Coldplay light up in concert at Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium

THEY’VE been around for 20 years, but lead singer Chris Martin still knows how to rock a crowd — with confetti, fireworks, and banging hits.

Cameron AdamsNational Music Writer

2 min read

December 9, 2016 - 10:00PM

News Corp Australia Network

Coldplay in concert at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. Lead singer Chris Martin fires up on stage. Picture: Ian Currie

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CHRIS Martin sometimes seems to be strategically slating his band Coldplay himself before the haters can.

However inside Etihad Stadium with 55,000 euphoric fans Martin can directly focus on those who’ve helped make them the biggest band of their generation.

The British quartet have been operating at stadium level for a decade — something none of their modern contemporaries can claim.

In 2016, they’ve pretty much got a Greatest Hits show that still manages to shoehorn in the bulk of last year’s A Head Full of Dreams album.

Lead singer Chris Martin fires up on stage at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. Picture: Ian Currie

It’s remarkably simple to see their appeal. They put immense effort into being entertaining. Fireworks and confetti cannons aren’t kept until the end, they’re used all the way through. Flashing digital wristbands make each audience member part of the lighting crew.

Martin works the catwalk like an anti-model, all gallops and smiles. Some acts may cringe at wearing Australian flags, Martin drapes himself in it. Secondary stages and a fan request help their mission to make the huge venues their popularity demands slightly more intimate.

To sell enough tickets to play two stadiums on the same weekend (that’s 110,000 plus in Melbourne) you need anthems and Coldplay had them from the get-go.

So many they’ve benched some big hits for this tour but there’s still Yellow, The Scientist, Clocks, Fix You, Viva La Vida, Paradise (with some of the bangin’ Tiestro remix at the end) and the underrated Every Teardrop is a Waterfall and the hands-in-the-air hit Adventure of a Lifetime.

Coldplay take making people feel good very seriously. Picture: Ian Currie

They didn’t tour previous album Ghost Stories, so it’s nice to hear the mellow Magic become a belated singalong as well as the uplifting A Sky Full of Stars.

In one of the night’s more emotional moments Melbourne singer Emmanuel Kelly joined Coldplay to perform a cover of John Lennon’s Imagine — with Chris Martin stating it was a tribute to humanitarian Moira Kelly.

Like their heroes U2, who laid out the blueprint they’ve followed, Coldplay take making people feel good very seriously.

Those coming to their remaining shows must get their early enough to see British future star Lianne La Havas. Her incredible voice, raw soul pop and charm had many instant converts Googling her.