I saw Coldplay. At GM Place. Really.
It's odd going to a show where I'm a casual fan and only know the hits. Actually, I'm not even really a fan. I know the hits, like a few of them, and think all the rest is pretty average.
But this show, I really wanted to go. Maybe Chris would swing a lightbulb over my head and make eye contact and Fix Me.
Fiona Apple opened, but we missed her. I blame that on the 2nd bottle of wine ordered at dinner. I really wanted to see her, but good company and fine wine will win every time.
They didn't really have a fancy stage setup. Just a standard stage with a big screen in the back. The countdown thing looked good opening the show. And the yellow balloons during Yellow were a nice touch. But overall, they've got a long way to go if they want to surpass U2 in that race for World's Biggest Band. Even Green Day had a better stage/lighting/fireballs presentation for an arena show.
Usually if I'm at a concert, I know the lyrics to the band's B-sides. But then again Coldplay did play that song they did for the War Child benefit, which I recognized. Points for me. I think they sang that one about a clock or a scientist or something. The one with the video where Chris Martin is walking down a street. Oh wait, thats all of them. And I still hope Midnight Oil is getting royalties for White Shadows. They also covered Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire". Because covering Johnny Cash is cool this year. Next up everyone will be doing Kenny Rogers covers. The Gambler is due. You heard it here first.
That said, I still had a good time. It was good! I still don't get Coldplay fans, just like how I don't get Death Cab for Cutie fans. They've still got way too many average songs, but the songs that are good, work really well in an arena. Like In My Place and Fix You, which ended the evening.
You know how when you make a mix and then later hear one of the songs on its own somewhere else, when it ends, you automatically think of the next song on your mix. So after In My Place, first thing I think of is Mars Volta's Interstatic ESP, Cedric screaming "Now I'm lost".
During Fix You he did the whole swinging the lightbulb around thing. He didn't make eye contact though. The audience even sang the chorus. Good ending, good song, and then we broke the fuck out.
