Post-Coldplay Concert

The Show Begins...
Originally uploaded by devpd.

Alright, gang, I know you are all anxious to hear about the Coldplay concert I recently had the privilege of attending. I was accompanied by my friend Merri on the drive and, at the show, we were joined by Nathan, his girlfriend Caroline, and his sisters, Melissa and Elizabeth. Needless to say, it was a kickass show and you can see some photos in my Coldplay concert set.

Merri and I showed up a lot earlier than expected, and we had the good fortune of getting to hear Coldplay's soundcheck. Apart from them running through X&Y tracks like "Square One" and "Low," they also tried their hand at more than a couple Beatles tracks, like "Dear Prudence," "For No One," and "Ticket to Ride."

Once we met Nathan and his crew, they let us into the pavilion and we found a patch of grass right at the front of the lawn area, in the family section (away from the drinkers and smokers). Rilo Kiley came on first and, while the songs didn't sound as clear and tight as their studio counterparts, they were still very good.

Then, the moment we'd all been waiting for. The lights dimmed, the Beatles song "Tomorrow Never Knows" entered through the speakers, and the show began. Here are some of the highlights:

• The countdown clock (pictured above) counting down the time till the chorus of "Square One."
  
• Lead singer Chris Martin's false start on "The Scientist." Apparently, he was off-tempo. He offered a 25¢ refund for the screw-up. :-)
  
• The "unplugged" portion of the show. Drummer Will Champion put his drums aside and picked up a keyboard and joined the other three men at the front of the stage as they performed "'Til Kingdom Come," a song they had originally written for Johnny Cash.
  
• After that song, they jumped into a cover of Cash's "Ring of Fire," my favorite part of the evening.
  
• Later during the "unplugged" set, Chris had the audience sing "Happy Birthday" to guitarist Jonny Buckland, which I recorded on my cellphone (it sounds like crap, though, so you don't get to hear it).
  
• During "Yellow," big yellow balloons suddenly appeared in front of the stage and the crowd proceeded to volley them around. A few popped.
  
• During "Talk," a fan in the front held out a cellphone, which Chris picked up and started singing into (no photo of that, sorry).

Also, I have devised a NEW CONTEST for you guys! Here's the deal: I will award a free t-shirt from my online store to the first person who can e-mail me a link to a decent-quality MP3 of Coldplay covering "Ring of Fire" You get a t-shirt AND a trucker hat if you can prove your version came from the Raleigh show!

Alright, I'm tired. Goodnight, folks!