Jonathan Geddes
four stars
THE Scottish weather can flummox a band, even when it is sunny. Chris Martin quipped that all the sunshine was disrupting the group’s lights heavy set, meaning the band were relying on an “emotional connection” instead. Luckily, for all that Coldplay attract venomous detractors, they remain a band that mean a lot to people, from the excitable teenagers who provided the group’s big screen introduction, to the lass in tears during the sway-a-thon of Fix You.
Read more: Coldplay bring the house down at sunny Hampden
That’s not to say the technology was a damp squib. This show succeeded as a stadium spectacular because it was both a well-paced set of old and new, and also because Coldplay understand exactly how to stage an enormous show, with fireworks and confetti cannons from the off. Light-up wristbands offered striking illumination as the night wore on, from a stunning sea of purple during the encore’s Sky Full Of Stars to the raved-up Charlie Brown.
There was a positive, euphoric energy running through the set, and it was hard not to get swept up in the good vibes of Paradise, complete with EDM outro, or the Chic flavoured Adventure Of A Lifetime. Credit must go to Martin, who charged about all night like an Energizer bunny (presumably an environmentally friendly one) and kept the momentum going cheerfully.
Read more: All you need to know about Coldplay's Hampden show
That helped disguise some of the set’s limitations, apparent when Jonny Buckland’s adroit guitar work was less to the fore, and the regular reliance on the familiar "woo-oh" chorus.
However the sheer spectacle was both clever and impressive, while a no-frills mini-stage section that included In My Place’s beautiful riff and a Proclaimers referencing See You Soon emphasised that emotional heart with panache.
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