22 July 2008: United Center, Chicago, IL, USA

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1 Setlist
2 Photos
3 Fan Reviews
4 Media Reviews
5 Videos

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Setlist

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Photos

Photos from this show can be found at Coldplaying.com in the Gallery thread for Chicago. http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1509

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Fan Reviews

All fan reviews have been submitted to us by the members of Coldplaying.com[1], unless stated otherwise.

First Coldplay was in top form!!! They were awesome and Chris sounded amazing!!!

Now some highlights:

When I got to the United Center there were cameras in my section. I was in Section 101. Security told me Coldplay was filming something. Later, during the show Chris said they were performing an old song and then a new song. I don't remember exactly but he said that the filming was for the new song. He said if we did good he would do the new song twice. The second performance of the song would be for the film. The old song was Yellow. The new song was Lost!. So we got Lost! twice during the concert. I am guessing Lost! will be the next single?

Also The Scientist (acoustic version) was performed from the back in Section 109.

And after they played the Escapist, it should have been the end of the show but Chris and Will came back to the stage. He said something about the other guys had left to a whore house Anyway Chris and Will performed Green Eyes.

Fix You was performed very early during the show.

[Ultravioletlight25]

Saw the first Chicago show (My first for this tour). Long story short I thought it was both a terrific show and represented an improvement by the band in many respects from the other times I've seen them live. Some thoughts:

-Good setlist. The new songs really came alive played live and the old ones all sounded tight as well. Was impressed that they lengthened the set as well. Also by my count, no two shows yet on the tour have had the exact same setlist which is cool.

-Both Jonny and Guy seemed more energetic than I had seen them ever before. These two have really stepped up their stage style IMHO.

-Chris' voice was MUCH better than both times I saw them during Twisted Logic. Also about him letting backup tapes "do most of the work", it seemed to me that when backup tapes were extensively used, he was busy playing guitar. Most of the songs where he wasn't playing something (and thus would be free to do some of the work the backing tracks did) were those songs not using heavy backing.

-Side stage bit was cool but totally lifted from the first encore of Popmart (thankfully sans giant fruit)

-Acoustic set was a bit weird. IMHO heavily traded sound quality for the novelty of playing in the audience.

Overall, best Coldplay show I've been to (out of 5 total). It seems to me the new live show seeks to actively adress some of the critisisms that have been made about Coldplay as a live act in the past, and again IMHO, they've succeeded in that regard

[fakfak]

The show was AWESOME!!! Even with seats at the 300 level I had a great time. I brought my binoculars so I could experience the whole stadium and effects and then look through my binoculars at times to see what the band was doing. I am so glad they mixed it up so much with songs from many of their different albums and some accoustic stuff and some very danceable stuff. Even though I was in the 300s, the people behind me stood up for most of the concert. So, that was cool. At least the people around me were into it.

All the Viva la Vida songs that were played sounded great and Chris's voice was spot on yesterday. In comparison to some of the performances on tv...he made all the notes- I was so happy for him! And you could hear that he made them, because the microphone sounded like it was right next to him. You could hear voice very clearly in a lot of the songs.

They played In my place....which I love!!! and he and everyone else got into it. Yeaahhhhh....how long can you wait for it....yeah....

The effects were really cool...lasers, the balls, butterflies and them rocking on the catwalks. We had tickets in the 300 level so you could see all the people and the stage was directly across from us. This was great. I felt like I experienced the show as a whole and I was able to see all of the guys. Usually when you are too close to the stage, you end up only getting to see one or two of the band members. This time I was able to see all of them as a whole group, a whole band.

I am glad that there were many times where the band got closer to other parts of the audience. It is cool that they are making this effort. And I think they are really doing it for the benefit of all the fans. This time around I was not able to pay for closer tickets, but that they make an effort to sing closer to all the people in the arena makes me happy. Since they can't or don't play in smaller venues anymore, this is a nice touch that they are doing. It also brings more variety to the show itself which is nice.

All in all it was a great show. I was happy with everything that they played. I didn't read any other shows setlists or reviews as to be satisfied with what I got. I felt like they played a variety of stuff and was happy when they kept playing more and more songs. I wasn't sure how long they were going to play for.

Btw...Chris, if you see this you can play a two-three hour show if you want to. He mentioned something about playing 1 1/2hours... I don't ever mind more ...althought it did feel substantial.

I saw the sign that the coldplayers made....with my binoculars...and I thought to myself...hmmm I wonder it that was made by anyone here. It was! That is pretty cool! You know Chris is Jonny's self esteem booster! Kind of cute.

That was so awesome that they taped "Lost!" I love that song. It sounded so great in concert! I was dancing, waving, singing and clapping throughout both times that they played it. For some reasone I was thinking they were going to tape Yellow when they mentioned the taping...but I guess that was just to pump us up. I thought it was cool when Chris said that we all did a great job...more than he expected.

Hopefully they will use that video.

On one last note... do they usually play Green Eyes or an encore?

I would like to thank Coldplay, especially Chris and Will, if they ever read this. It may just be a total coincidence...but they played Green Eyes for an encore and I asked the oracle to play that song instead of Fix You yesterday. I have no idea if they read those things...but if they do... You made my day yesterday. Again it is probably a total coincidence...but Thank You. Chris and Will's vocal harmonies on that song were awesome...really sounded great in one part. That is also cool that Will plays piano. And I love that song, because it is so acoustic and Chris sings it from the heart. It also reminded me of the time that they sang at the UIC pavillion. I hadn't gotten the AROBTH album yet, but heard that song in concert and loved it...it felt personal...Chris was very chatty back then...

I yelled Thank You throughout the song...but I don't know if they heard me...I was all the way in the 300s. Chris also mentioned Kanye West in his lyrics and that was weird and probably coincidental again...because I also asked for Chris to sing with Kanye West....

Weird...

Anyways, thanks Coldplay for the great concert. Can't wait to see you guys again...hopefully in the near future. Come back to Chicago or its surroundings...it is always welcome to you! Too bad the band has gotten so popular that I haven't gotten to meet all of them yet. Hopefully one day I can.

[gvargas]

I thought last nights show was a let down compared to last year honestly.

First off Coldplay has always really only played for an hour and half so that complaint has been around for years now, but they still continue to do it. I mean for $120 each ticket (incl fees) one would at least expect 2 hours worth or some crowd interaction! I know this isnt VH1 Storytellers, but come on, a guy can only ask "Are you guys feeling ok?" so many times.

I just thought this whole show lacked excitement. Last years show with the Square one opening, the new version of clocks, accoustic set-up, yellow balloons, etc was far better in my opinion than orbs with video played on them, lasers (which were used on the previous 3 tours), and paper butterflies.

Another thing I dont like is that most of this new album uses instruments that the guys arent even playing! I was hoping for someone playing the violin (but I guess they arent adding a 5th member to Coldplay) or something during this show, but no, just computers playing recorded instruments.

And so Chris said something about them doing something special for the fans if they could play Lost twice? What exactly was this special treat? They played Green Eyes already on the tour so that couldnt have been it. No special encore, becuase they've played one on every show this tour thus far. They played Lost twice and that was the only thing that was unique about last night and I personally didnt thats that big a deal. Whoa the same song twice in a row becuase you want to make a DVD? Cool dude!

Before last nights show, I was actually thinking about going two nights in a row, but now its out of the question. I also dont think I'll be going to another show on their tour this year (this after seeing 5 shows last year).

[asnigro]

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Media Reviews

Coldplay swings for the balconies, and even plays in them

On its 2006 tour, Coldplay figured out how to supersize its shows. Once a fluff-up-the-pillow band of balladeers, built on Chris Martin’s falsetto voice and upright piano, the British quartet muscled up and swung for the rafters, in keeping with its status as a multimillion-selling franchise capable of filling sports arenas around the globe.

With its fourth and latest album, the cumbersomely titled “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends,” Coldplay tackles big subjects (death, the afterlife) with an equally big sound, brimming with nuances sculpted by producer Brian Eno.

It’s the type of album designed to fill stadiums, and Coldplay swept into the United Center on Tuesday for the first of two concerts with a certain been-there, done-that confidence, if not swagger. “Swagger” and “Coldplay” are words that rarely belong in the same sentence, because Martin and his bandmates have always carried themselves with a scruffy, almost sheepish charm. Yet with “In My Place,” Martin was winding up his left arm and thrusting it skyward like he was throwing uppercuts at the heavens each time the chorus kicked in. With the lights up and the whole house singing along, it was the kind of crowd-pleasing gesture that Martin now delights in.

At other moments, he was the slightly goofy, ever-smiling, ever-earnest cheerleader, U.K. rock’s answer to dithering actor Hugh Grant. Martin pranced around the stage with gawky enthusiasm, leading sing-alongs at every opportunity and waving his arms like a traffic cop at a busy intersection. It all worked because he’s got the Big Music to back it up. Drummer Will Champion rattled his drum kit with eye-catching flourishes, jutting his left arm upward before bringing it down. Guitarist Jonny Buckland is not a speed guitarist; rather, in the grandiose tradition of Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour, U2’s the Edge or Oasis’ Noel Gallagher, he played patiently, framing each note and riff with lots of dramatic space. Nor did bassist Guy Berryman overplay. That role was left to the myriad backing recordings the band used to fatten its sound.

The quartet’s latest trick, honed with Eno, is to cobble together bits of what sound like different songs into epic statements. In another time and place, this might’ve been called progressive rock, but with Coldplay it’s more about creating contrasts and mood swings than showing off their instrumental technique. This approach worked particularly well on “42,” a four-part suite-like track that veered from Coldplay’s balladeer comfort zone into more dissident terrain and then back again.

If there’s a weakness, it’s that Coldplay tries to create a sense of profundity where there isn’t any. What’s with the French Revolution-era painting as a backdrop and the tattered neo-military get-ups? They’re really nothing more than eye candy, just like the green lasers and giant orbs that doubled as video screens. Martin’s lyrics toss around big concepts, but he’s best when he sticks to good, old-fashioned heartbreak as a subject.

Not that it mattered. In an arena, it’s all about creating an event. And Coldplay did so; it sang two acoustic songs amid the audience in the first balcony, and two more on a small stage on the floor. It also turned the audience into eager accomplices for “Lost,” which was performed twice for a future video.

The song warns against taking anything for granted. It’s advice Coldplay has taken to heart as it works the big rooms.

http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.c...ay-swings.html

Coldplay mixes Big Music with a little goofiness

On its 2006 tour, Coldplay figured out how to supersize its shows. Once a fluff-up-the-pillow band of balladeers, built on Chris Martin's falsetto voice and upright piano, the British quartet muscled up and swung for the rafters, in keeping with its status as a multimillion-selling franchise capable of filling sports arenas around the globe.

With its fourth and latest album, the cumbersomely titled "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," Coldplay tackles big subjects (death, the afterlife) with an equally big sound, brimming with nuances sculpted by producer Brian Eno.

It's the type of album designed to fill stadiums, and Coldplay swept into the United Center on Tuesday for the first of two concerts with a certain been-there, done-that confidence, if not swagger. "Swagger" and "Coldplay" are words that rarely belong in the same sentence, because Martin and his bandmates have always carried themselves with a scruffy, almost sheepish charm. Yet with "In My Place," Martin was winding up his left arm and thrusting it skyward like he was throwing uppercuts at the heavens each time the chorus kicked in.

At other moments, he was the slightly goofy, ever-smiling, ever-earnest cheerleader, U.K. rock's answer to dithering actor Hugh Grant. Martin pranced around the stage with gawky enthusiasm, leading singalongs at every opportunity and waving his arms like a traffic cop at a busy intersection. It all worked because he's got the Big Music to back it up. Drummer Will Champion rattled his drum kit with eye-catching flourishes, jutting his left arm upward before bringing it down. Guitarist Jonny Buckland is not a speed guitarist; rather, in the grandiose tradition of Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, U2's the Edge or Oasis' Noel Gallagher, he played patiently, framing each note and riff with lots of dramatic space. Nor did bassist Guy Berryman overplay. That role was left to the myriad backing recordings the band used to fatten its sound.

The quartet's latest trick, honed with Eno, is to cobble together bits of what sound like different songs into epic statements. In another time and place, this might've been called progressive rock, but with Coldplay it's more about creating contrasts and mood swings than showing off their instrumental technique. This approach worked particularly well on "42," which veered from Coldplay's balladeer comfort zone into more dissident terrain and then back again.

If there's a weakness, it's that Coldplay tries to create a sense of profundity where there isn't any. What's with the French Revolution-era painting as a backdrop and the tattered neo-military get-ups? They're really nothing more than eye candy, just like the green lasers and giant orbs that doubled as video screens. Martin's lyrics toss around big concepts, but he's best when he sticks to good, old-fashioned heartbreak as a subject.

Not that it mattered. In an arena, it's all about creating an event. And Coldplay did so; it sang two acoustic songs amid the audience in the first balcony, and two more on a small stage on the floor. It also turned the audience into eager accomplices for " Lost," which was performed twice for a future video.

The song warns against taking anything for granted. It's advice Coldplay has taken to heart as it works the big rooms.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/lifestyle/chi-coldplay-ovn-0724jul24,0,2169831.story

Coldplay throws party for 20,000

Even after several million albums sold, British art-rockers Coldplay are still conflicted about their status as an arena act, and that's one of their most endearing traits.

On the one hand, front man Chris Martin and his bandmates do everything they can to maximize the big rock spectacle, the grand theatrical gesture and the musical bombast.

On Tuesday, the first night of a two-night stand at the United Center, the musicians came out dressed in pseudo-Napoleonic uniforms and began to perform in front of a giant backdrop of Delacroix's French Revolutionary painting, "Liberty Leads the People," which happens to be the cover of their new album, "Viva La Vida."

Several big globes hung from the ceiling and flashed video images of the band as it played; at times, the group deployed more lasers than any band since Genesis, and during the song "Lovers in Japan," a seemingly endless rain of colorful paper butterflies fell on the crowd.

On the other hand, Martin has never been afraid to let his inner geek show: He's the anti-Bono, dancing like an awkward little urchin instead of striking cool larger-than-life poses, and never hesitant to do his Schroeder routine at his black upright piano.

Throughout the 90-minute set, the bandleader frequently thanked the fans for their support, sounding genuinely surprised at his own success. And he, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion did everything they could to get up close and personal, running to the end of the platform on stage right, performing two songs at the end of the platform on stage left and eventually hopping down from the stage altogether to briefly perform acoustically in the midst of the fans in the first tier off the floor.

None of this made the show as intimate as the one the group played at Metro to celebrate the release of its last album, "X&Y." But it felt as special as any party for 20,000 can, and the goodwill the band created extended to the audience indulging two renditions of the new song "Lost" for the benefit of a video filming, as well as the heavy sampling of the more arty, less anthemic songs from "Viva La Vida" sprinkled between guaranteed crowd pleasers such as "Clocks," "In My Place" and "Yellow."

JIM DeROGATIS

http://www.suntimes.com/entertainmen...cold23.article

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