Coldplay's Chris Martin responds to Palestinian flag at Stanford Stadium with message of unity
Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin surveyed the flags and handwritten signs among the Stanford Stadium crowd when he spotted a Palestinian flag.
He acknowledged and welcomed the flag holder, but promptly issued a warning to anybody at the concert on Saturday, May 31, who would try to twist his intentions. It was an inclusive gesture handled with grace and humanity from one of the most openly optimistic frontmen in rock 'n' roll.
"I'm so happy to see a Palestinian flag,' Martin said. 'But just to be clear: We love all people from everywhere, so don't put that out on the internet with some bull—, OK?'
Coldplay at Stanford Stadium: Prepare for traffic, fireworks and big crowds
That relentless positivity is why cynics love to bash on Coldplay. They hate the band's do-good, feel-good earnestness. They hate how their songs cuddle up and nestle their way into your heart. They hate Martin's upbeat energy and cheerful patter, which is akin to an over-caffeinated fitness instructor trying to get 'just three more' from you at 6 a.m.
But the haters are outnumbered. On Saturday, Coldplay packed the first of two sold-out nights at Stanford Stadium, opening the NCAA Division 1 football field to full-scale concerts for the first time.
For more than two hours, Coldplay tested the building's structural integrity with a high, renewable energy show that mixed reliable anthems with newer songs and a few swing-and-a-miss moments.
The British group — singer Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion — entered the stage a little after 7:45 p.m., deploying reusable LED wristbands given to fans at the door that illuminated the stadium and deflected the ills of the outside world. Coldplay's intoxicating unity matched the heat that beat down on early comers who braved traffic to watch openers Willow, the mononymous offspring of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith, and Palestinean-Chilean dance pop artist Elyanna.
Much like their Irish counterparts U2, one of Coldplay's greatest strengths is the band's ability to harness and ride momentum. The 'Music of the Spheres' tour, in support of its ninth studio album of the same name, imagines Coldplay as space travelers embarking on a journey through the galaxy — with their fans in tow — before returning home. It's been thoroughly road-tested for the past three years, with a previous stop at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara in 2022, and on Saturday they had a full tank of hits to pull from.
More Information
Coldplay: With Willow and Elyanna. Sunday, June 1. 5:25 p.m. Resale tickets start at $247. Stanford Stadium, 625 Nelson Rd, Stanford. https://gostanford.com/coldplay
Setlist
Higher Power
Adventure of a Lifetime
Paradise
The Scientist
Viva la Vida
Hymn for the Weekend
Magic
God Put a Smile On Your Face
Yellow
All My Love
Human Heart
People of the Pride
Clocks
We Pray
Infinity Sign/Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
Something Just Like This (Chainsmokers cover)
My Universe
A Sky Full of Stars
Sparks
The Jumbotron Song
Fix You
Good Feelings
feelslikeimfallinginlove
The high points demonstrated how Coldplay has earned its spot as one of the world's best live bands. 'Viva La Vida,' performed on a second stage at the 50-yard line, retained its position as a top five stadium banger of any genre. In contrast, 'Fix You' was elegiac and moving. Meanwhile, 'Yellow' and 'A Sky Full of Stars,' combined with the LED wristbands, created a utopian universe of its own. The band and stage design were fully locked in, Martin leading singalongs that rival the mightiest European football chants.
That said, the space trip had its bumps. Coldplay's polished sincerity made a few songs sound like they were made for corporate training videos. K-pop greats BTS appeared onscreen during 'My Universe,' a prime example of East-West collaborations that look great on paper but fall short in execution. Ditto 'We Pray,' which, like unseasoned chicken, is good for you but lacks flavor in a live setting.
The Coldplay structural integrity test concluded just before the city's 10 p.m. curfew, finishing with an epic take of 'feelslikeimfallinginlove' and a fully loaded fireworks display. The stadium foundation bore the load of 84,000 pounding feet and soaked up gallons of spilled hard seltzer — and stood ready for future concerts to infinity and beyond.
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