There’s just something about seeing one of your all-time favourite bands the first time. The excitement leading up to a concert, singing along to all of your favourite songs, the never ceasing smile when you’re leaving the venue – it’s all such an amazing feeling and I must say that seeing Coldplay live for the very first time left me an extremely happy gal.
While heading into Rogers Arena, everyone was allowed to grab a coloured wristband and on it was printed #coldplayfilm, a hashtag referring to band’s forthcoming live concert film to be filmed at a undecided date on the band’s current tour. Even though I knew that the wristbands were going to light up during the concert, it still was a very nice touch that added to the already amazing visual elements that Coldplay’s got going on this time around.
Opening for Coldplay on their second sold-out date in Vancouver were the sister-duo, The Pierces, and City and Colour, also known as one Dallas Green whom you may be familiar with thanks to Alexisonfire. Both sang tunes that were very much so folk at heart, with the former reminding me of a more pop-rock version of First Aid Kit and the latter being guitar-heavy folk-rock.
Not long afterwards, the entire arena was transformed into a beautiful light show complete with lasers, our glowing LED wristbands, and a lot of camera flashes. The foursome that is Coldplay kicked things off with the high-energy track, “Hurts Like Heaven,” before moving into a mix of songs from the band’s handful of albums, new and old.
And with a huge blast of light and confetti shaped like hearts, flowers, and butterflies, all of Rogers Arena came alive to the recognizable guitar intro of “In My Place,” from the ever-popular album, A Rush of Blood to the Head. That was definitely the first instance of the night where all of the arena came together and sang their hearts out, and boy, it was beautiful.
Soon, Coldplay ended the first chunk of their set with a handful of their huge hits including “The Scientist,” “Yellow” (my all-time favourite Coldplay song), and “Violet Hill.” I’ve really got to hand it to them. Even over ten years since the release of “Yellow,” I still haven’t tired of it and many others certainly have not either, further proving to all you Coldplay cynics out there that it is indeed a classic.
For the next few songs, the band moved to the x-shaped extension of the stage that was about ten or so rows deep into the seats on the floor level of the arena. They played “Princess of China” with Rihanna up on the circular screens hanging from the ceiling, “Up in Flames” and a beautiful, stripped-down performance of “Warning Sign” with Chris Martin on his sweet neon paint-splattered upright piano.
The night’s overall crowd-pleaser would be “Paradise,” hands down. With our wristbands alight, we sang along loudly with Chris to the “para-para-paradise” and “woah-oh-ohs” of the chorus. And if you weren’t out of your seat during this song, shame on you. I danced and waved my arms in the air, not caring at all if I looked like a fool.
After a few minutes of resting time, Chris Martin popped up in the lower bowl and started the encore with “Us Against The World.” Little by little, the spotlights exposed the other members in the crowd and once the song ended, they all ran back to the stage and went right into “Clocks,” “Fix You,” and the night’s closer, “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall.”
This concert was absolutely incredible and it exceeded my expectations and more. Coldplay certainly know how to put on an amazing show. If the loss of my voice and my hearing is any indication at all, the concert was one of the best I’ve ever been to and one that was surely unforgettable.
