By: David de Young
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Coldplay - Publicity photo
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I missed Coldplay’s 2003 appearance at the Target Center, but I still have the bootleg CD I made from Cities 97’s broadcast of that show. I am leaning towards agreeing with the reviews that suggest 2003’s was a better (more energetic, perhaps?) event. And though they had fewer songs at the time, 2002’s appearance at First Avenue may have been the classic Twin Cities appearance.
Tuesday night, Chris Martin acknowledged the band had been on tour for some time now. And it’s not that they seemed weary; it’s just that I was just acutely aware at Tuesday’s show of just how choreographed it has become. (About the only thing that wasn’t clearly planned was the fence jumper stage left during “Ring of Fire,” and (I’m guessing it was an accident) the amusing bit where only 3 yellow balloons fell initially during “Yellow.”
By no means, however, was Tuesday’s show sub par. As big venue rock shows go, it was pretty darn good, despite the horribly antiseptic confines of the Target Center. The sterile feeling of the venue was worsened by the fact that the first 5 times I’d seen Coldplay I was outside under the stars in various European fields, including one in Glastonbury in 2001.( Coldplay, moreso than most bands, seems designed to be best enjoyed outdoors with plenty of lighters and/or banners raised high.) As a consolation perhaps, the accompanying light show at the Target Center, was creatively inspired, even fun.
Tuesday’s set list was weighted in favor of the newer stuff, which was fine, since as Coldplay has developed as a band they have produced ever more refined versions of the type of songs that grabbed my attention when Parachutes came out in 2000. Show favorites were likely to be the same songs which are your favorites from the studio recordings: Ones that stood out for me were Politik, White Shadows, and Speed Of Sound. Unlike many of my friends and colleagues, I despise the latest single, “Fix You,” as I think more than half of the worlds problems are caused by people trying to fix other people and the song sends the wrong message.
Here's the Setlist:
1. Square One
2. Politik
3. Yellow
4. God Put a Smile On My Face
5. Speed of Sound
6. Low
7. Trouble
8. Everything’s Not Lost
9. White Shadows
10. The Scientist
11. Still my Heart (for Johnny Cash)
12. Ring of Fire
13. Green Eyes
14. Clocks
15. Talk
Encore
1. I’ll Swallow the Sea
2. In My Place
3. Fix You
Others reviews of note:
Ross Raihala's review in the Pioneer Press
And
Jon Bream's in the Star Tribune
See also Bream’s promo piece including an interview with Jon Buckland.
Location Info:
Target Center
Artist Info: Coldplay, Rilo Kiley
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