected to purchase tickets. At first I regreted buying gold general admission tickets thinking that i would end up really far back but that was one of the best decisions of my life. I was just right of centre stage and there were only 2 people in front of me separating me and chris martin....it was the most amazing night ever!!! and here's why
as i type this right now coldplay are probably giving their all for their 2nd night in melbourne....oh btw, for those who have GA tickets and want front row..if you rock up at about 5 you should be okay...i got there at about 4pm but not many people lined up so 5pm should be fine....
the night did at first drag on having to first wait for the doors to open, then in line to get wristbands, then at another door, then wait for youthgroup (who played for like an hour), then another 50 mins before coldplay came on...
but when they bursted onto stage with square one it was F***ING awesome....although i was a bit disappointed there weren't enough hardcore fans who knew lyrics to the less popular songs like 'til kingdom come'....but having said that, the crowd went nuts when chris got the audience to sing lines of The Scientist and Yellow and Fix You...
i agree with many of the others who felt the night was short but that's because we love coldplay so much and don't want it to ever end... the 3 song encore was amazing and ending with fix you was perfect!
highlights included:
- the scientist (best song in the whole universe!!!) - giant balloons filled with gold glitter during the song Yellow - when the band members took photos of the crowd with disposable cameras and then threw them into the crowd (i wish i got one dammit!!!) - when chris told the shane warne story - when chris ran into the nosebleed section at the back of the arena - when chris took a mobile phone from a front row member and started singing into it during 'Talk' - when jonny sung a line during 'don't panic' - will's performance (he was SOOO good with his drumming and really into it - plus he's cute too!) - when chris changed the lyrics of GPASOYF to 'god please let me play in melbourne for 3 consecutive nights' - and finally, when the crowd sung so incredibly loud at the end of FIX YOU
Tips for people going tomorrow night:
- bring some water - wear comfortable shoes and clothes you can take off coz it gets hot - BRING A CAMERA (i forgot mine dammit!) - Learn their lyrics - buy some merchandise or you will definitely regret it - be patient...it's a long wait but definitely worth it (coldplay didn't start till 9ish) - sing a long and lose yourself in the music...who cares what those around you think - for those with GA line up around 5ish should be okay - prepare yourself for the best night of your life!
'we live in a beautiful world'
[Thanks obsolete]
just got back from the show and... IT WAS AMAZING!! im not a huge fan of coldplay and didnt think the concert would be that good!!! i was about 5m from the stage couldnt belive how close i got.
yellow was great with the big yellow ballons ( i popped one )i thought it was good how they played all the pop songs at the start good way to kick it off. i just had a great night so thanks coldplay hope to see you again some time!
[Thanks Dan Allen]
