Coldplay
Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne
Thursday 5th March 2009

In all my years of gig going, no band has raised as much suspicion and ire amongst my friends as the announcement that I was going to go see Coldplay. On a night when Melbourne is hosting Golden Plains sideshows from Mogwai, Of Montreal, Dan Deacon, and Brant Bjork and the Bros, not to mention Future Festival headliners N*E*R*D, my election to see the UK soft rockers inspires scorn. An attitude reminiscent of the old nugget:"Triple J sucks...I never listen to it."

Coldplay are an easy punchline. As their worldwide fame eclipsed their cordial musical output they became synonymous with everything bland, corporate, commercial and meaningless in the music world. So blithely accepted is this fuzzy notion that it's been etched into the history books; the New York Times' famously referenced article called the group "the most insufferable band of the decade". Yet the same piece hinges on nothing but calling Chris Martin's lyrics bland. Which, while admittedly tepid at worst, are arguably on par with bands of a similar ilk who avoid such derision. (The Killers, U2...even *gasp* Arcade Fire had some clunkers on Neon Bible). There are millions of worse bands, easily. With success came scorn and the widely accepted effect is a kneejerk scoffing of their name, a reaction that's intended to show the pure motives of the announcer and yet adds to the bleats from the herd.

This division; I love it. So I wanted to see it for myself.

When Rod Laver Arena isn't housing rock bands it's a tennis court, which is precisely what they crowd looks like they're settling in for tonight. Kids, parents, grannies and upstanding citizens of all ages fill the arena. The disabled section behind me is full with wheelchairs. The lights in the corporate boxes are blazing, silhouettes pressed against the window. I don't know if this third Melbourne gig is sold out tonight but it sure feels like it.

One claim that can reasonably be levelled against Coldplay is that they're the bowerbirds of popular music; siphoning up the proven, best bits of other more modern bands and presenting them in a more digestible fashion. In interviews they've been the first to admit it. Bounding on stage to a deafening roar, the live tricks during opener "Life in Technicolour" reveals this practice carries on through their live show.

Giant shadows lurch on stage in front a gauze sheet, while backwards bass swells and giant orbs descend and glow, a la Sigur Ros. During 'Yellow' giant confetti filled balloons rain from the roof to bounce around the crowd; ie Flaming Lips. The 'Arcade Fire meets The Beatles' military style uniforms they've donned for the duration of their Viva La Vida campaign are present, and much of the video screen action sets the band in saturated, high definition black and white, just as U2 classically appear in Anton Corjbin's. Elsewhere lasers pump out during 'Violet Hill', thousands of glow in the dark butterlfies rain down on the audience during 'Lovers in Japan', and Chris Martin makes energetic use of the horseshoe shaped runway sections housing the general admission area. Coldplay understand the value of reaching the cheap seats and this is hammered home in their shot at putting on the biggest party they can. It works, easily. It's Arena Rock 101.


Coldplay - 'Viva La Vida/Lost' live in Melbourne, Thursday 5th March

There's a kid no older than twelve in front of me with eyes wide and clapping as his Mum dances alongside. There are mild mannered dudes over yonder losing their minds at the spectacle. And it IS a spectacle - one that doesn't necessarily need Coldplay as its soundtrack to translate, sure -  but it is enhanced by everything the band does. For 'Talk' they congregate shoulder to shoulder at the end of one of the runways with a drum machine. Halfway through the set they walk through the crowd and appear on a stage set up near the back wall of the venue. Just metres from shocked fans they repeat the stripped back schtick with a three song acoustic set, all the while cracking jokes and sending themselves up. Your Nan would love it. It transforms this giant cold arena into a living room of colour, audience participation, joy, and at $140 a ticket, value for money. Really.

Yeah I'm glad I saw them. I enjoyed it thoroughly. They may not have the critics, hipsters or Bono onside - and Martin is still a limp lyricist at best - but it's clear that Coldplay inspire legions of people to feel deeply about their feelings. Which, as most are too timid to admit, is really all anyone's looking for.

(Pics: Tim O'Connor)