Coldplay Live The 02, Dublin 21/12/2008 Review

It has been nearly three weeks since the gig so sorry for the delay but I just didn’t know how to attack this review. The three weeks have been good as I was able to reflect on the performance much better. If you had asked me right after the gig I would have said I didn’t like any of it and walked off. I think the best bet is to break this gig down into headings of some sort (Bear with me on this one). Before I do this I have to let you know I am a huge Coldplay fan purely down to “Parachutes” their debut album. This album guided me through several adolescent years and I still have a real affiliation with the album and the band. I first saw Coldplay live at the Witness festival in 2003. The show blew me away and still does when I think about it. They were at their peak “A Rush of Blood to the Head” was a few months old and the band were oozing with excitement. Their third album “X & Y” stank of stadium rubbish but all and all it still had some great tracks but is their worst effort as an album to date. Brian Eno stepped in for the fourth and latest album “Viva La Vida or Death and all his friends”. Brian offers something fantastic on this new album and really pushes the boundaries of an album. If Viva was an album from an unknown artist it would have topped most "best of 2008" lists for sure. It made it to many lists anyway including mine. The album is a great all round grower and the follow up E.P. Propekts March is a must to make the full package work. The "sell out factor" with bands is a constant argument. Maybe it’s when you are that big and have such a big Record company on your back you get pushed into this sort of commercial prostitution. The album/E.P. thing was the first look at a money making racket. The big sound of “X & Y” was another commercial venture, in my opinion if Coldplay had full control we would have completely different albums to date. Maybe I have got it all wrong but it’s just how I feel. I suppose if their new albums are still making top ten lists its cant all be bad. Guess I better get onto the actual gig at hand. The 02 Point Firstly I will talk about the new “Point theatre”. Coldplay were the third act to ever play this new commercial driven “02”. I for one hate the name and will continue to use the point but I guess I like the old names for things I still called “Brown Thomas” in limerick “todds” in all fairness. The venue I must say is spectacular and in terms of music halls it’s up there with the best in Europe. Before I rant about my seat I would just like to point out that I am one of those people who likes to be right in front of the stage and I have been privileged throughout my gig going that I have got this. I got tickets in the presale which in my mind would pick out the real fans and get them savage seats. It was the complete opposite. The seats we got were in the clouds. There was a disclaimer about the o2 that wherever you sit you are alway only 60M from the stage. I would just like to point out that this is complete horse shit. I may as well have been watching the gig on my TV. Well I practically was because I spent most of the night glued to the big screen. Having said that the people I was with really enjoyed the view maybe I was just being fussy due to my usual gig going standards. All and all the venue is amazing and I am really looking forward to returning to see Bob Dylan (This time with a standing ticket, right in front of the stage). The Support Acts Thoughout the Viva la Vida tour Coldplay have had amazing support acts. I was really looking forward to hearing what was on offer for the European dates. Albert Hammond Jr. of Strokes fame and now savage solo albums was announced and I was delighted. When researching his own site it didn’t mention anything for Ireland. Therefore I was once again in the dark about the support. On the night itself I heard names of Kasabian and the enemy bandied about. However what we were treated to was a London Based band by the name of “The High Wire”. Their sound on the night was never right, you could barely make out the vocals and the bass and drums were crazy loud. The sound man got it all wrong. It was unfortunate as they showed potential but never got going. Listening to tracks on their myspace gives an insight to a bands that are able to be much better than what we saw and heard. Check them out here http://www.myspace.com/thehighwire. One support act down one to go. Again Chinese whispers started and all sorts of bands were about to play next. DJ decks were brought out including a large screen. A guy by the name of Jon Hopkins appeared on stage. I knew the name from somewhere and realised he had contributed to both Viva La Vida and Propekts March EP. It was some serious trance/techno/electronica craziness that ensued with backup crazy ass visuals that made little or no sense. It looked like a series of cartoon boobs and willys to me. Check him out for yourself http://www.myspace.com/jonhopkins. Not my cup of tea, so I guess I wont be finding any gems with the support acts then, on to the main show. The Main Act I was concerned after hearing the support acts sound that this would not be fixed but as Coldplay began it was pitch perfect and remained that way until the end. The band pulled out all the stops and it was a real Broadway show more than a gig. We had huge yellow confetti filled balls rolling through the crowd for yellow (Can be seen in the video below). Several stages, one just left of the main stage were the band converged and blasted out techno versions of “God Put A Smile Upon Your Face” and “Talk“ and then left tinsel adorned Chris to play solo piano versions of “The Hardest Part” and “Postcards From Far Away”. It was cool to hear the techno versions and it seems like they themselves were really enjoying it. Chris and the band really put everything into the show. Chris used the full size of the stage. Performing Bonoesque type moves up and down the walkway. After two more Viva songs they went half way up the 02 crowd to a small platform and played “Green Eyes” and jingle bells acoustic before Will the drummer made one of the best moments of the night come alive. Fairytale of New York was blasted out with a backing choir of 10,000. It was just amazing cheesetastic but amazing. Two great encores later which included a butterfly confetti fest for Lovers in Japan(unreal stuff) and the gig was over and I found myself walking around Dublin trying to get a damn cab. As I said earlier if you had asked me straight after I would have said I didnt enjoy it but in hindsight it was a really great gig. Apart from a few songs from the new E.P. the crowd were enthusiastic throughout. The mix of people was actually funny, you had your hardcore fans from back in the blue room EP days to the west coast cooler/ flashing zogabon type, and the kids who just bought “Viva la Vida” with their parents and couples out for the night, a strange mix but that’s what the media and the band have appealed to. There isn’t a radio station in the country that has an hour go by when Coldplay aren’t on it so I guess that’s the reason. I am at fault too, I am holding on to the Coldplay of old, I need to let go and let the new Coldplay happen. My third time seeing the band and I was happy to hear the new album being played live and almost all of it. One of my favourites from the new album “Cemeteries of London” was never played unfortunately. Only one song from parachutes was performed, which was a real bummer. Everything’s not lost would have been amazing when Chris did the piano solo thing, but no one gets their ideal set list. I am just happy I heard them do their early stuff back in 2003 and 2005. The set lists are below who could argue with either. 12/7/2003 - Witness Festival, Fairyhouse Racecourse Politik God Put A Smile Upon Your Face A Rush Of Blood To The Head Daylight One I Love Don’t Panic Everything’s Not Lost Shining Light (Ash Cover) Moses Yellow The Scientist What A Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong Cover) Encore Clocks In My Place Amsterdam Encore Lips Like Sugar (Echo & The Bunnymen Cover) Gravity (full band version) 22/06/2005 - Marlay Park, Dublin Square One Politik Yellow God Put A Smile Upon Your Face Speed Of Sound Low Warning Sign Everything's Not Lost White Shadows The Scientist 'Til Kingdom Come Don't Panic Clocks Swallowed In The Sea ----- What If In My Place Fix You Conclusion Looking back on the gig as a whole I would have liked to hear old material but that’s in the past , if you didn’t see them then well tough. Like the Radiohead gig last year they played mainly “In Rainbows” sure aren’t they right. It was my stupidity I didn’t see them when “OK Computer” was just out. I guess I can just count my self lucky with what I have seen in terms of Coldplay. I doubt ill be seen at the Phoenix park gig next September but stranger things have happen. I will say if I do go ill be right up the front. Its getting harder to be a Coldplay fan these days, Chris does us no favours with take that covers , jay-z helpings and sugarbabe supports but as long as the band are churning out albums that deserve a top ten album of the year slot, ill be a fan. Cheers! The Actual Set List 1. Life In Technicolor 2. Violet Hill 3. Clocks 4. In My Place 5. Speed Of Sound 6. Yellow 7. Chinese Sleep Chant 8. 42 9. Fix You 10. Strawberry Swing 11. God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (partial techno remix) 12. Talk (partial techno remix) 13. The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano) 14. Postcards From Far Away (Chris solo piano) 15. Viva La Vida 16. Lost! 17. Green Eyes (acoustic) 18. Jingle Bells (acoustic) 19. Fairytale Of New York (acoustic - Will lead vocals) 20. Viva La Vida (remix interlude) --- 21. Politik 22. Lovers In Japan 23. Death And All His Friends --- 24. The Scientist / Back For Good 25. Life In Technicolor ii 26. The Escapist (outro) Coldplay - Yellow Coldplay - Fairytale of New York Coldplay - Lovers in Japan Several Video's from the show here : http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=48379 No Bootlegs yet but im sure one will surface at some stage. A guy has put most of the youtube clips to mp3. This file has all the songs except :Speed Of Sound, Chinese Sleep Chant, GPASUYF/Talk, Politik and Life In Technicolor II. Download Here : http://rapidshare.com/files/177422500/CO2D21.22.DEC.2008.zip.html