It appears Bono was right. Chris Martin is a wanker.
However, had chance happened any other way, the wanker could have been Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman or Will Champion instead.At tonight’s Coldplay show at Rod Laver Arena, Martin told the story of how his wankerness was set more than a decade ago. “13 years ago we met and decided to become soft rock stars,” he told the Melbourne crowd. “At our first band meeting we had to decide who the lead singer would be and I drew the short straw. So for the last 13 years I’ve been taking all the shit including Bono’s swear words”.
This was Martin’s first public appearance since Bono said on the BBC, “I think he is that good a melodist. I mean, he's a wanker.”
It may have been tongue-in-cheek, but Bono still said it.
Martin’s tongue-in-cheek retort to Bono was also acknowledged with a slightly more subtle reference to U2 just before Coldplay came on. Before they came on stage, U2’s ‘Magnificent’ was playing over the loud speakers.
Martin knows his place in the music world for sure. “We are called Coldplay. We are one of England’s premium soft rock bands,” he said at the start of the show.
Not too soft mind you. While Bono gets to take the piss out of Chris Martin, Martin got to bitch-slap Celine Dion. “Even if you came along on the wrong night for a Celine Dion concert and you are just waiting around until she arrives, sing this,” he said launching into ‘Yellow’.
So how does Coldplay sound, you ask? Let me tell you (and once again quoting that well placed U2 song) MAGNIFICENT.
I’ve said it before and I’ll state it again. Coldplay is the last of the super acts. A Coldplay show is very much as dynamic as a U2 show (sorry Bono but he is as good as you) minus the gigantic outdoor circus act.
The band’s most recent album ‘Viva La Vida’ is one of the few “albums” of the 21st Century that was about a collection of songs united. This tour focuses directly on the ‘Viva La Vida’ album and despite the number of “new” songs in the current set list the album is of such substantial quality that it is a pleasure to hear them all live.
Here is the setlist from Melbourne, March 3, 2009:
Life In Technicolor (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Violet Hill (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Clocks (from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, 2002)?
In My Place (from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, 2002)?
Yellow (from Parachutes, 2000)?
Cemeteries Of London (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Chinese Sleep Chant (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
42 (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Fix You (from X&Y, 2005)?
Strawberry Swing (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Recorded: Talk (from X&Y, 2005)?
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, 2002)?
The Hardest Part (from X&Y, 2005)?
Postcards From Far Away (from Prospekt’s March, 2008)?
Viva La Vida (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Lost! (from Viva La Vida, 2008)?
Speed Of Sound (from X&Y, 2005)?
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic, sung by Will)?
Viva La Vida (from Viva La Vida, 2008)
Politik (from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, 2002)?
Lovers In Japan (from Viva La Vida, 2008)
Death And All His Friends (from Viva La Vida, 2008)
The Scientist (from A Rush Of Blood To The Head, 2002)?
Life In Technicolor ii (from Prospekt’s March, 2008)?
Recorded: The Escapist (from Viva La Vida, 2008)
