24 May 2009: Hershey Stadium, Hershey, PA, USA
From WikiColdplay
Contents |
Setlist
- Life In Technicolor
- Violet Hill
- Clocks
- In My Place
- Yellow
- Glass Of Water
- Cemeteries Of London
- 42
- Fix You
- Strawberry Swing
- God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Partial Techno Remix)
- Talk (Partial Techno Remix)
- The Hardest Part (Chris Solo Piano)
- Postcards From Far Away (Chris Solo Piano)
- Viva La Vida
- Lost!
- Green Eyes (acoustic)
- Death Will Never Conquer (Acoustic, sung by Will)
- I'm A Believer (Neil Diamond Cover - Acoustic)
- Viva La Vida (Remix Interlude)
- Politik
- Lovers In Japan
- Death And All His Friends
Encore - The Scientist
- Life In Technicolor ii
- The Escapist (Outro)
Photos
Photos from this show can be found at Coldplaying.com in the Gallery thread for Hershey. http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1752
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=55525
Discussion
All post-show discussion for this show at the forum thread: http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55525
Fan Reviews
All fan reviews have been submitted to us by the members of Coldplaying.com[1], unless stated otherwise.
![[Pic: professa95]](/index.php/Image:20090524professa95.jpg)
ok soo earlier today i went looking to find the boys. I circled the stadium and found what a thog=ught to be the perfect spot for them to enter. The venue was beautiful. It turns out though that there was no souncheck today for whatever reason.I talked to a coldplay crew guy and he said be back at around 630. After i met jaysmine who was also "on the hunt". So i came back at the venue at around 610 just to find out that they had already come in. So my expierience started out with some lost hope. So today was my friends birthday and we went to the hotel he was staying at and suprised him by telling him we were going to coldplay. He thought he was in boston the geography wiz. So I return to hersheypark and enter my seats. OHHH MYY GODD the seats were amazing right next to Guy's ramp. Ahh. So 10 minutes in our seats and it begins to pour so the seats were evacuated and we stood under the side sections for a half an hour. Howling Bells eventually got cancelled and Pete Yorn's set was shortened. Pete Yorn was pretty good as i got that bass feeling in my chest. Once i heard magnificent i went crazy. Then Jayz. Then the classical piece. In regular order. Then omg Coldplay. The boys were so into it tonight even though Chris tripped in the begining of LIT and burnt himself. Many puns and lyric additions wee made in relation to the rain. The crowd was small but boy did they sing. Everyone was dancing to the majority of the songs. Same setlist though. The lighting was amazing outside and the air was nice after the rain. The boys were so into it. Jonny especially he was dancing all over the place. AND ALL THE GUYS NOTICED MY SIGN. we were right on the barracade so we had Great access to the catwalk and during Lovers In Japan, Chris touched my sign!!!! Like he grabbed it. And it wasnt on accident cause he was smiling right at me. I almost fainted!!! during lost chris took wills drumstick for viva and banged sooo hard on the drum that it flew in the air also the crowd did an xcellent mexican cell phone wave. Also after LIJ the crowd started doing the vlv chants again awesome!! AMAZING NIGHT!!!! ill post the vids i have and the one with Chris and the sign. AMAZING!
[professa95]
LIT: This was the first time I saw Coldplay live with my own eyes. I was overwhelmed, they came out and I was screaming my lung off. I really didn't catch on to Chris burning himself though I noticed he slipped or something (I thought it was him being his quirky self though I was mistaken). It was an epic beginning.
Violet Hill: One of my more favorite Coldplay songs, it was great. Then alternative ending Chris came up was awesome and it really got the crowd going.
Clocks: I had been looking forward to this song live for a long time. Particularly because of the red laser shows, just seeing it shine into the night sky was surreal.
In My Place: Another phenomenal perfomance, I remember the most when the Chris/Crowd goes "YEAAAAAAAAAH", bright white lights light up and shoot up on the whole stadium. I was singing this out of mind like a drunk man and I didn't care, I was having a good time.
Yellow: Chris was doing a quiet little diddy with his guitar and it was dark so I was trying to figure out what song was next, then as I recognized it as Yell....it blasted into Jonny's guitar intro. The ballons were amazing, as the Hershey people threw them into the crowd, I got giddy. I got to hit the ballon once and I am proud of it!!! The yellow lights were phenomenal.
Glass of Water: One of Coldplay's less popular (but still great) song. Chris and Jonny were great on this.
Cemeteries of London/42: What I loved about this was the big screen behind the boys on this. As Chris played on the piano, the camera of course was on him and it was in black and white (to get the eerie effect) and Chris played along great, he would make these funny faces and bulge his eyes out to seem scary. I also sang along when they sang "LALALALAIY".
Fix You: I was really looking forward to this for two reasons, Jonny's pickup guitar part and Chris's jumping around. I think Chris made a lyric refence to Hershey (somebody help me out here or corret me if I am mistaking). I loved when Jonny guitar riff came Chris would get up, walk to the edge of the stage, and do that little jump/dance when Will comes in with the drums.
Strawberry Song: When this song first came out in the album, I wasn't a big fan of it but now, OMG!! I love when Chris comes to the mic with the guitar strapped to his back, and sings with those hand motions, it so inspiring (for lack of a better word ). Also when the whole place claps along it was great.
GPASOYF/Talk: This when they came to the ramp on stage left(b-stage). Therefore this is when the fellas where closest to me during the show. But luck has it, this is when my digital camera's spare batteries died. But it was great. I am still in debate if I would prefer the techno version of Talk or the regular version of Talk. I would prefer both (like Viva la Vida). But I have come to love the techno version of Talk. Just seeing the spotlight on them come a tad closer to me filled me with loads of energy.
The Hardest Part/Postcards: I always liked the regular version of The Hardest Version but I love this version so much more!!! They have turned a pretty good rock ballad into one of the most intimate/beautiful songs I ever heard (I am so glad this version is on LRLR!). With Chris singing and on piano and Will singing along with his soothing voice, it just melted my heart (and I am a guy ). Chris also made a funny reference to Justin Timberlake saying that this what it would sound like if he did a solo career like when Justin split from N'sync. Then he did the funniest high pitched "Won't You Be My Girlfriend" impression. Then I like Postcards for two reasons, it is a nice piano piece and it is a sign of the next song to come. When he was done, he reached for his jacket, then I knew that...
VIVA LA VIDA: Was next!!! This obviously got the crowd going the most. I love the Will is doing vocals with the "Ooahhss" in the beginning and the end. I went crazy on this (I took a video of this but all you could hear was my screeching lol). Then before the crowd would come in on the climax of the song, Chris said something of the sort, "Now let's sing so that all of Hershey can hear us...". Then when the song finished, as Chris lay on the catwalk as he always does, somebody besides me asked someone else if he was allright lol.
Lost: This was fun because Chris dance around the stage a lot on this. Especially when he put on the dragon costume and walked on the catwalk closer to me, that was awesome.
Acoustic: This occured on the other side of the stadium as I was so when I saw other people from my section running toward there, I went along. I got some nice pictures. I loved when they did the Monkees cover when he asked Jonny even is he was scared of playing in front of 12,000 pennsylvanians and was scared of doing of doing the most easiest Begees karaokee if he was in love, and he song so low (Oahhh) compared to Will and Guy. Then they did the World Record Breaking first mexican cellphone wave in Hershey Pa starting with the farther section, then the acoustic section, then the middle (where I was). We did that about three times. Then he asked he section if we were in love which we responded by singing "Oaohh"
Politik: My favorite song from AROBTTH and it was great. I love the energy that came from Coldplay in this, and I sang along to this as loud as I could!!!
Lovers in Japan: This song was the one that really hit home to me. Probably the best song for me of the night. Just because of the butterfly confetti. When Chris sang, "I'm turning my head..."
Death and All of His Friends: Epic encore, epic lyrics, epic song. Another one I "sang" the lyrics to with my heart! This is when the band took their bows.
Encore: When they walked off the stage, some people were shouting encore, then the whole stadium started shouting Coldplay, then the whole stadium switched over to the "Ooaahhs" from Viva la Vida. Then Chris walked out in his Grammy jacket and thanked the crowd and talked about the LRLRL and said, "I hope you like it, and if you don't o'well. It comes at the great deal of nil dollars. Some rock critics say that this is the best deal for a Coldplay album".
The Scientist: Just a beautiful, flawless performance, it was just Chris by himself at first then as the appropiate time in the song came, the rest of guys came in their Grammy jackets and played. It was a very intimate moment.
LITII: At this point I was like screw it, so I put my cellphone and camera away (at this point I was rotating nearly dead batteries to get at least one or two pictures from the camera before it died and I had to rotate the useless batteries again) so I could enjoy Coldplay's last song of the night. My favorite of Prospekt's March. It was a great performance. Then as they left the stage to The Escapist, the beautiful VIVA sign appeared on the backdrop of the stage and that was my final picture of the evening. I left with a copy (not signed) of LRLRL and I left what was probably the greatest night of my life!!
Another amusing Chrisism before they played Death Will Never Conquer...
"On the weekend of memorial day
Where is the best place for the band to play
You know what I am going to say
Get your butts down to Hershey, PA
Hope you are enjoying the concert so far
Let me hear a “woo woo” if you are
This is time for an extra thrill
May I introduce our scary drummer Will."
[SlaskWroclaw18]
First off I would just like to say that this was my first Coldplay concert and it was honestly the best night of my life!!!! Thank you so much Coldplay for such a memorable evening!!!!! Anyway heres my review.....
My 2 friends and I got to the venue around 5pm, but we missed soundcheck. Took a few pics, then walked around the side of the stadium to stand in line for seating. We had Section D row 45 seats.... After a half an hour they opened the gates and we filed in to the stadium and found our seats. We took out posterboard and markers and made our sign and decorated it with butterfly confetti strewn across the lawn. I tried to look for Pallavi and Christina but couldn't seem to find either of them!
Then it started to rain and it was announced that the show was to be put on hold until it stopped, so everyone had to go and hide out in the area underneath the stands and wait the rain out. My friends and I got really wet so we put on the t-shirts that we had made the night before and brought with us, and that's when a Roadie spotted us!!!!! She was wearing a black tank top and had black (I think?) hair and saw our t-shirts, my home-made VIVA tote bag, and our nails that had "VIVA LA VIDA" painted on them and our sign (destroyed from the rain) and gave us upgrades to Section C Row 2!!!!!!!!! I had been hoping and praying for seat upgrades but never dreamed it would actually happen! Thank goodness for the rain and our t-shirts or otherwise we probably never have gotten them!!!
After a while of waiting the pouring rain finally stopped and we found our new seats!!! We were off to the left side of the stage (Jonny's side) right next to Jonny's ramp!!!! There was one point where Chris was jumping around on the ramp and every time he threw his head back I saw millions of sweat pearls fly from his head in the light!!!
Anyway, I really liked Pete Yorn a lot, he did a great job opening!! After as the roadies were drying the stage and setting up for Coldplay, Magnificent came on, then a hip-hop song that I didnt recognize , then a classical piece. Then...... COLDPLAY!!!!
This was my first Coldplay concert and it was seriously the best night of my life!!! Every song sounded amazing and I got so many videos of them! Clocks, Yellow, CoL, In My Place, LiJ, I'm a Believer, DWNC (Will did an amazing job singing), Fix You, etc etc!!! Chris was so energetic and his dancing was exciting!! In LiJ we were right in front of the canons taht shot the Confetti out and it was spectacular seeing millions of them shoot out into the audience!!! We also saw the roadies throwing the huge balloons out for Yellow Chris was fantastic on the piano, I loved it when the huge screens (that we were RIGHT in front of) focused in on his fingers playing, it was beautiful!! We did the Mexican cell phone wave which I thought looked pretty cool!! I only wish the crowd had been more enthusiastic, I was screaming the entire time and received many weird looks from people nearby! Chris as usual tried so hard to get the crowd to participate! I was seriously the only one in my section singing the "Ooooohhhs" after Viva to get Chris to stand back up and start Lost!! I loved seeing the Sgt. Pepper costumes in the encore, The Scientist and LiT ii both sounded great!!!
After the show my firiends and I picked up handfuls of confetti and loaded them into my bag. My friends were in such a hurry to leave and escape the rush that I couldn't go up to the roadies and ask for a setlist! I'm still slightly angry at them for that, but oh well.... On the way out I picked up a copy of LRLRL I was so sad it was over, the show honestly seemed like it was only like half an hour long!!! Without a doubt, THE best night of my life! I also bought a t-shirt with the tour dates printed on the back, a poster, and a tour program!!!
I LOVED Coldplay before, didnt think my love for them could get bigger but it has grown so much after seeing them live!!! This show meant so much to me, thank you so much Coldplay!!!!!
[my star is fading]
To begin with the drive from Edison New Jersey where i am staying to Hershey,Pennsylvania is incredibly awesome during day but not night. Its a countryside driving.With lot of trees and mountains looking around... we stopped just at one point at Mcdonalds and then immediately went into the Hershey Stadium Park to park the car and then went into the theme park for a while and saw a lot of chocolates and came back.....then after we sat in the car the rain started and i said with my hubby well what's the time and he said its already 6:50 i said we'll go in and we went in...oh...the rain started with thunder storms and it went on till 7:45 or so...then the skies beginned to clear for luck..and i was so scared all the time but still got the courage to go to the seats and went to my seats....
I think i saw Helen(my star is fading) in my row in section but didn't speak with her..because its almost show time and then Pete Yorn came ...well his music is okay....And they knew that we're waiting for Coldplay and said thanks to them.He said something about when his mother is pregnant with him...
And then immediately after a long time music with roadies and i think i took a video with roadies doing work on stage with music playing at the background..but deleted it to keep the space in the camera for show....
Then afterwards Jay z song started "give it to me" i thought yeah the band will be up in a few minutes...and then the classical piece and then
immediately the lights were off we stood immediately up......
And the LIT started with sparklers and i didn't know that Chris burned his hand...poor babyyy.......
But the sparklers are so awesome pink,yellow different colors and LIT was over and Chris went into Violet hill and then at the end said "i took my love to Hershey,Pennsylvania" and at the end said comments about we people standing in rain to see them.
And then after wards Clocks started...oh its my favorite song i always love it starting to the end with all the beautiful red lights........
And then In my place is also very energetic......
Then during Yellow Chris said a word about Hershey,Chocolates that there are so many and he was unable to eat them like that and did some jokes....
And then Glass of water and Cemeteries of London are so heavily rocked....
And then 42 and Fix you we all people sang pretty well and Chris said at the end "great singing everyone"
my husband took very good pictures of him during Fix you...you can see them in the photobucket link i gave..
And then strawberry swing i clapped my hands for the song...and all the people did too in my section...and its so awesome...
And then god put a smile upon your face and talk set...was so beautiful my fav. part of the whole concert beginned and Chris was near to me in front to see so i beginned to take the photos....
And then hardest part started well don't know but Chris did a comment about some Justin...don't know....there i'll upload the video and you see there....
he just did a small sweet moment with "this is called we do solar section of the show...
Slightly bad haircuts..same looks....and then....with less dancing.....
(he thanked us for all waiting in rain and all those things appreciation for his band thanks.)for that.."could you be my girlfriend"..."ohguys its all serious now..."
Well hardest part i took that video with me singing because i love that song so muchh....especially live alone with Chris and will....
And then Viva la vida Chris just rocked and then layed on floor at the end and we all people in my section don't know about others did Viva chants...and then he stood up after a while....and then went into Lost with some dragon costume and then....
The moment now came for me and my group in the section....
They came just opposite to me in my row to see and exactly they were at the end i can see the focus lights but not them because there's a huge....stairs there....
and so...then green eyes was beautiful and then death will never conquer was over...and then during the beginning of the i'm a believer Chris asked us to do the mexican cold wave and then....asked first the farthest people to do it afterwards came to us and said people in the middle...(means our group where i was standing)and then we all did it...it was so enthusisatic and perfectly awesome moment i lived......
And then afterwards i'm a believer was over...he pointed to our group and said "all those good looking people in the middle,are you in love?" we all shouted "ouuuuuuuuuuuuu" and then he asked "our first mexican cold wavers..." to the first group who did the wave..) well that's one awesome moment of the show i lived...can't forget it......And then did some jokes with Will,Jonny and Guy....and finished it....
And then..went back to the stage and Politik was so energetic...
And Lovers in Japan the butterflies are so beautiful and they falled a lot on me and i caught a lot of them.......i had a whole lot of them and in different colors now.......
And then death and all his friends....was beautiful....after that they waved and Chris came and waved a lot at us people in the group and section.......
And they took the bow and went back stage and came out and before beginning Scientist Chris said "i think you all people have enjoyed your show have good moments,so please take the live cd don't forget it,if you don't like it too well hahhha i don't mind" we all people shouted "ouuuuu" again for that from back ...actually in my section there are lot of people shouting loud all the time......
And then LIT2 was finished and the show was one brilliant show...i ever saw.....i liked all the moments from starting to end like anything....and lived it....
[Pallavi]
Hershey was amazing last night! I didn't bring my camera, which I really should have because I was 10 feet from b-stage, but whatever... at least I got to enjoy the show without having to worry about pics and vids. Chris tripped within the first 5 seconds. He was the last one to come out with his sparkler, he was right after Guy. He fell pretty hard, it wasn't just a tumble to his knees.. from what I saw, he was flat on the ground. He got up pretty quickly though and kept dancing around. They kept on playing, and during In My Place I was thinking to myself "he seems to be in a bad mood" I thought maybe it might have just been the fact that the crowd sucked. But after IMP there was like 45 seconds of darkness. I could see Chris walking to the far right of the stage, past Guy and behind some kind of curtain.. Then he came back and was talking to Jonny for a little bit. After that they started up Yellow, and at the end of the song, Chris explained that he was "in a shit mood" because he had just burned his hand. It took a while for the crowd to get into it, but pretty soon people were jumping/singing/dancing etc. At the end of 42, Jonny stalled for a bit with a guitar part, while Chris ran back behind the curtain to get bandaged. During the B-stage, OMG I nearly died. no joke. Since Hartford had been such a Guy night, I made sure to keep my eyes on Will the whole time. He was so insanely hot, and even my sister who is a Jonny lover said "Wow, Will is gorgeous." he looked soooooo good. Before the hardest part, Chris said something about "This is how it would be if I went solo, just like when Justin left Nsync." and then he sang a justin timberlake song for like 3 seconds. The rest of the show was amazing, they all looked and sounded great. Will seemed to be beating the drums particularly hard
[cold_love23]
OK Here is the "Spott" Take on last nights " Magical " Show in Hershey. Hittin the Rides at the Park all day w/ My Daughter and COLDPLAY at Night = PRICELESS. Her First show , My Fifth show. The Best One Yet. Last July in Philly rocked and you can,t beat the Philly Crowd, But there was something Magical about this evening. The wait w/ the rain blew, but Hey, That's Nature ,She's in Charge. Pete Yorn was GREAT , Can't wait to get one of his Disc's. Discovering My Batteries were dead in My Camera form all day at the Park and forgetting My Spares sucked . But you cant' frame Memories . I did manage one great pic. Wouldve liked the closeups on the left ramp we were ten feet from and could see the sweat splashing off Chris's face and Jonny when they came over, But I'll never forget that . The crowd was a little funny , but look what transpired up to the show. All in all the People around us were DANCING SINGING and JUst going BONKERS from the LIT intro and the Screen going up to, The Outro after The Scientist Encore. Every where I looke d people were dancing and singin , I thought the Crowd was GREAT, REALLY INTO THE SONGS and I sang every word. Both side of me were first Concert people and thet were digging it, like seasoned veterans. Sorry SlaskWroclaw about your Camera but it sounds like you did'nt really miss it either, THE COLDPLAY LIVE CONCERT EXPERIENCE is INDELIBLE, I'm soory some of you wer'nt getting the Crowd and I understand there were some Quiet moments , But, The Mexican Phone Wave , all the little HERSHEY Ditties and songs, The DAYDREAM BELIEVER COVER HAD ALL OF US SINGING!!The MOnster Head w/ Chris , his dancing , jubilation and Crowd interaction, shows that he really loves their Fans and has a great COMIC appeal to us all. Form what I saw everybody had a great time , We Were Jammin, as was the Band, and The Hershey Crowd was just fine , I made a lot of momentary Musical Magical Friends I'll most likely never see again. But , The Show went on , and WHAT A SHOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks, Jonny ,Will, Guy and Chris ..... I Love you Guys and ALL COLDPLAY PEOPLE . Till Next Time . We Meet again ROCK ON!!!
[joeymonza]
After spending years as an avid music fan and attending shows I recently announced to my husband, an even more rabid concert goer, that those days had come to an end for me. The shows were becoming less and less worth the aggravation associated with large crowds, late nights and the long drive home from the venue, not to mention ticket cost. It would take a very special occasion or a very special band for me to make an exception. Enter Coldplay.
If you follow my blog you know I love this band because I've posted about it several times. In my opinion, they are the world's most talented band right behind U2. (I still haven't worked out whether Coldplay would consider that a compliment or if they would even care.) So when a tour date was announced for Hershey, PA we jumped on tickets as soon as they were made available. It helped that my resident rabid concert goer was on Hershey Stadium's mailing list which gave us first dibs at seats- something I would recommend to you if there is a band you really want to see. Since we're on tight a budget (Britain or Bust) we had to settle for the cheap seats. The most expensive tickets at nearly $100 a pop were out of the question, especially with three of us going.
So last night was the show and we arrived a 1/2 hour early, not really concerned about being seated for the opening act, Pete Yorn, who was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m. No sooner did we enter the parking lot when the skies over Hershey opened up and delivered on us a torrential downpour that lasted nearly forty minutes. Since Hershey Stadium is an open-air venue I was concerned that the rain would threaten the show. Even though our tickets said rain or shine, I wasn't about to sit through a two hour concert getting soaked to the bone. I was willing to make an exception to my recent "no concerts" rule for Coldplay but this would truly be stretching the limits of my patience. We waited in the car for the rain to stop and I filled my time wondering aloud which Einstein decided that open-air venues in the northeast were a good idea.
And just like that, the rain stopped. Concert on. We made our way to the stadium and to our seats as quickly as we could manage. Even though we bought the cheapest tickets, our seats ended up being on the floor of the stadium, another benefit of getting them early I suspect. Unfortunately though, we were sitting too far back from the stage to take good photos, so you won't see any included in this post. Pete Yorn took the stage almost immediately and while he was enjoyable, I was glad that he agreed to cut his set short so Coldplay could start on time. Once again, the sky threatened rain.
But it wasn't to be. Coldplay opened their set with "Life in Technicolor", followed by "Violet Hill" and "Clocks". The spirit of the crowd had not been dampened by the weather and they gave Coldplay a rousing welcome. It was after "Clocks" that Chris Martin admitted he was in a "sh*t mood" because he had tripped coming on stage and burned his arm. As of today, I still haven't heard how he burned it or how bad it was. Sitting where we were, we had no idea that anything had happened. I'm sure the weather didn't help his mood either, as well as the fact that the stadium was only half full, a blow to anyone's ego I'm sure. Still, Chris thanked us for braving the weather and asked us to join in singing the next song which he promised would lift his spirits. We were more than willing to accommodate him and from there the show just got better and better.
Chris is a fantastic front person, high energy and very generous to his audience. He thanked us repeatedly for tolerating the rain and for the warm reception. He went into the crowd several times to the delight of those sitting up front (next time I'm buying the good seats) and his singing couldn't have been any better. If this was Chris in a bad mood, what is he like in a good one? It was hard to imagine a better performance and then it happened. About two-thirds of the way through the set, the lads all left the stage and headed for the stands to my left where a mock stage had been set up. From here Coldplay performed an acoustic set which started with "Green Eyes", a personal favourite of mine, then "Death Will Never Conquer" (with Will on vocals), and "I'm A Believer" (Neil Diamond). The acoustic set really showed what a diverse and talented group they are and brought a nice change of pace to the show.
After a short interlude, Coldplay returned to the stage with "Politik", "Lovers in Japan" and "Death and All His Friends". The show ended with an encore of "The Scientist" and "Life in Technicolor II". Coldplay's entire set included some really fun special effects like a fantastically edited live video of their performance projected on screens at the side of the stage. It felt like we were taking part in a concert film. There was also the standard issue yellow rubber balls that have become a staple during the song "Yellow", and huge confetti guns shooting out paper butterflies during "Lovers in Japan". Of course, the most important part of any concert is the music and the boys of Coldplay were spot on, note for note. The only downside was that it had to end. I was left wanting more. It certainly was worth breaking my "no concerts" rule and if I never see another show again, I'm glad I saved the best for last.
http://www.smittenbybritain.com/2009...-coldplay.html
I enjoyed myself, it being my first time seeing them live and despite being in section 26(!). Aside from 2 girls sitting in front of me singing to every song and screaming as if a Jonas brother was nearby, most of the section remained quiet or sat during most of the show. It almost felt like they've seen Coldplay many times before and what they were seeing was nothing new. No chant after "Viva La Vida", very little crowd participation but they only managed to get the most excited when they did a Monkees cover (go figure). I hope they got their $100 worth. But I didn't go to see the crowd, it just would have helped had the less active portion of the crowd been more into it and the band felt the body language (or lack thereof).
As for the band itself, Coldplay was as good as advertised. Fresh off of a quick thunderstorm that shortened Pete Yorn's set and canceled Holwing Bells', they were energetic and on point. At the very beginning of the show, during "Life In Technicolor", Chris Martin burned himself on the hand (probably due to the pyro) and seemed a bit annoyed by it. As I mentioned before, after performing their biggest hit to date, "Viva La Vida", there was no encore chant and Chris Martin proceeded to fall on the floor, almost playing dead. When they realized the end of song chant wasn't going the way they'd hoped for (I was shocked myself), Chris springs right back up and on to the next record they went.
My 3 key highlights - Free "LeftRightLeftRightLeft" live cd (even though I had the album on my ipod nearly 2 weeks ago). - Not letting my section spoil my fun, I sang at the top of my lungs to every song. - The upbeat, techno version of "God Put A Smile On Your Face" and "Talk". Hopefully it's available for download somewhere.
http://themodernistrevival.blogspot....shey-park.html
Everything’s Not Lost
Bittersweet.
Bitter, probably, for Chris Martin and Coldplay; sweet, definitely, for me.
It’s funny how a band or a song can take on a whole new meaning…how one may find a new appreciation, energy, color-fast vision of a music based on the company one keeps.
You see, it has been nearly seven years since I purchased tickets and attended a show at Hershey as a consumer fan.
One ill-timed question, an unplanned pregnancy, a flight to Vegas and a foreseeable divorce anchoring this ship to colorful Harrisburg, Pennsylvania can turn a guy’s stomach on the thought of ever listening to and appreciating the Dave Matthews Band again. Or, in this case, Coldplay.
As a lover of most music, I’m not quick to shrug off a band based solely on their rise to success. Normally, I’ll shrug off a band based on a negative association I may carry with said band.
And in the instance of Coldplay- specifically, the album Parachutes- I carried what I realized was a completely unnecessary hatred of everything they represent.
When you boil it all down, they write some great fucking songs.
I don’t know too many people who can’t name three Coldplay songs right off the top of their head. And they could be, arguably, one of the biggest bands in the world right now.
My friend and I decided- somewhat hastily- to go to this show.
I had my trepidations based on the aforementioned negative association.
She just hadn’t seen Coldplay before.
But we went- and scored tickets for twenty bucks apiece outside the gate. Our seats were stage-right, about four rows up in the grandstand. To our right was a couple- she was thirty and celebrating her birthday; he was around forty and spoiling his girl.
To our left was a pair of (what can’t be described any other way than) two old ladies. In front, a small family. And behind us was a gaggle of couples. Mostly in their mid-twenties. But mostly couples.
It was certainly a couples-kind-of-show.
After weathering the forty-five minute rainstorm, we went into the antiquated Hersheypark Stadium, met up with some friends who razzed me accordingly (”Dude. What the hell is Jersey Mike doing at a COLDPLAY show?!” and, the most common heard razz of the week “Know how I know you’re gay?”) and two-fisted some delicious Shock Top beers.
And from the moment we sat down, I remembered that perception really is everything.
For years…YEARS…I perceived Coldplay in a negative light. I associated what’s really a great band with an unfortunate time in my life. Self-deprecatingly, I denied myself the pleasures of Politik and The Scientist and God Put A Smile Upon Your Face and Everything’s Not Lost.
But I remembered- on a warm and rainy night in May while in fantastic company and after a pleasant weekend- that happiness really does come from within. And, although I may fool myself sometimes by trying to blame others for my negative views, that all of it- every broken promise, heart, crushed spirit- can be healed with pure positive energy.
A fresh perspective.
On life. On love. On music.
And a fresh perspective on Coldplay.
http://jerseymike.org/2009/05/everythings-not-lost/
I took my love down to Hershey, PA, to see Coldplay. If you ever see a show there, definitely try to get on the field. We paid the same as people in the grandstand, but i’m sure we felt way closer. Plus our seats had backs (useful when we were waiting before the show).
It rained really hard for about an hour which delayed the show, but Pete Yorn got people going, and everyone was in a pretty good mood when the show started. Except for Chris Martin that is, who apparently got burned backstage and was sporting a bandage on his arm.
The show went on however, and the guys made it a good one. They’re pros and have been on this tour for over a year, but had plenty of energy and seemed to be enjoying themselves.
Highlights for us included Lovers in Japan, which is a personal fave, and was adorned with thousands of paper butterflies raining down on everyone.
We really enjoyed when they left the main stage and did a miniset that included “Green Eyes” on a ministage about 20 feet from us. You can see the pics from that below. Complete set list after the pics.
I’d never seen Coldplay live before, and they didn’t disappoint. It’s great hearing songs like In My Place, the Scientist, and Fix You live. Only “complaint” would be that they didn’t do more from X&Y, including Swallowed in the Sea (aka “the Jonah song”), but I know I’m in the minority on that one. All in all, a great night!
http://stevelutz.wordpress.com/2009/...524-with-pics/
After a torrential downpour of some thunderstorms with lightning included, the skies actually cleared enough for this concert event to go on. Due to the rain, the opening acts were adjusted to accommodate the schedule. Howling Belles, who I never heard of, didn't get to perform; Pete Yorn, who I absolutely love, performed for only about 30 minutes but he was as great as expected. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a good photo to share but I can tell you that I'm certain his new album will be great. He featured one new song and I did like it. He also played some all-time favorites including Strange Condition and For Nancy which are obviously two of his best songs. I hope to see him again for a much longer show.
Coldplay was, hands-down, amazing. Seriously, they put on such a great show - a fantastic mix of their new album with some old classics. From the new album, I really enjoyed Strawberry Swing, Lost, and of course Viva La Vida. Old favorites that I enjoyed were Fix You, Politik, The Scientist, and Clocks. It was a great mix of energy and enthusiasm.
Chris Martin is fantastic. He's an unbelievable performer. I especially enjoyed when he initiated the "first ever Mexican cell phone wave throughout Hershey Stadium". He did this from a microphone that was set up about 30 feet from our seats. The whole band came up into the stands and sang a few songs. It was great. I think Chris Martin exemplifies someone who just loves what he does on a daily basis - I find him inspirational.
One of the biggest reasons I like Coldplay is because they really seem to want to connect with their fans as much as possible. It was especially great when they handed out a free CD with about 9 songs on it at the end of the show. Granted, these are probably accessible for free from their website, but it's a nice gesture.
What a fanstastic event. I hope to see them again.
http://cvarano.blogspot.com/2009/05/...-coldplay.html
Media Reviews
Coldplay may have been delayed by an errant, drenching thunderstorm in their first Hershey appearance Sunday at the Stadium. And singer Chris Martin said he was burned coming onstage and was thus in a less-than-charitable mood.
But no one showed their irritation on either end, and the band delivered a sparkling performance in support of their hugely-successful and Grammy-winning album "Viva La Vida." Starting with the instrumental "Life in Technicolor," the quartet marching onstage with sparklers held aloft, they punched directly into "Violet Hill." Their sound was crisp and tight, Martin's voice strong even on the falsetto portions.
But it was on their smash hit "Clocks" that they really got cracking, the crowd going bonkers, Martin singing slightly ahead of the beat and emphasizing the downbeat with his powerful piano-playing.
Two sweet tracks followed, the sweeping "In My Place" and the song that got them on the radio, the ballad "Yellow." Light of the same shade bathed the stage and massive matching balloons were batted aloft.
The cheery "Glass of Water" featured an excellent mix on its bass line - oftentimes bass can be unbearable (you know that annoying booming you get in your sternum?) but this was perfectly done. Drummer Will Champion shone on the dark "Cemeteries of London," with its rollicking groove, and the very Beatle-esque "42," which Martin kicked off on piano.
"Fix You," a fave with the ladies, was tender and heartfelt, while "Strawberry Swing" was set off by its weird, slightly Asian, slightly country (but altogether endearing) guitar melody. The four hit the catwalk for a truncated "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" merged into "Talk," then left Martin to his own devices on an elegant and lovely "The Hardest Part." Their tale of a failed leader "Viva La Vida" got the crowd up and singing again, Champion starring on tympani this time. And "Lost!" was punched up by a jaunty hip-hop tempo that belied its rather downbeat message.
Opener Pete Yorn was almost apologetic, knowing the crowd had been waiting for the headliner, but presented a strong set nonetheless, impressing with his dark, David Bowie-sounding voice and songs like 'For Us" and Don't Wanna Cry."
Hopefully a little rain and pre-show injuries won't keep Coldplay from making a return trip - the excitement they generated won't soon be forgotten.
Source: pennlive.com
The "Mexican Cell Phone Wave," as invented by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin on Sunday night at Hersheypark Stadium, might have been a flop.
But as to the British quartet's quest for big-venue rock domination, these guys may be on to something.
Martin and company made their debut in Chocolate Town an overwhelming success, performing 23 songs in 90 minutes — pausing only for short breaks between two encore sets.
Borrowing a few live-show tricks from their elders, U2, the guys in Coldplay quickly made the thunderstorm that delayed their debut here a passing memory. Martin's early-show gripes about being burned while coming on stage also dissolved among the dazzling light displays and large yellow beach balls that tumbled atop the crowd of 12,000.
Martin, with his too-cute-to-be-cocky mannerisms, sprinted and gyrated through the set like a confused ballet dancer with a top-class falsetto, belting out what he and his bandmates call "very heavy soft rock." Martin's conversations with the crowd and mid-song ad-libs — staples at U2 shows — kept the audience hanging on his every word and move.
The band leaned heavily on its newest material, pulling nine songs from the Grammy-winning 2008 release "Viva la Vida," and two more tracks recorded during those sessions.
"I took my love down to Hershey, Pennsylvania," Martin crooned during stomping show-opener "Violet Hill." Whether he'll be telling hordes in Detroit and Vancouver the same thing next month didn't really matter.
After all, it's Martin's ability to make you think it's your personal serenade, despite the thousands at your side, that makes him so appealing. Surely, Bono would be proud — if this band didn't rival his Irish quartet for arena rock supremacy.
The band played singles from its three prior albums, including "Yellow," the ambiguously titled love song that brought them international prominence after its release in 2000. The oversized beach balls seemed to bounce along with the song's poppy beat, as Martin told his sea of fans how the stars "shine for you, and all the things that you do."
Clearly, the days when an illuminated globe was the extent of the onstage "effects" are long gone for this foursome.
"Fix You," from 2005's bloated attempt at rock mega-stardom, "X&Y," also was a highlight, with its soaring crescendo and sugar-sweet coda as only Martin can deliver, "lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones."
The band seems to have a firm grasp on what its fans want to hear. The group played only three songs from that 2005 release — the band's closest brush with commercial failure — and only the color-themed anthem from Coldplay's stripped-down debut, "Parachutes."
But Martin and company performed nearly the entire track listing from "Viva" and more than half the cuts from 2002's "A Rush of Blood to the Head," also a commercial success.
If the crowd sank a bit during piano ballad "The Hardest Part," it was re-ignited with "Viva la Vida," during which Martin strutted the stage's two sprawling catwalks — a stage design Bono often uses to cozy up to those not paying as much for their seats. No one could resist snapping smudgy cell phone shots as Martin "collapsed" at song's end.
The group played three acoustic tracks on top of a stadium concourse, when Martin patented his "Wave." The crowd didn't have quite as much rhythm as the headliner, though, waving their cell-phone lights in anything but unison.
No matter. When the group sprinted backstage for the first encore break, their guests made it clear they wanted more.
They returned with the thrashing piano stomp, "Politick." Next, paper butterflies were spewed over the crowd as couples cuddled up to "Lovers in Japan," a marching pop track from "Viva."
"Lovers" provided the last real peak, as two piano-laced tracks followed before a mash-up of the show opener served as a recessional for the thousands who streamed out the exits.
http://articles.lancasteronline.com
