Reebok Stadium, Bolton - Tuesday 5th July

HavingG seen Oasis play at Manchester a few days prior to this concert, Coldplay would have to put on a good show to match that of Oasis. To put even more pressure on the band from my perspective was the fact REM were playing this very night at my home town in Hull. Though the rain hurled down before the concert, by the time Coldplay stepped on the stage it had stopped and all were ready for the highly acclaimed live show that has won over Glastonbury fans twice.

From the opening of first song Square one, Coldplay meant business and sent the blood running back through everyone’s fingers. Though Chris Martin will never win any awards for his dancing skills, from start until finish he had the whole crowd in the palm of his hands.

It was hard to believe how a singer who’s recently played to the two largest audiences in the country this year (Glastonbury and Live 8), can still show so much passion in his songs and have such a great stage presence. When he wasn’t jumping up and down on his piano seat, he was hopping around and trying to pull down the sky.

Chris Martin was right when he suggested to the crowd to take this concert as a ‘choir practice’, as the hour and a half set featuring songs from all three of their albums were sang word for word by many of the audience.

Songs such as scientist led to couples embracing each other and mates hugging each other while singing the song word for word at the tops of our voices. When he wasn’t singing he was apologising to the Northern crowd for being a Southerner even slipping in words during Scientist asking the crowd not to hate him for that fact.

Although I wasn’t too familiar with the latest album x & y, I was impressed with the new songs played and found it hard to believe so many bands turned down the hidden track which in turn they recorded for themselves.

Even when songs weren’t being played Martin got the crowd copying what he said, similarly to that of what the legendary Freddie Mercury used to do.

The set was very impressive, though I was surprised that Trouble wasn’t included. Songs such as Scientist are always going to lead to lighters being produced. The final song of the set, Fix you, is already an outdoor anthem with many of the crowd knowing the words.

Footage was to be recorded from this concert to be used for the fix you video, and even I picked up the words for the second running of the song.

Personal highlights of the set had to be politick, scientist and fix you, though in all honesty their wasn’t a bad song in the set. Even one of my least favourite songs by the band, clocks, sounded awesome, Chris Martin sent the piano smoking as the band quickened up the song notes and beats as the song neared the end.

Though the whole band played a tight set, it is clear to see Martin plays to the audience while the other members keep out of the limelight. All in all though, this performance didn’t just beat Oasis in my opinion, it also left me with no doubts that the choice to see Coldplay over REM was the right one to make.

review by: Danny Longhorn

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