November 14, 2024

Coldplay – Eden Park: November 13, 2024 (13th Floor Concert Review)

As far as pure entertainment value is concerned, it could be argued that no one serves it up better than Coldplay…Just asked the 57,000 fans that shared last night with the British band.

Fireworks, confetti, flashing wristbands and fluttering stars…all par for the course at a Coldplay gig.

The band has been here plenty of times so this first show in eight years feels like a reunion, if not a (second) homecoming.

Things where looking shady weather-wise as we, and 50 thousand + fans flocked to Eden Park with rain drizzling down and the skies threatening to open up. But it seems the power of Chris Martin’s positive energy was enough to keep the storm a bay and it turned out to be a beautiful night for an outdoor concert.

So, after negotiating the traffic and the weather and finding food and drink we didn’t settle into our seats until about 7:30. By then the opening acts we done and Coldplay was due. The crowd was chilled and well behaved with a healthy mix of young and old.

These days Coldplay is all about diversity and inclusion along with environmentalism and sustainability…they’re ticking all the boxes.

We are handed 3-D glasses and wristbands upon entering and are assured that the bands are made of plant-based material and are asked to return them at the end of the night to be recycled.

As for the glasses…Angel Moon will tell us when to put them on.

Just after 8pm we a get a Haka followed by a video urging us to clean the ocean. Ok, but can we hear Yellow, first?

A couple of local DJs greet us, we watch another short video telling us how our ticket is environmentally responsible ad that the tour is powered by renewable energy (as much as possible).

Finally the sounds of John Williams’ E.T. Theme signals that the concert is about to begin…as does a robotic voice says something about “Music Of The Spheres”…and then, there they are…Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion…Coldplay in the middle of the stadium on “Stage B” singing and playing Higher Power while our wristbands throb with red light.

Chris Martin is running up and down the ramp that connects to the main stage and the balloons are released.

Coldplay

We are barely two songs in and it feels like any other concert’s grand finale.

A huge cheer goes up as Martin plays the opening notes of The Scientist…you know, the song that goes, “nobody said it was easy”…and everyone is standing and singing.

Chris stops to chat, telling us how happy he is to be here in New Zealand…yeah, yeah, we hear that all the time…and how this is already his favourite show on the whole tour.

The man is a master showman….his voice, songs , band and looks are all good…not great (in my opinion)…yet he and his team manage to make every show seem unique and, almost life-changing.

Back to Stage B for Viva La Vida and Hymn For The Weekend and Martin pulls out his best line of the night…” It’s amazing to be a British person in Eden Park not getting the shit kicked out of you by the All Blacks!”

From then, we are putty in his hands.

He invites a couple up after scouting the audience-held signs and comes up with Eduardo and Michelle from Mexico who ask, “could you show us how to never give up and play up&up. He does and they sit at his feet, glowing.

It was that kind of night and it is that kind of show.

The hits…Yellow, Clocks, Something Just Like This…are big, singalong affairs, while Chris steers the set into more intimate territory.

Coldplay We are asked to put our phones away for A Sky Full Of Stars and are rewarded with tiny stars fluttering down from the night sky.

The band sets up at the rear of the stadium as cameras focus on audience members and Chris makes up song lyrics about them…very charming.

Then there are fireworks, another singalong and finally “Angel Moon” tells us to take out those 3D glasses as Ayra Starr helps out with Good Feelings.

The glasses didn’t work for me, probably because I already am wearing some, but everything else did.

With more glitter in the sky and fireworks booming we prepare to exit the stadium. It’s slow going…there were very few early-leavers…but everyone is calm, kind and sober.

Nobody said it was easy, but it certainly was worth it.

It all happens again tomorrow night and then again on Saturday.

Marty Duda

Click on any image to view a photo gallery by Chris Zwaagdyk: