25th March, 2025
Coldplay warms fans’ hearts with their Music of the Spheres
When the ticket bookings opened for Coldplay, it saw a frenzy, apparently with over 12 lakh people queuing online. Expectedly, ticket reselling became an overnight business with offerings going as high as Rs 1.5 lakh and beyond for a ticket costing Rs.12,500, but the smarter few just found it a lot more economical to attend the concert in Abu Dhabi.
Scheduled just prior to the India dates and, despite the additional cost incurred towards international air tickets, hotel accommodation, ground transport, and visa costs, fans could still make a saving vis-à-vis paying the scalpers ‘repurchase charges.
In placing aside the controversies of the past few months as if the applicant had won a lottery, British-based Coldplay – consisting of lead vocalist Chris Martin (also playing piano and guitar), bassist Guy Berryman, guitarist Jonny Buckland, and drummer Will Champion – finally made it (back) to Indian shores with three concerts scheduled in Mumbai, and two in Ahmedabad, in January 2025.
The first of them on 18th January, held at the DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and, after an unnecessary introduction to the band by two unknowns (atleast to this writer), one making an announcement in Hindi, followed by another translating into English, the moment that the70,000+ audience was awaiting occurred, a few minutes after 8 pm, as the band entered from a side entrance located alongside the elongated platform onto the main stage.
Commencing proceedings with the propulsive, ‘80s sounding synthesizer-driven Higher Power that instantly got the crowd swinging into what turned out to be a two-hour party. Plus, there is something to be said about Chris Martin’s onstage personality; he is undoubtedly charming, and relatable and, in taking advantage of this impression on A Sky Full Of Stars, Chris stopped the song abruptly, encouraging the audience to put their mobile phones away and make an effort to immerse themselves in the moment.
Eventually, the concert was broken into four parts – ‘Planets’, ‘Moons’, ‘Stars’, and culminating with an encore on ‘Home’ – as ‘Music Of The Spheres ‘turned out to be immensely memorable as the band ran through almost 28 years of being together, which commenced with the band’s break through major label debut album, ‘Parachutes’, in 2000.
From a production stand point, the show was stunning, from incredible visuals such as downpours of confetti and planet-designed balls, to pyro, and to providing 3D glasses for usage during the penultimate song, along with multiple fireworks displays. However, it was the use of lighted-up wristbands being synchronised to beats that surely added another fascinating production element to the show.
With three stages in use across the concert with the main one being stage A, stage B was situated at the end of the catwalk, whereas the unconnected stage C was placed at a remote portion of the standing area, and closer to one side of the stands. Chris covered the length of the catwalk several times, almost as if he had springs on his feet, with his arms constantly flailing in the air.
But undoubtedly, it was the band’s performances of their earlier tracks like Sparks (following which Chris introduced the members of the band, jokingly about their birth being either in New Delhi or in Pondicherry), Paradise, and Charlie Brown that became great reminders that Coldplay really sound better when they do not drench their guitars and drums with synths, but the best moments for this reviewer were always the piano-led songs such as The Scientist, Hymn For The Weekend, and Clocks.
One of the obvious highlights of the evening for the audience arrived with the introduction of Indian singer Jasleen Royal who joined frontman Chris on stage for a duet of We Pray, a track from Coldplay’s latest album, ‘Moon Music’, singing her segment with Hindi lyrics, and playing piano alongside Chris.
Among other delightful surprises, the band members wore what looked like masks of aliens on Infinity Sign, and Chris delighting fans by reading placards held by the audience and, while on Stage B, called out to a 15 year old who had a placard wherein he asked about performing Everglow with the band, which Chris obliged by having the youngster accompany him on the piano as they traded their respective vocals across verses.
In a choreographed moment, while the band moved onto stage C, Chris followed it up by what is now known as the Jumbotron Song where he got the camera crew to pick out random people in the crowd as he sang an ad lib verse about that person and/or attire while the camera showcased their faces on the massive screens.
While the otherwise tight sound saw fluctuations during the first night and, those who were standing on ground level were disturbed with the sound echoing on the rebound, the monologues from Chris Martin often appeared endless, the usage of synchronised wristband lighting appeared excessive, and select media incorrectly grumbled about the audience not being enthusiastic, nothing takes away the fact that the ‘Music Of The Spheres ‘has turned into a $1billion business, encompassing a world tour across two years, and will keep ongoing until 8th September, 2025 with the final ten shows literally being musically played out at London’s Wembley Stadium.
It was very evident that the members of Coldplay are indeed talented musicians as they delivered their greatest hits and beyond by engaging the audience as only as a well-oiled music machine could.
Fast forward to the question whether it was worth the anxiety of waiting to see Coldplay live in concert? For a band that has achieved worldwide sales well in excess of 100 million units, you cannot go wrong, and Coldplay deservedly ensured that they certainly did not…and, for the audience, it was both how, and wow.
Reviewed by Parag Kamani
Parag Kamani has been part of the media and entertainment industry across 35 years, having worked for licensors such as Warner Music and EMI/Virgin in music, as well as Warner Bros, Universal Pictures, and Paramount Pictures in the field of films. Parag continues pursuing his passion as a profession.
Photos: Anna Lee Media
Mumbai set list –
Light Through the Veins
(Jon Hopkins song) (sustainability video intro)
Song played from tape
Flying Theme
(John Williams song) (from “E.T.”)
Act .i. Planets
Music of the Spheres
Paradise
(extended intro and outro)
(with excerpts of "Oceans" in intro, and backwards outro)
Act .ii. Moons
(on B-Stage)
(on B-Stage)
(on B-Stage; with fans; piano version)
All my Love
Act .iii. Stars
Human Heart
(shortened; "sung" by The Weirdos; on B-Stage)
We Pray (with Jasleen Royal and Elyanna)
(on B-Stage; shortened; with excerpts of "Music of the Spheres II" & "Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall")
Something Just Like this
(The Chainsmokers cover) (outro remixed with Martin Garrix’s “Breakaway”)
(restarted; asks audience to put phones away for this song)
Act .iv. Home
Sunrise
(with Louis Armstrong's intro speech to "What a Wonderful World")
(on C-Stage)
(on C-Stage)
(with "Biutyful" intro)
Good Feelings
A Wave
