LIVE REVIEW: COLDPLAY Music Of The Spheres World Tour

Coldplay returned to Australia for the second time in twelve months. The last time was only for one show in Perth Western Australia. That show was no doubt the precursor for this tour. What a show it was or so I was told and read. This time they are back as a part of the massive “Music Of The Spheres” World Tour.

What were we in for tonight at Marvel Stadium? This is the first Australian date and the first of four shows at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne.

Broken into four parts Planets, Moons, Stars & Home this was a truly career defining collection of songs. For the last twenty-four years ever since their break through single ‘Yellow’ Coldplay have continued to grow from strength to strength and have ultimately become one of the most played radio friendly bands of a generation.

There is something to be said about a band who has become the soundtrack to our lives in the new millennium. Subconsciously and consciously Coldplay just seem to have always been there. Last night there was no exception. This was a show to be seen and heard. This band and their music simply know no boundaries in age, demographic, style, genre and feel.

Seeing so many tonight in attendance with their teen and even younger children together bonded by the connection of music in only a way music can connect people, we all have moments that stick in our minds that tell a personal tale, for me it brought back many a conversation with my son as a teenager over why didn’t I like Coldplay the way he did, last night was a moment in time I truly do wish I could have shared with him. Maybe it was because they were everywhere and felt forcibly thrust on me. Personally, I like to enjoy music at my own pace, discover a bands true identity and personality without being confronted with it. Strange huh?

The buzz and electric energy in Marvel Stadium was simply breath taking. The smiles, the bonding and the connection of people told me I had missed something very powerful with this band.

Before the show had even begun Chris Martin took to the stage offering an apology to all in attendance that bassist and founding member Guy Berryman would not be appearing tonight and that in the hour leading up to their performance he was ill and vomiting. It was revealed later in the show that the strange costumed bass presence was that of the band’s sound engineer Bill Rahko. Who filled a void that has never been there in the band’s history. Sonically it was a tape of Berryman’s playing with physical space being filled.

I can say without a doubt that this was the only thing that was pre-recorded. In a day and age where technology can ruin a performance, human interaction and presence put that at ease. While the show is undoubtedly a tight machine there is so much that is personal in tonight’s performance.

I guess in many ways it was this honesty from Martin that allowed you to be at ease and after the novelty of seeing a man in a costume on stage wore off you simply immersed yourself in the music and performance.

For the first two songs Martin covered the length of the catwalk several times with a spring in his step, his arms in the air, embracing the fans and the undeniable atmosphere that was so full of love. What was coming back to him must have been incredible.

Tonight’s set wasn’t a greatest hits outing it was a celebration of their last two records 2024’s “Moon Music” and 2021’s “Music Of The Spheres”

Where no less than a third of tonight’s set list came from. Of course, there were the hits and plenty of them, how could there not be. Coldplay’s catalogue is deep and diverse. When you get to hear it in the live setting.

There is something to be said about Chris Martin’s onstage personality, he is charming, honest and relatable. I don’t think there are too many frontmen or personalities like that in the world today. Taking time to interact with the audience as much as possible there were so many feel good moments and for the fans and the passionate there was plenty to absorb.

From a visual stand point this show is stunning, from incredible visuals, such as downpours of confetti and planet designed balls that fell from the skies to pyro and fireworks. While it has been done before the use of light up wristbands being synchronised and controlled to add another production element to the show there was a feeling of being connected in some strange way. Unless you have been in the midst of it and experienced it, it is so hard to put into words.

With three stages in use tonight the main stage, stage B which was at the end of the catwalk I mentioned earlier and then there was stage C a small remote stage at the back of the floor which brought the band closer to many that they thought possible.

Stage C performances were truly stripped back and incredibly engaging. ‘Sparks’ was dedicated to Shane Warne introducing it by saying “Let’s play this for Shane and his family Ok. Our brother we miss you. Every time we come to Melbourne it used to be nice to hang out with Shane and all the Warne family. I don’t want to talk about it too much because I will start to cry”.

This was followed up by what is now known as the “Jumbotron Song” where Chris gets his camera crew to pick out random people in the crowd and sings an adlib verse about that person or people based on his observations while showing their faces on the massive screens. It is such a nice personal touch and again shows a level of humility and connection I have rarely experienced.

Musically the three attending members are all incredibly talented and proficient in what they do, it’s a well-oiled machine and again they delivered a collection of songs that engaged not only me but a crowd of 50 000 people. The crowd’s voices were loud and strong and there were time where even in the stands where I stood I felt the energy of tonight’s crowd make the stands bounce as they danced, jumped and got lost in the power of music for two hours.

I found myself revisiting the bands back catalogue on the ride home and into this afternoon and found things in songs that I hadn’t before, inspiration and meaning where I had missed it before ‘Paradise’, ‘My Universe’ and ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’ now have timestamps in my life timeline. The beauty in the message of ‘Fix You’ hit hard. Tonight, I didn’t simply listen to music I felt it, I connected with it, it moved me and that’s what music should do.

With three more shows in Melbourne’s four in Sydney and three in New Zealand I recommend if you aren’t already going you seriously look into catching these shows. It took this guy to a whole new level of appreciation of the band.

With thanks to Revolutions PR & Live Nation for the media access
Photos by Shot By Slaidins Photography

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