Not quite as humid as the first few days of this burgeoning summer with a gust of wind blowing every so often, it was the perfect evening for an outdoor concert, with no less than one of most popular British rock bands in almost two decades—Coldplay.
For the front act, female Aussie musician Jess Kent was bursting with youthful energy as she careened through her set, singing and dancing on stage and alternating between her mellow acoustic and electric guitar at one point which was vaguely reminiscent of a young Nelly Furtado.
At a little past 9 p.m. endorphins were released and the crowd screamed from sheer excitement as Coldplay finally set foot on stage, opening the show with “A Head Full of Dreams.” However, it was when the band played its breakthrough single “Yellow” from the debut album “Parachutes” that the crowd truly responded.
Released 17 years ago, “Yellow” is a song that continues to unite fans of the band from its various phases—from the fortyish executive who listened to the band as yuppies to millennials who have yet to listen to the other, equally as affecting songs from the first record, bringing them to sing—emotionally— in unison to every single word.
Another song that had the same melancholic effect on the crowd was “The Scientist” from the band’s equally acclaimed sophomore release, “A Rush of Blood to the Head.” Other sing-along favorites include “Birds,” from the 2015 release “A Head Full of Dreams” and “Paradise,” from the 2011 album of the same title.
After thanking the audience for coming before playing the song “Everglow,” vocalist Chris Martin said, “We’re going to play a quiet song now and maybe in the spirit of what we’re trying to do on this tour and the way I feel you guys are trying to give us this beautiful, warm energy, I was wondering if in this song, if you feel like it, just send some good energy somewhere in the world where they need it. Some love and care to Syria, Colombia, Russia, all these places. We’re going to send them some great beautiful, Philippine loving energy.”
Far from being a holding basin for emotions, the concert had more than its fair share of bright and literally colorful moments. Confetti in different shapes; giant balloon domes; fluorescent light bands that were activated as part of multi-colored lights shows which either extended from one end of the venue to another or complement Martin’s choreographed movement; giant flame torches on stage and video clips were some the extras that kept the crowd captivated and made the concert an interactive, multi-sensory experience.
The crowd’s energy was further elevated with the performance of much loved songs like “Clocks” and “Fix You,” as well as later, danceable hits like “Hymn for the Weekend” and “Adventure Of Lifetime.” It would go down a notch with “In My Place” and “Don’t Panic,” a lesser known song from the band’s first album for which lead guitarist Jonny Buckland took over vocal duties. Also memorable was the band’s cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” and Martin’s simplistic yet endearing improvised song about Manila.
The band would move from one part of the extended stage to another so patrons from other sections could still witness them play. If he wasn’t seated on a piano and charming his way into the hearts of the fans, Chris Martin would be found practically running about, lying with his back flat on stage whilst performing, seemingly ageless in agile movement, a musically inclined Peter Pan delighting the audience with much help from his Lost Boys.
Beyond the spectacular visuals and production values, however, was the carefully prepared set list that captured Coldplay’s evolution through almost two decades. It shows that a band’s sound can drastically evolve without necessarily sacrificing the spirit of who they are.
For those who were fortunate enough to witness it, the concert felt like a dream they never thought would actually happen. All told, “A Head Full of Dreams” was arguably one of— if not the— largest and most magical coalescences of people united by their sheer love for one band’s music. It may take a while before we see anything like it again.
