Coldplay is probably the hottest band in the world right now. Ticket sales for their Music of the Spheres World Tour have surpassed over ten million, making it the most highly attended tour by a group of all time and when tickets went on sale for the Australian leg of the tour, Ticketek went into a meltdown as hundreds of thousands of fans snapped up the hotly anticipated tickets within seconds. After four shows in Melbourne and a trip to the cricket at the MCG for frontman Chris Martin, the band headed up to Sydney for a series of performances at Accor Stadium. 

As the band hit the stage, they were greeted with a raucous applause. They began their show with a space theme, entering to a John Williams instrumental from ET before moving into two of their biggest hits immediately in “Paradise” and “The Scientist.” The latter was an immediate highlight, with Martin holding the crowd in the palm of his hand as they sung back with a joy and love that set the tone for the rest of the performance. 

Martin would be the first to admit that on vocals alone, there are those out there that surpass him. However, the British superstar brings a level of charm and charisma to the table that few others can come close to matching. There was an earnestness about his performance that felt quite genuine throughout the show. When he wished the audience a wonderful night at the start of the set and when he told them later that coming to Sydney was one of the best pleasures a band could have, you truly believed him.  

As the band launched into their Moons set, they delighted the crowd by performing “Viva La Vida” from the front of the stage. As the pyrotechnics and lights from glowing wristbands provided before the show shot around the stadium, tens of thousands of cameras went up to capture the moment. Perhaps to some, this is a reflection of concert culture gone wrong, but to this reviewer, it showed the power of community, as thousands of lights flashed with approval as the song hit its apex. 

The band proceeded to perform “Yellow” and “ALL MY LOVE”, which were performed with a level of emotion and sincerity that contrasted to some of the more upbeat numbers earlier in the set. In a set that was driven by newer material, it was interesting to note that the band’s older work engendered the greatest connection with the audience, even in spite of the younger demographic who filled most of the venue. 

One of the most defining aspects of a Coldplay show is the spectacle around it and this set certainly did not disappoint in that regard with fireworks, flames and lights featuring throughout the show. The band used them throughout the show as a form of punctuation rather than as a display of finality at the end of the show (although they were used for that as well). While in other shows, this might have felt a bit excessive, it fit perfectly into the vibe of Coldplay’s show, feeling larger than life and in keeping with the grandiosity of the spectacle inside the arena. 

In spite of these big-budget theatrics, Coldplay have made a well-publicised commitment to protecting the environment, with a 59% reduction in emissions when compared to their last tour. Given the size of this tour, and the influence that the band holds, this is certainly a laudable achievement, especially given that no discernible compromise in quality was visible from an audience perspective as a result of this shift.     

Also particularly notable was the band’s commitment to inclusivity, with ASL interpreters performing within the stadium and Martin himself signing during “Something Just Like This”. Everything Martin did on stage was done with grace and care and nothing more so than his delicate recognition of the events of the day. 

“It’s such an eventful day in the world,” he said. “Thank you for gathering here so peacefully and kindly.”

The band closed their third set with “A Sky Full of Stars”, which had particular poignancy for the band given that the shot the music video for the song in Sydney 10 years ago. This song gave rise to the most ‘Instagrammable’ moment of the show as a swathe of bodies jumped into the air as the instrumental solo began. It was at this moment that it became abundantly clear, if it wasn’t already, that this concert is probably the greatest spectacle in pop music at the moment. 

As the band moved into their final set, they saved “Fix You” for one of their final songs. It was a moment of ethereality that is rarely able to be captured in a stadium show of such magnitude. As Martin sang, and the crowd sang back, the words morphed into one and the atmosphere viscerally shifted back and forth. For some, it was a song of loss; for others, a song of love; and for some, a song of celebration. Whatever it may have been, every member of the audience was feeling the moment as the curtain closed on a brilliant night of music and spectacle. 

Rating: ★★★★1/2

Coldplay – Accor Stadium – 6^th November 2024

All photo credits: Gregg Porteous / Accor Stadium