Coldplay at MSG

by Marc Wiener

This is a hard review for me to write. I have seen Coldplay several times since obtaining their debut full length Parachutes. And I have seen them several times since the release of its follow up, A Rush of Blood to the Head. They have always sounded great live. Their atmospheric songs and Chris Martin's stirring vocals are a treasure. However, I did feel that something may have been a little lost in the jump to an Arena sized venue.

The band has matured along the way. Seeing them at the Roseland back on the Parachutes tour, the band seemed uncomfortable in front of the crowd. Flash forward to a gig at the bowery ballroom on the eve of AROBTTH's release and the band knew how to grab a crowd. They were powerful, emotional, and in charge.

So, when they came out to a sold out crowd at the garden and launched into the album's opener, "Politic", with its uncharacteristically thrashy into, I was glad for the band. I felt like I had a history with them. And as the show continued, they sounded marvelous. They played a lot of the AROBTTH, several Parachutes tracks, the excellent B-side "One I Love", and some wonderful new songs. They even played a live favorite, Echo and the Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar". So why wasn't I thrilled? I think I may have been spoiled.

Maybe I've just seen them too many times too close together. Or maybe after such a special night like that Bowery show, it's hard to measure up. The band was obviously in good spirits, with Chris jokingly throwing in some Cher lyrics since she had played the garden the night before. Am I glad I was there? Absolutely. But for some reason I thought that the band would be so excited to play the garden that the show would contain magic. I thought I would be witnessing an EVENT. Instead I witnessed a great band playing great songs, which is nothing to sneeze at.

--released on the Great Hoboes of New York on July 6, 2003