Coldplay's 2008 United States Viva la Vida Tour
An Inside, Front-Row Look at the Band's Performance in Houston, TX
Dec 17, 2008
Being escorted from the highest row in the arena to front row center seats after answering basic Coldplay trivia started the night out right.
Coldplay roadies explained that Coldplay purchases the first five rows of every American concert they perform then gives the tickets to true Coldplay fans that would energize the band to perform their best, fans who deserved floor seats priced as much as $1,000 a ticket. Who knew?
The Setlist
- Life in Technicolor
- Violet Hill
- Clocks
- In My Place
- Speed of Sound
- Cemeteries of London
- Chinese Sleep Chant
- 42
- Fix You
- Strawberry Swing
- God Put a Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
- Talk (techno version)
- The Hardest Part (Chris Martin-piano)
- Postcards from Far Away (Chris Martin-piano)
- Viva la Vida
- Lost!
- ---
- The Scientist (acoustic)
- Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic, Will Champion-vocals)
- Viva la Vida (remix interlude)
- ---
- Politik
- Lovers in Japan
- Death and All His Friends
- ---
- Yellow (encore)
- The Escapist (outro)
Coldplay's Entrance and Opening
The anticipation of Coldplay's stage entrance could be seen, felt, and heard throughout the arena, and the band's arrival did not disappoint. Laser lights beamed from the stage and into the audience as the gang performed the opening track of Viva la Vida "Life in Technicolor."
The audience's excitement continued through "Violet Hill," "Clocks," and "In My Place." A truly spectacular song for the band, however, was "Speed of Sound," during which large three-dimensional balls were dropped from the ceiling, spinning with vibrantly-lit colors flashing among them.
The group's energy dwindled into the eerie and encompassing "Cemeteries of London," but Chris Martin and Johnny Buckland revved up into an animated guitar duel during the song's high-energy instrumental segment.
The Middle of the Show
Halfway through the show, the tone of the concert had mellowed a bit, but the audience's enthusiasm survived through the melodic piano-playing of Chris Martin's "The Hardest Part" and "Postcards from Far Away."
The audience joined the band for the acoustic performance of "The Scientist," where the band climbed into the opposite side of the arena's highest level.
A High-Impact Closing
After a blend of soft and acoustic songs, Coldplay opened up the audience's eyes with blinding white lights flashing on each beat of "Politik," one of the band's loudest, most rhythmic pieces. The band slid into "Lovers in Japan" which contained the infamous butterfly confetti drop, and closed the show with "Death and All His Friends."
The band returned for an encore of their best-known song, "Yellow." Bright yellow flashed throughout the audience as Chris Martin sang about the stars' shining for the people of Houston. The audience's screams subsided only for the middle of the song, returning as the band parted ways with the enthusiastic crowd.
Notable Concert Moments
As the concert continued, lights awing and melodies embracing, one of the night's most unifying moments arrived during "Fix You," one of Coldplay's most popular and singable songs.
The entire arena echoed the final lines of the song, "Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, but I will try to fix you" in unison without the aid of Chris Martin's vocals -- the spectacular acapella sounds resonating in fans' minds long after the song ended.
During the acoustic song "Death Will Never Conquer," a special song sent to concert-goers and performed at each concert, lead singer Chris Martin accidentally stepped on drummer Will Champion's microphone cord, causing the song to come to a screeching halt.
An explanation followed the laughter of the band, and they continued from the previous lines. The one song sung by the drummer was interrupted by the lead singer? Coincidence...maybe.
Another audience unifying moment was the butterfly confetti release during "Lovers in Japan." All of a sudden, during the instrumental break, a massive amount of large, colorful butterfly confetti was released from the top of the stadium.
There was a moment of confusion, and then young and old released their concerns, reaching for the butterflies, dancing in the freedom. Two more heaps of confetti were released, one in metallic colors and one in neon colors, and the audience continued grasping at the fluttering confetti, snatching souvenirs and a memorable moment.
Overall, Coldplay knows how to capture and keep the audience entertained through the right setlist, lights, and props. The ticket pricing was well-worth the concert's entertainment value and the band's two hour performance.
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