Tour by Coldplay | |
Location |
|
---|---|
Associated album | Music of the Spheres |
Start date | 18 March 2022 |
End date | 16 November 2024 |
No. of shows | 177 |
Producer | Live Nation [1] |
Attendance | 7.66 million [a] |
Box office | $810.9 million [a] |
Website |
coldplay |
Coldplay concert chronology |
The Music of the Spheres World Tour is the ongoing eighth concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. Announced on 14 October 2021, it is being staged in support of their ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres, marking their return to live performances after the COVID-19 pandemic. The band had not toured for their previous record, Everyday Life (2019), because they wanted to launch an environmentally friendly strategy to travel. According to the plans they developed over the previous two years with specialists, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 50% in comparison to the Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17).
Similar to the Mylo Xyloto Tour (2011–12), the concerts make extensive use of pyrotechnics and confetti. However, they were adapted to minimise the group's carbon footprint. Other ideas involved creating the first mobile rechargeable show battery in the world with BMW and planting a tree for every ticket sold. The tour began at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on 18 March 2022 and is scheduled to end at New Zealand's Eden Park on 16 November 2024. Coldplay received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised the band for their musicianship, stage presence, joyfulness, and production value.
With a global cultural impact, the Music of the Spheres World Tour surpassed $810.9 million in revenue from 7.66 million tickets across 132 dates, making it the third-highest-grossing and second-most attended tour of all time. The band also broke several records at the venues they visited. To celebrate the performances, Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate (2023) was broadcast in cinemas around the world. Emissions were cut by 47% in the concert run's first year, leading Time to rank Coldplay among the most influential climate action leaders on the planet. Similarly, Pollstar declared that they ushered into "a new era of sustainable touring".
After the release of Coldplay's eighth album, Everyday Life (2019), Chris Martin said the band would not tour until they could ensure their shows are environmentally friendly, [2] which led the record to be promoted with small charity concerts and a performance at the Amman Citadel in Jordan, broadcast by YouTube. [3] On 14 October 2021, a day before Music of the Spheres was made available, the group posted on social media they would be returning to live shows following the COVID-19 pandemic. [4] The announcement was accompanied by a detailed 12 steps plan, which was developed in two years with environmental experts and set out how Coldplay would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% compared to A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17). [5] To celebrate the album's release, they inaugurated Climate Pledge Arena on 22 October 2021. [6] The event was broadcast by Amazon Prime Video and later followed by a performance at Expo 2020, [7] while the concert run began in Costa Rica due to the country's renewable-energy-sourced power grid. [8]
A team of sustainability experts was commissioned to investigate Coldplay's carbon footprint and study how to reduce it. [9] Alongside BMW, the band also developed the first ever mobile rechargeable show battery, [10] which was made from recyclable BMW i3 batteries and powered concerts by using renewable resources such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, solar power and kinetic energy. [11] Unavoidable emissions were offset according to Oxford's principles. [12] They claimed a tree would be planted for every ticket sold through a global reforestation agreement with One Tree Planted as well. [13] For transportation, the tour was routed to reduce air travel, ground freight used electric vehicles or biofuel and the band embarked on commercial flights whenever possible. [14] In all of them, commercial and charter, an additional charge was paid to provide airplanes with Neste's sustainable aviation fuel, made from waste and residues such as used cooking oil. [15]
The stages were built "from a combination of lightweight, low-carbon and re-usable materials including recycled steel", being also customized to incorporate low-energy displays, lasers, lighting set-ups and a PA system that consumed 50% less power, helping to reduce environmental noise outside. [15] Similarly, delay towers had wind-turbines and unused seats had solar blankets. [16]
For special effects, Coldplay used biodegradable confetti adapted to require less compressed gas for ignition, while pyrotechnics had new formulas to reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals and mitigate the explosive charge. [15] Xylobands were substituted by PixMob wristbands made from 100% compostable materials and the band pledged to decrease their production by collecting, sterilising and recharging them after every show. [17] To minimise food waste, they had crew catering menus that offered plant-based and meat-free options as the standard, sourced products from suppliers adept to regenerative agriculture techniques, supported the development of synthetic, lab-grown cultured meals, donated surplus to local food banks and composted organic waste such as vegetable peelings and scraps. [15] The band also worked with venues to establish recycling programs, replace single-use water bottles with alternatives such as the Ball aluminium cups, include refill stations, introduce aerated taps, lower flushing toilets and reduce water pressure. [15]
Coldplay partnered with SAP to develop a free mobile application for the tour which calculated the total carbon footprint generated by concert goers and encouraged them to take environmentally friendly travel options. [18] Fans who committed to the effort were given a discount code on their merchandise store. [18] Partners and vendors were carefully selected to provide high quality products made from natural fibres and re-usable materials, which were then packaged in recycled paper, card or compostable bags. [15] Additionally, the band incorporated kinetic floors and stationary bicycles to venues to power the C-stage and further interact with attendees. [19] They provided bass-delivering vests from SubPac and two sign language interpreters for concert goers with hearing loss as well, [20] while guests who are blind or have low vision were offered a designated platform and touch tours before each show. [21] In May 2022, the band announced Infinity Tickets, a limited set of $20 admissions for fans who could not afford standard prices. [b]
In May 2022, The Times revealed Coldplay donated over £2.1 million to environmental causes through J Van Mars Foundation during the previous year. [23] Aside from teaming up with One Tree Planted, the band continued their cooperation with ClientEarth, to which they have been patrons since 2010. [24] Support to the Ocean Cleanup was declared as well, as they sponsored two watercrafts to collect plastic from polluted rivers before it reaches the sea in Malaysia. [25] Other organizations endorsed by Coldplay include Global Citizen, [26] The Food Forest Project, [27] Sea Shepherd UK, [28] Project Seagrass, [29] Seafields, [30] My Trees Trust, [31] Farm Under the Radar, [32] Project Quercus, [33] Sustainable Food Trust, [33] Global Tech Advocates, [34] Knowledge Pele, [35] Climeworks, [36] Cleaner Seas Group, [37] Conservation Collective and the Devon Environment Foundation, [38] which have all assisted them to reach the tour's goal. Additionally, Imperial College London's Grantham Institute helped the band to study and publish their progress. [39] In 2022, DHL announced they were partnering with Coldplay to provide expertise in sustainable logistics and transport solutions, [40] while the following year saw an alliance with AIA Vitality in Indonesia. [41]
American singer H.E.R. was the band's most frequent supporting act, opening for them in San José (with Mish Catt), [42] Santo Domingo (with La Marimba), [43] and Buenos Aires (with Zoe Gotusso) in 2022. [c] During the first run across the United States, she was paired with a new act in each stop, those included Leila Pari ( Dallas), Alaina Castillo ( Houston), Kacy Hill ( Glendale), Bobby Gonz ( Santa Clara), Drama ( Chicago), Shaed ( Landover), Bea Miller ( East Rutherford), Lizzy McAlpine ( Philadelphia), Mariah the Scientist ( Atlanta), and Gigi ( Tampa). [45] However, for the second leg in the continent, she was accompanied by 070 Shake and Gonz in all performances. [46]
H.E.R. also took part in many dates from the first European batch, although occasionally replaced by London Grammar. [47] They collaborated with Alli Neumann in Frankfurt and Berlin; [d] Mery Spolsky in Warsaw; Gaumar and Lous and the Yakuza in Saint-Denis; and Nina Nesbitt in Glasgow. [47] The former was additionally invited to the Brussels concerts, while the secondary openers at Wembley Stadium were Griff, Ibibio Sound Machine and Laura Mvula. [47] Mexico had exclusively national supporters in the initial shows ( Carla Morrison and DannyLux). [49] Still in 2022, Camila Cabello played in Lima (with Andrea Martinez), Bogotá (with Mabiland), and Santiago (with Princesa Alba). [50] Chvrches then followed Elana Dara ( São Paulo) and Clara x Sofia ( Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro) in 2023. [51]
For the second European run, they held shows after Hinds ( Barcelona), Ona Mafalda (Barcelona), Porij ( Manchester), [e] Hana Lili ( Cardiff), Laila al Habash ( Naples) and Mara Sattei ( Milan), while Griff joined Bárbara Bandeira in Coimbra; Caroline Alves in Zürich; Oh Land in Copenhagen; [f] Luciia in Gothenburg; and Zoë Tauran in Amsterdam. [54] A few months later, Coldplay announced the openers for Tokyo ( Yoasobi), Kaohsiung ( Accusefive), Jakarta (Rahmania Astrini), Kuala Lumpur (Bunga), [55] Bocaue (Jikamarie), Singapore ( Jasmine Sokko, Rriley, and Jinan Laetitia), and Bangkok (Valentina Ploy). [56] Oceania had seven guests: Thelma Plum, Amy Shark, Tash Sultana, Adrian Dzvuke, King Ibis, PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly. [57] Europe's third stint featured Maisie Peters, Janelle Monáe and Maggie Rogers, who had to team up with Antonia Kaouri ( Athens), Emaa ( Bucharest), Solére ( Budapest), Alma ( Helsinki), Ronisia ( Décines-Charpieu), Rose Villain ( Rome), Wees ( Düsseldorf), Wilhelmine ( Munich), Oska ( Vienna), and Aby Coulibaly ( Dublin). [58]
Martin mentioned that the concert was divided into four acts because it is "a journey traveling outwards into the unknown to then come home having learned something new. This is represented both visually and with what songs fit into what act". [59] Following the support performances, two guest speakers (usually from the visited country) greet the attendees and introduce a video with Coldplay's sustainability efforts. [60] It runs for about three minutes and features "Light Through the Veins" by Jon Hopkins as its soundtrack. [61] Once the short film ends, the band are welcomed and "Flying", a score written by John Williams for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), is played. [62] This marks the beginning of Act I – Planets, which is about "knowing there's a bigger magic out there somewhere and choosing to go and look for it". [59] The screens exhibit a live feed of each group member emerging from under or near the stage. [63] After they wave to the audience, "Flying" is transitioned into "Music of the Spheres" and Martin stays on the B-stage, while Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion head to the main one. [63] Red lights are emitted from the wristbands, leading to " Higher Power". [63]
Following the song, Martin makes his way to the main stage for " Adventure of a Lifetime" and giant colourful balls are thrown to the public. [64] Coldplay then transition into " Paradise", which features an extended introduction and outro based on a call-and-repeat exchange with the crowd. [g] They used to perform " Charlie Brown" right after, but it was removed from the set list starting from Bogotá. [65] An excerpt of "Oceans" can be heard and " The Scientist" begins; Martin formally thanks the audience for their time while on the piano, then a sped up, backwards version of the song is played as the band head to the B-stage once again. [63] This transition leads to " Viva la Vida", the first track from Act II – Moons, [66] a segment defined by struggle, since the universe "is rough and gritty sometimes". [59] After the night is continued with either " Hymn for the Weekend" or " Something Just Like This", they reach a section which often changes: " Let Somebody Go" might have a guest appearance, [67] be followed by "بنی آدم" ("Bani Adam"), [68] or accompanied by "Politik". [69] Since 2023, however, this part became The Songbook, where Martin invites a fan and holds a piano session with them. [70]
His bandmates rest on the main stage and only return for " In My Place", [69] which is occasionally exchanged with " Orphans", [71] " A Head Full of Dreams" or "Charlie Brown". [72] To finish "Yellow", the public are asked to dedicate the last chorus to those who are seated on the back of the venue. [63] Giant red hearts are created across the venue with the wristbands to mark the beginning of Act III – Stars. [63] This section was inspired by meeting free aliens and represents "loving oneself and therefore being able to love others of all creeds and colours". [59] Martin is joined by Angel Moon for "Human Heart" and the puppet makes the vocals from We Are King. [63]
Conversely, flashing white lights and green lasers are used in "People of the Pride" and " Clocks", respectively. [59] Following the two songs, a secondary act known as The Lightclub kicks off with "Infinity Sign" being played while Martin, Berryman, Buckland and Champion are wearing custom alien helmets. [66] Depending on which song was performed earlier, the transition leads to either "Something Just Like This" or "Hymn for the Weekend" ( Seeb Remix). [73] Both of them are carried out in American Sign Language. [63] After the first option, the concert is continued by " Midnight", but if the second is chosen, "Aeterna" is reproduced instead. [73]
Once this segment ends, Coldplay head back to the main stage for " My Universe" (featuring holographic images of BTS members on the screens) and " A Sky Full of Stars" (stopped before the chorus and restarted after Martin tells the audience to put their phones away). [63] "Sunrise", which includes Louis Armstrong's speech from " What a Wonderful World", is responsible for starting Act IV – Home, [h] when you conclude a journey "knowing/loving yourself a bit more" and able to see all beings as beautiful. [59] During this interlude, the band walk to the C-stage, where they usually perform tracks from Parachutes (2000), covers or invite a local guest. [74] This section then sees Martin thanking the tour's crew, introducing his bandmates by name and asking the public to raise their arms to send love out into the world, triggering multiple fireworks. [63] After two or three songs, Coldplay return to the main stage for "Humankind", " Fix You" and "Biutyful". [75] The latter features the Weirdos, a puppet group led by Angel Moon. [76] When the final blast of confetti gets launched, the phrase "Believe in Love" appears on the central screen, end credits are exhibited on the remaining ones, and the band bid farewell as "A Wave" is played in the background. [63]
Coldplay broke numerous attendance, gross and demand records around the world. Sales for the first European leg were opened on 22 October 2021 and the band sold more than a million tickets in 24 hours according to Billboard. [77] Additional dates were announced in all cities. [78] Over 200,000 admissions were bought for the four shows at Estadio River Plate in less than a day. [79] Months later, the group scheduled another six performances at the venue, becoming the first act to hold 10 concerts during a single tour. [80] On 25 August 2022, the second European run saw 1.4 million entries being purchased in 24 hours, [81] marking the fastest sales in history by a band and the biggest overall since Robbie Williams' Close Encounters Tour in 2005. [82] More than 712,000 customers tried to buy tickets in the United Kingdom, with the extremely high demand at Etihad and Principality stadiums causing the British Ticketmaster website to crash. [83] The same happened in Spain, where they achieved the fastest sales of all time. [84]
Media outlets reported extensive online queues in Portugal (450,000 users), [85] Italy (700,000 users), [86] and the Netherlands (700,000 users) as well. [87] In December 2022, Billboard observed that despite reporting data from only 40 out of 64 shows performed, Coldplay achieved the most successful tour of the year by a group. [88] When missing were numbers made available, it was revealed they actually earned the biggest concert run in overall terms, with $342.1 million from 3.8 million tickets sold. [89] As the band concluded their second Latin American leg, it was announced Coldplay had the biggest tour of the continent's history ($193 million from 2.3 million entries sold). [90]
On 15 May 2023, presale for Optus Stadium saw the biggest demand ever registered on Ticketmaster Australia, as over 300,000 people were attempting to buy tickets. [91] The record was extended to 365,000 during general sales. [91] BH mentioned that 400,000 users entered GoLive Asia's website simultaneously for the Bukit Jalil National Stadium concert. [92] Similarly, 1.7 million customers tried to get admissions at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. [93] NME claimed a million buyers were in the queue for the Singapore National Stadium shows. [94] SM Tickets delayed online purchasing for the second performance at Philippine Arena following a website crash. [95]
As per Die Presse, around 600,000 people tried to secure admissions for the dates at Ernst-Happel-Stadion in August 2023. [96] Three months later, Stuff informed that over 200,000 customers lined up for Eden Park's presale. [97] Moreover, the Music of the Spheres World Tour has been ranked as the third-highest-grossing concert run of all time, with over $810.9 million from 7.66 million entries. [98] IQ noted that Coldplay sold nine million tickets worldwide counting upcoming concerts, becoming the first act in history to achieve the feat. [99]
Year | Period | Venue | Country | Description | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 18 and 19 March | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica | Costa Rica | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour | [100] |
Highest attendance for a male act (86,199) | [101] | ||||
25 and 26 March | Estadio BBVA | Mexico | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour | [100] | |
Highest attendance (112,262) | [101] | ||||
29 and 30 March | Estadio Akron | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour. | [100] | ||
Highest attendance (90,153) | [101] | ||||
3–7 April | Foro Sol | First act to perform four shows on a single tour in the 21st century | [102] | ||
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (259,591) | [103] | ||||
10–13 July | Olympiastadion | Germany | First act to perform three shows on a single tour | [104] | |
Highest attendance (216,535) | [105] | ||||
16–19 July | Stade de France | France | Fastest ticket sales ever in France (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [106] | |
16–20 July | First act to sell over 300,000 tickets on a single tour | [107] | |||
First act to perform four shows on a single tour | [108] | ||||
Highest attendance (318,331) | [109] | ||||
Most career performances by an international group (8 shows) | [110] | ||||
5–8 August | King Baudouin Stadium | Belgium | Fastest ticket sales ever in Belgium (over 150,000 units in a morning) | [111] | |
5–9 August | First act to sell over 200,000 tickets on a single tour | [112] | |||
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (224,719) | |||||
12–21 August | Wembley Stadium | England | Longest residency for a rock act (tied with the Rolling Stones) | [113] | |
10 September | Barra Olympic Park | Brazil | Fastest ticket sales ever for a headlining group at Rock in Rio | [114] | |
13 and 14 September | Estadio Nacional del Perú | Peru | First English-speaking act to perform two consecutive sold-out dates | [100] | |
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (85,845) | [115] | ||||
16 and 17 September | Estadio El Campín | Colombia | Most sold-out shows on a single tour (tied with Guns N' Roses) | [100] | |
20–24 September | Estadio Nacional de Chile | Chile | First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | [116] | |
Highest attendance (256,916) | [115] | ||||
25 October–8 November | Estadio River Plate | Argentina | First act to perform 10 shows on a single tour | [117] | |
Highest attendance boxscore worldwide (626,841) | [118] | ||||
Highest-grossing boxscore in Latin American history ($49.7 million) | [119] | ||||
2023 | 10–18 March | Estádio do Morumbi | Brazil | First act to perform five and six shows on a single tour | [120] |
Highest attendance (439,651) | [121] | ||||
Highest-grossing boxscore in Brazilian history ($40.1 million) | |||||
21 and 22 March | Estádio Couto Pereira | First act to perform two shows on a single tour | [122] | ||
Highest attendance (85,776) | [123] | ||||
25–28 March | Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos | First act to perform three shows on a single tour | [120] | ||
Highest attendance (211,012) | [123] | ||||
17–21 May | Estádio Cidade de Coimbra | Portugal | Fastest ticket sales ever in Portugal (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [124] | |
First act to sell over 200,000 tickets on a single tour | |||||
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (208,284) | [125] | ||||
24–28 May | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | Spain | Fastest ticket sales ever in Spain (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [126] | |
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (224,761) | [127] | ||||
21 and 22 June | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | Italy | Fastest ticket sales ever in Naples (over 86,000 units in half an hour) | [128] | |
25–29 June | San Siro | Fastest ticket sales ever in Italy (over 240,000 units in a morning) | [86] | ||
First international act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance for an international act (249,560) | [118] | ||||
8–12 July | Ullevi | Sweden | First international act to perform four shows on a single tour | [129] | |
Highest attendance for an international act (267,180) | [118] | ||||
15–19 July | Johan Cruyff Arena | Netherlands | First group to perform four shows on a single tour in the 21st century | [130] | |
Highest attendance of the 21st century for a group (217,609) | [131] | ||||
27 and 28 September | Snapdragon Stadium | United States | First act to perform two shows on a single tour | [132] | |
Highest attendance (64,130) | [133] | ||||
11 and 12 November | Kaohsiung National Stadium | Taiwan | First English-speaking act to perform two shows on a single tour | [134] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Taiwan (over 100,000 units in a morning) | |||||
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (102,949) | [135] | ||||
15 November | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Indonesia | Biggest queue in Indonesian history (over 1.7 million customers) | [93] | |
Highest-grossing single-day boxscore in Asian history ($13.9 million) | [136] | ||||
18 and 19 November | Optus Stadium | Australia | Biggest queue in Australian Ticketmaster history (over 365,000 customers) | [91] | |
First group to perform two shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (124,883) | [137] | ||||
22 November | Bukit Jalil National Stadium | Malaysia | Biggest queue in Malaysian history (over 400,000 customers) | [92] | |
Highest single-day attendance in Asian history for a Western act (81,812) | [138] | ||||
2024 | 19 and 20 January | Philippine Arena | Philippines | First English-speaking group to perform two shows on a single tour | [139] |
Highest attendance (96,079) | [98] | ||||
23–27 January | Singapore National Stadium | Singapore | Fastest ticket sales ever in Singapore (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [140] | |
23–31 January | First act to perform three, four, five and six shows on a single tour | ||||
Highest attendance (321,113) | [98] | ||||
3 and 4 February | Rajamangala Stadium | Thailand | First English-speaking act to perform two shows on a single tour | [141] | |
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (106,027) | [98] | ||||
8 and 9 June | Olympic Stadium | Greece | First international act to schedule two shows on a single tour | [142] | |
12 and 13 June | Arena Națională | Romania | Biggest queue in Romanian history (over 100,000 customers) | [143] | |
First act to schedule two shows on a single tour | |||||
Fastest ticket sales ever in Romania | [144] | ||||
16–19 June | Puskás Aréna | Hungary | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [145] | |
22–25 June | Groupama Stadium | France | First group to schedule three shows on a single tour | [146] | |
29 June | Worthy Farm | England | Most career performances by a headliner at Glastonbury Festival (5 shows) | [147] | |
12–16 July | Stadio Olimpico | Italy | First international act to schedule three and four shows on a single tour | [148] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Rome (over 240,000 units in a morning) | [149] | ||||
20–23 July | Merkur Spiel-Arena | Germany | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [150] | |
27–31 July | Helsinki Olympic Stadium | Finland | First act to schedule three and four shows on a single tour | [151] | |
15–18 August | Olympiastadion | Germany | First international group to schedule three shows on a single tour | [152] | |
21–25 August | Ernst-Happel-Stadion | Austria | First act to schedule four shows on a single tour | [153] | |
29 August–2 September | Croke Park | Ireland | First group to schedule four shows on a single tour | [154] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Ireland | [155] | ||||
30 October–3 November | Marvel Stadium | Australia | First group to schedule four shows on a single tour | [156] | |
6–10 November | Accor Stadium | ||||
13–16 November | Eden Park | New Zealand | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [157] |
The tour received widespread acclaim from music critics worldwide. [i] Andrew Chamings from San Francisco Chronicle said that despite his "cynicism, Coldplay's show was a joyous, bright, cathartic post-pandemic triumph". [164] Writing for Houston Press, Marco Torres called it "a beautiful dream, with balloons flying around, confetti bursting from air cannons and lasers shooting from the stage through the smoke" as the group performed. [165] Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Mac Engel claimed that Martin showed all of the skills that make him one of the top performers of his generation and made Cotton Bowl feel intimate with a powerful set. [166] In her review for Chicago Sun-Times, Selena Fragassi credited the concerts with setting the bar for what tours could be like in the future. [167] Similarly, Christopher A. Daniel from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution praised the production values as "reminiscent of the art rock foundation paved by bands like Genesis, Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd", adding that Coldplay are set to become a "must-see legendary act". [168] Furthermore, Philip Cosores of Uproxx mentioned "there is no wasted energy, with every bit of the set time used to create memories and impact the audience". [169] He then concluded that if environmental concerns are further adopted for touring, the status of the band "as one of the essential artists of our time will take on greater meaning than just the legacy of their music". [169]
Regioactive's Torsten Reitz declared that they were "full of energy and much more powerful than on record", mastering both upbeat and quiet moments. [170] Marine Pineau wrote that Coldplay lived up to their reputation as a live act and lauded the band for their showmanship in her review for Virgin Radio. [171] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian praised the tour for being a "genuinely immersive" experience which gave depth to its namesake album through an inventive approach, rating the residency at Wembley Stadium with five stars. [172] Kate Solomon of The Times considered it a "triumphant homecoming", awarded Coldplay four stars and commended their musicianship. [173] The Telegraph's Neil McCormick hailed them as "modern masters" of stadium entertainment and granted the same score. [174] Writing a five-star piece for NME, Hannah Mylrea stated that the band offered a masterclass in how a massive pop show can be done. [175] Moreover, Wilson Ledo from CNN Portugal mentioned the concerts had a permanent euphoria and praised how Martin interacted with the public constantly. [176] In his Muzikalia article, Pau Clot informed that Coldplay offered a spectacle which "cannot be matched by anyone on this planet today". [177] Göteborgs-Posten's Johan Lindqvista highlighted the stage presence of the group and said Martin had enough "love and showman charisma that he shines brighter than all the lights and lasers". [178]
Felipe Branco Cruz from Veja argued the band "reinvented the concept of arena rock" with their performance at Rock in Rio festival, turning the public into protagonists of the show rather than mere spectators and consequently carrying on the legacy of spectacles "which transcend music" that was established by groups such as Pink Floyd, Queen and U2. [179] Writing for UOL, Yolanda Reis said it is "undeniable" they are "true showmen" and defined the concert as "unforgettable". [180] Folha de São Paulo's Carlos Albuquerque affirmed Coldplay exhibited "nearly two hours of delicious escapism" and effortlessly took advantage of everything at their disposal on stage. [181] Ana Raquel Lelles praised them for keeping the audience excited with a "masterful" repertory in spite of the rainstorm in her review for Estado de Minas. [182] Julio Maria from Estadão commented the band managed to achieve a "higher level of spectacle" and highlighted " Paradise" as the "first great catharsis" in the curve which "continued to climb" throughout the night. [183] Roberto Medina, the founder and president of the festival, claimed "there was only one moment like today, Freddie Mercury in 1985. It was incredible, it was memorable". [179]
Writing for El Comercio, Juan Carlos Fangacio Arakaki mentioned Coldplay were "impeccable", delivering a complete and diverse set list in a show which "never let down". [184] CNN Chile's Pablo Figueroa said the group showcased "confidence, strength and respect for their audience", becoming "protagonists in one of the most exciting musical moments" of the country since the transition to democracy. [185] Marcelo Fernández Bitar from Clarín emphasised Martin's charisma, his bandmates' solidity and the band's connection with the public, adding the performance reaffirmed the passion evoked by their songs. [186] Similarly, an editorial by Infobae praised Coldplay for being "versatile" and "synchronised" in a concert that ranged from "the most subtle" to "the most grand". [187] In his review for La Nación, Mauro Apicella commented they managed to be in the vanguard of stadium technology with good and simple ideas which never leaves out the audience and have songs that "became classics". [188] Omelete's Caio Coletti stated Berryman's bass is "irresistibly propulsive", Martin's uncoordinated dancing "at this point is already a trademark" and Champion has proved to be a good vocalist by guiding the " Viva la Vida" chants. [189] He also lauded them for giving a highly sensorial performance and understanding how the night of the show "is all about entertaining fans and finding new ways to elevate their experience". [189]
Barks' Saori Yoshiba ( Japanese: 吉羽さおり) considered the tour a "captivating mixture of depth and intensity" which allowed her to "fully feel the power of music and the energy of a live performance". [190] Writing for CNN Indonesia, Muhammad Feraldi Hifzurahman revealed that while the statement feels exaggerated at first, Coldplay "really deserve to be called a musical experience that must be tried at least once in your life". [191] Conversely, his review included only four stars out of five because the organisers of the venue failed to manage the crowd. [191] Sam Mead from The Music declared that "over two decades in, this is the band at their best – hard-hitting, punchy grooves". [192] As per Caleb Runciman of The West Australian, they delivered the greatest event of Optus Stadium history and a set that "felt like a concert, theatre production, and light show all in one". [193] He commended the musical prowess of the group as well, rating them with five stars. [193] Rolling Stone Australia's Poppy Reid defended that Coldplay solidified their status among the most visionary live acts in rock music and seamlessly "blended their hits with visual wonders" on their performances. [137] In a review for the Manila Bulletin, Gregorio Larrazabal pointed out that the inclusion of national guests at the Philippine Arena has offered "a cultural confluence, a dazzling spectacle not just of musical prowess, but of global and local melodies intertwining". [194]
Folha de São Paulo, [195] G1, [196] O Globo, [197] and UOL ranked Coldplay's performance among the best of Rock in Rio 2022. [198] Billboard mentioned the stage's inflatable spheres while discussing the best special effects of the year. [199] Panorama, Sky TG24 and The West Australian called the tour one of the greatest events of 2023. [200]
Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Tour of the Year | Won | [201] |
Pollstar Awards | Major Tour of the Year | Nominated | [202] | |
Rock Tour of the Year | Nominated | |||
WhizBang Award | Won | |||
Live Music Is Better Award | Nominated | |||
Ticketmaster Awards | Concert of the Year – Poland | Nominated | [203] | |
Best International Concert – France | Won | [204] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2023 – Italy | Won | [205] | ||
2024 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Favorite Tour Photographer [j] | Nominated | [206] |
People's Choice Awards | The Concert Tour of the Year | Nominated | [207] | |
Pollstar Awards | Pop Tour of the Year | Nominated | [208] | |
Road Warrior of the Year [k] | Nominated | |||
Ticketmaster Awards | Concert of the Year – Sweden | Won | [209] | |
Concert of the Year – Switzerland | Won | [210] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Australia | Nominated | [211] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – France | Won | [204] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Germany | Won | [212] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Italy | Won | [205] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – New Zealand | Won | [213] |
In September 2022, the band announced that one of their performances at Estadio River Plate would be transmitted to cinemas around the world through a partnership with Trafalgar Releasing, the company responsible for premiering Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams back in 2018. [214] Released as Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires, the project was directed by Paul Dugdale and exhibited in 81 countries, setting the record for live theatrical events. [215] On 19 April 2023, a director's cut was made available featuring remastered sound, visuals captured using different filming techniques, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with the group. [216] This version was titled Coldplay – Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate and additionally included panoramic and 4DX formats. [216] Writing for MadMass, Mattia Salvi noted the film was engaging, versatile, and a "complex visual transliteration, which fortunately Dugdale and his entire crew manage to achieve with great naturalness, without inappropriate artifices". [217]
According to Pollstar's Eric Renner Brown, Coldplay have ushered into "a new era of sustainable touring" with the Music of the Spheres World Tour. [218] Their efforts were considered unprecedented for a stadium concert run, [219] as the band reduced their CO2 emissions by 47% in the first year activities, [220] planted over 9 million trees in forest reserves, [221] and had their methods adopted by Live Nation to provide green options to more artists. [222] Furthermore, they were listed among the most influential climate action leaders in the world by Time. [223] Since the tour became a leading topic of news coverage in visited countries, it was also called a media phenomenon. [224] Mark Beaumont from The Times opined that the band regained public respect and credibility, which prompted a shift in attitude towards them. [225]
Due to its high demand, the tour caused ticket speculation to rise in numerous regions, including Portugal, [226] Italy, [227] and Malaysia. [228] In the latter country, investigation of those cases inspired new legislation for future shows. [228] Similarly, the government of Indonesia decided to make their event permit process more flexible after Coldplay could not schedule enough dates to meet demand. [229] Media outlets commented that ticketless fans gathered outside venues to hear the group perform in cities such as Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro and Kaohsiung. [230] Concerts were noted for boosting local economies as well, drawing comparisons to winning a lottery prize. [231] Additionally, the band experienced a resurgence on the music charts, as their discography saw major gains in sales. [232] To endorse local non-profits, they partnered with Global Citizen and the Love Button Global Movement. [233]
This set list was taken from the 3 July 2022 concert in Frankfurt, Germany. It does not represent all shows throughout the tour. [234]
The band performed covers, invited guests and fans, wrote songs specifically for the occasion and made dedications in numerous dates, skipping to the rest of the show otherwise:
Date (2022) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 March | San José | Costa Rica | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica |
H.E.R. MishCatt |
86,199 / 86,199 | $5,687,127 |
19 March | ||||||
22 March | Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez | H.E.R. La Marimba |
30,524 / 30,524 | $2,571,873 |
25 March | Guadalupe [i] | Mexico | Estadio BBVA |
Carla Morrison DannyLux |
112,262 / 112,262 | $8,996,432 |
26 March | ||||||
29 March | Zapopan [ii] | Estadio Akron | 90,153 / 90,153 | $8,190,681 | ||
30 March | ||||||
3 April | Mexico City | Foro Sol | 259,591 / 259,591 | $19,544,924 | ||
4 April | ||||||
6 April | ||||||
7 April | ||||||
6 May | Dallas | United States | Cotton Bowl | H.E.R. Leila Pari |
58,669 / 58,669 | $6,065,763 |
8 May | Houston | NRG Stadium | H.E.R. Alaina Castillo |
46,959 / 46,959 | $5,413,072 | |
12 May [l] | Glendale [iii] | State Farm Stadium | H.E.R. Kacy Hill |
42,849 / 42,849 | $3,542,528 | |
15 May [m] | Santa Clara | Levi's Stadium | H.E.R. Bobby Gonz |
50,791 / 50,791 | $5,861,025 | |
28 May | Chicago | Soldier Field | H.E.R. Drama |
107,072 / 107,072 | $10,969,930 | |
29 May | ||||||
1 June | Landover [iv] | FedExField | H.E.R. Shaed |
47,133 / 47,133 | $5,196,389 | |
4 June | East Rutherford | MetLife Stadium | H.E.R. Bea Miller |
117,240 / 117,240 | $13,153,892 | |
5 June | ||||||
8 June | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | H.E.R. Lizzy McAlpine |
57,415 / 57,415 | $5,606,712 | |
11 June | Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | H.E.R. Mariah the Scientist |
54,059 / 54,059 | $5,913,613 | |
14 June | Tampa | Raymond James Stadium | H.E.R. Gigi |
55,980 / 55,980 | $6,300,175 | |
2 July | Frankfurt | Germany | Deutsche Bank Park | H.E.R. Alli Neumann |
138,282 / 138,282 | $13,745,935 |
3 July | ||||||
5 July |
London Grammar Alli Neumann | |||||
8 July | Warsaw | Poland | PGE Narodowy | H.E.R. Mery Spolsky |
57,574 / 57,574 | $4,576,813 |
10 July [d] | Berlin | Germany | Olympiastadion | London Grammar Alli Neumann |
216,535 / 216,535 | $20,389,783 |
12 July [d] | H.E.R. Alli Neumann | |||||
13 July | ||||||
16 July | Saint-Denis [v] | France | Stade de France | H.E.R. Gaumar |
318,331 / 318,331 | $28,035,164 |
17 July [n] | ||||||
19 July | London Grammar Lous and the Yakuza | |||||
20 July | ||||||
5 August | Brussels | Belgium | King Baudouin Stadium | H.E.R. Lous and the Yakuza |
224,719 / 224,719 | $20,007,105 |
6 August | ||||||
8 August | London Grammar Lous and the Yakuza | |||||
9 August | ||||||
12 August | London | England | Wembley Stadium | H.E.R. Griff |
464,839 / 464,839 | $49,209,920 |
13 August | ||||||
16 August | London Grammar Ibibio Sound Machine | |||||
17 August | H.E.R. Ibibio Sound Machine | |||||
20 August | London Grammar Laura Mvula | |||||
21 August [o] | ||||||
23 August | Glasgow | Scotland | Hampden Park | H.E.R. Nina Nesbitt |
106,209 / 106,209 | $10,402,757 |
24 August | London Grammar Nina Nesbitt | |||||
10 September [p] | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Barra Olympic Park | — | — | — |
13 September [q] | Lima | Peru | Estadio Nacional del Perú |
Camila Cabello Andrea Martinez |
85,845 / 85,845 | $9,242,799 |
14 September | ||||||
16 September | Bogotá | Colombia | Estadio El Campín | Camila Cabello Mabiland |
88,314 / 88,314 | $8,062,927 |
17 September | ||||||
20 September | Santiago | Chile | Estadio Nacional de Chile | Camila Cabello Princesa Alba |
256,916 / 256,916 | $15,886,887 |
21 September | ||||||
23 September | ||||||
24 September | ||||||
25 October | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Estadio River Plate | H.E.R. Zoe Gotusso |
626,841 / 626,841 | $49,695,814 |
26 October | ||||||
28 October [r] | ||||||
29 October | ||||||
1 November | ||||||
2 November [c] | H.E.R. Clara Cava | |||||
4 November | H.E.R. Zoe Gotusso | |||||
5 November | ||||||
7 November | ||||||
8 November |
Date (2023) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 March [s] | São Paulo | Brazil | Estádio do Morumbi |
Chvrches Elana Dara |
439,651 / 439,651 | $40,104,881 |
11 March [s] | ||||||
13 March [s] | ||||||
14 March [s] | ||||||
17 March [s] | ||||||
18 March [s] | ||||||
21 March | Curitiba | Estádio Couto Pereira | Chvrches Clara x Sofia |
85,776 / 85,776 | $8,126,841 | |
22 March | ||||||
25 March [t] | Rio de Janeiro | Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos | 211,012 / 211,012 | $17,204,664 | ||
26 March [t] | ||||||
28 March | ||||||
17 May | Coimbra | Portugal | Estádio Cidade de Coimbra | Griff Bárbara Bandeira |
208,284 / 208,284 | $21,473,885 |
18 May | ||||||
20 May | ||||||
21 May | ||||||
24 May | Barcelona | Spain | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | Chvrches Hinds |
224,761 / 224,761 | $27,262,896 |
25 May | ||||||
27 May | Chvrches Ona Mafalda | |||||
28 May | ||||||
31 May [e] | Manchester | England | Etihad Stadium | Chvrches Porij |
195,874 / 195,874 | $24,164,085 |
1 June [e] | ||||||
3 June | ||||||
4 June | ||||||
6 June | Cardiff | Wales | Principality Stadium | Chvrches Hana Lili |
119,280 / 119,280 | $14,151,135 |
7 June | ||||||
21 June | Naples | Italy | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | Chvrches Laila al Habash |
93,341 / 93,341 | $9,856,532 |
22 June | ||||||
25 June | Milan | San Siro | Chvrches Mara Sattei |
249,560 / 249,560 | $29,439,180 | |
26 June | ||||||
28 June | ||||||
29 June | ||||||
1 July | Zürich | Switzerland | Letzigrund | Griff Caroline Alves |
95,055 / 95,055 | $14,972,413 |
2 July | ||||||
5 July [f] | Copenhagen | Denmark | Parken Stadium | Griff Oh Land |
98,646 / 98,646 | $12,230,710 |
6 July [f] | ||||||
8 July | Gothenburg | Sweden | Ullevi | Griff Luciia |
267,180 / 267,180 | $26,242,821 |
9 July | ||||||
11 July | ||||||
12 July | ||||||
15 July | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Johan Cruyff Arena | Griff Zoë Tauran |
217,609 / 217,609 | $30,322,573 |
16 July | ||||||
18 July | ||||||
19 July | ||||||
20 September | Seattle | United States | Lumen Field | H.E.R. 070 Shake Bobby Gonz |
60,342 / 60,342 | $8,124,415 |
22 September | Vancouver | Canada | BC Place | 89,645 / 89,645 | $12,405,572 | |
23 September | ||||||
27 September | San Diego | United States | Snapdragon Stadium | 64,130 / 64,130 | $10,355,147 | |
28 September | ||||||
30 September | Pasadena [vi] | Rose Bowl | 136,043 / 136,043 | $19,019,116 | ||
1 October | ||||||
6 November | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Dome | Yoasobi | 97,267 / 97,267 | $13,726,445 |
7 November | ||||||
11 November | Kaohsiung | Taiwan | Kaohsiung National Stadium | Accusefive | 102,949 / 102,949 | $15,159,017 |
12 November | ||||||
15 November | Jakarta | Indonesia | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Rahmania Astrini | 78,541 / 78,541 | $13,893,822 |
18 November | Perth | Australia | Optus Stadium |
Amy Shark Thelma Plum Adrian Dzvuke |
124,883 / 124,883 | $13,888,883 |
19 November |
Tash Sultana Thelma Plum King Ibis | |||||
22 November | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | Bukit Jalil National Stadium | Bunga | 81,812 / 81,812 | $10,904,369 |
Date (2024) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 January | Bocaue [vii] | Philippines | Philippine Arena | Jikamarie | 96,079 / 96,079 | $15,425,465 |
20 January | ||||||
23 January | Singapore | Singapore National Stadium |
Jasmine Sokko Jinan Laetitia |
321,113 / 321,113 | $43,362,247 | |
24 January | ||||||
26 January | ||||||
27 January |
Rriley Jinan Laetitia | |||||
30 January | ||||||
31 January | ||||||
3 February | Bangkok | Thailand | Rajamangala Stadium | Valentina Ploy | 106,027 / 106,027 | $16,878,887 |
4 February | ||||||
8 June | Athens | Greece | Olympic Stadium |
Maisie Peters Antonia Kaouri |
— | — |
9 June | ||||||
12 June | Bucharest | Romania | Arena Națională | Maisie Peters Emaa |
— | — |
13 June | ||||||
16 June | Budapest | Hungary | Puskás Aréna | Maisie Peters Solére |
— | — |
18 June | ||||||
19 June | ||||||
22 June | Décines-Charpieu [viii] | France | Groupama Stadium |
Janelle Monáe Ronisia |
— | — |
23 June | ||||||
25 June | ||||||
29 June [u] | Pilton | England | Worthy Farm | — | — | — |
12 July | Rome | Italy | Stadio Olimpico | Janelle Monáe Rose Villain |
— | — |
13 July | ||||||
15 July | ||||||
16 July | ||||||
20 July | Düsseldorf | Germany | Merkur Spiel-Arena | Janelle Monáe Zoe Wees |
— | — |
21 July | ||||||
23 July | ||||||
27 July | Helsinki | Finland | Helsinki Olympic Stadium | Maisie Peters Alma |
— | — |
28 July | ||||||
30 July | ||||||
31 July | ||||||
15 August | Munich | Germany | Olympiastadion |
Maggie Rogers Wilhelmine |
— | — |
17 August | ||||||
18 August | ||||||
21 August | Vienna | Austria | Ernst-Happel-Stadion | Maggie Rogers Oska |
— | — |
22 August | ||||||
24 August | ||||||
25 August | ||||||
29 August | Dublin | Ireland | Croke Park | Maggie Rogers Aby Coulibaly |
— | — |
30 August | ||||||
1 September | ||||||
2 September | ||||||
30 October | Melbourne | Australia | Marvel Stadium |
PinkPantheress Emmanuel Kelly |
— | — |
31 October | ||||||
2 November | ||||||
3 November | ||||||
6 November | Sydney | Accor Stadium | — | — | ||
7 November | ||||||
9 November | ||||||
10 November | ||||||
13 November | Auckland | New Zealand | Eden Park | — | — | |
15 November | ||||||
16 November | ||||||
Total | 7,667,658 / 7,667,658 (100%) | $810,966,041 |
Date (2022) | City | Country | Venue | Reason | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 April | Inglewood [vi] | United States | SoFi Stadium | Logistic and production issues | [330] |
30 April |
Credits taken from the band's official tour book, which was released "In loving memory of Ben Farrey and Steve Strange". [331]
Credits taken from Projection, Lights & Staging News, with product quantities being represented between parenthesis whenever possible. [332]
Tour by Coldplay | |
Location |
|
---|---|
Associated album | Music of the Spheres |
Start date | 18 March 2022 |
End date | 16 November 2024 |
No. of shows | 177 |
Producer | Live Nation [1] |
Attendance | 7.66 million [a] |
Box office | $810.9 million [a] |
Website |
coldplay |
Coldplay concert chronology |
The Music of the Spheres World Tour is the ongoing eighth concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. Announced on 14 October 2021, it is being staged in support of their ninth studio album, Music of the Spheres, marking their return to live performances after the COVID-19 pandemic. The band had not toured for their previous record, Everyday Life (2019), because they wanted to launch an environmentally friendly strategy to travel. According to the plans they developed over the previous two years with specialists, CO2 emissions will be reduced by 50% in comparison to the Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17).
Similar to the Mylo Xyloto Tour (2011–12), the concerts make extensive use of pyrotechnics and confetti. However, they were adapted to minimise the group's carbon footprint. Other ideas involved creating the first mobile rechargeable show battery in the world with BMW and planting a tree for every ticket sold. The tour began at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica on 18 March 2022 and is scheduled to end at New Zealand's Eden Park on 16 November 2024. Coldplay received widespread acclaim from music critics, who praised the band for their musicianship, stage presence, joyfulness, and production value.
With a global cultural impact, the Music of the Spheres World Tour surpassed $810.9 million in revenue from 7.66 million tickets across 132 dates, making it the third-highest-grossing and second-most attended tour of all time. The band also broke several records at the venues they visited. To celebrate the performances, Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate (2023) was broadcast in cinemas around the world. Emissions were cut by 47% in the concert run's first year, leading Time to rank Coldplay among the most influential climate action leaders on the planet. Similarly, Pollstar declared that they ushered into "a new era of sustainable touring".
After the release of Coldplay's eighth album, Everyday Life (2019), Chris Martin said the band would not tour until they could ensure their shows are environmentally friendly, [2] which led the record to be promoted with small charity concerts and a performance at the Amman Citadel in Jordan, broadcast by YouTube. [3] On 14 October 2021, a day before Music of the Spheres was made available, the group posted on social media they would be returning to live shows following the COVID-19 pandemic. [4] The announcement was accompanied by a detailed 12 steps plan, which was developed in two years with environmental experts and set out how Coldplay would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50% compared to A Head Full of Dreams Tour (2016–17). [5] To celebrate the album's release, they inaugurated Climate Pledge Arena on 22 October 2021. [6] The event was broadcast by Amazon Prime Video and later followed by a performance at Expo 2020, [7] while the concert run began in Costa Rica due to the country's renewable-energy-sourced power grid. [8]
A team of sustainability experts was commissioned to investigate Coldplay's carbon footprint and study how to reduce it. [9] Alongside BMW, the band also developed the first ever mobile rechargeable show battery, [10] which was made from recyclable BMW i3 batteries and powered concerts by using renewable resources such as hydrotreated vegetable oil, solar power and kinetic energy. [11] Unavoidable emissions were offset according to Oxford's principles. [12] They claimed a tree would be planted for every ticket sold through a global reforestation agreement with One Tree Planted as well. [13] For transportation, the tour was routed to reduce air travel, ground freight used electric vehicles or biofuel and the band embarked on commercial flights whenever possible. [14] In all of them, commercial and charter, an additional charge was paid to provide airplanes with Neste's sustainable aviation fuel, made from waste and residues such as used cooking oil. [15]
The stages were built "from a combination of lightweight, low-carbon and re-usable materials including recycled steel", being also customized to incorporate low-energy displays, lasers, lighting set-ups and a PA system that consumed 50% less power, helping to reduce environmental noise outside. [15] Similarly, delay towers had wind-turbines and unused seats had solar blankets. [16]
For special effects, Coldplay used biodegradable confetti adapted to require less compressed gas for ignition, while pyrotechnics had new formulas to reduce or eliminate harmful chemicals and mitigate the explosive charge. [15] Xylobands were substituted by PixMob wristbands made from 100% compostable materials and the band pledged to decrease their production by collecting, sterilising and recharging them after every show. [17] To minimise food waste, they had crew catering menus that offered plant-based and meat-free options as the standard, sourced products from suppliers adept to regenerative agriculture techniques, supported the development of synthetic, lab-grown cultured meals, donated surplus to local food banks and composted organic waste such as vegetable peelings and scraps. [15] The band also worked with venues to establish recycling programs, replace single-use water bottles with alternatives such as the Ball aluminium cups, include refill stations, introduce aerated taps, lower flushing toilets and reduce water pressure. [15]
Coldplay partnered with SAP to develop a free mobile application for the tour which calculated the total carbon footprint generated by concert goers and encouraged them to take environmentally friendly travel options. [18] Fans who committed to the effort were given a discount code on their merchandise store. [18] Partners and vendors were carefully selected to provide high quality products made from natural fibres and re-usable materials, which were then packaged in recycled paper, card or compostable bags. [15] Additionally, the band incorporated kinetic floors and stationary bicycles to venues to power the C-stage and further interact with attendees. [19] They provided bass-delivering vests from SubPac and two sign language interpreters for concert goers with hearing loss as well, [20] while guests who are blind or have low vision were offered a designated platform and touch tours before each show. [21] In May 2022, the band announced Infinity Tickets, a limited set of $20 admissions for fans who could not afford standard prices. [b]
In May 2022, The Times revealed Coldplay donated over £2.1 million to environmental causes through J Van Mars Foundation during the previous year. [23] Aside from teaming up with One Tree Planted, the band continued their cooperation with ClientEarth, to which they have been patrons since 2010. [24] Support to the Ocean Cleanup was declared as well, as they sponsored two watercrafts to collect plastic from polluted rivers before it reaches the sea in Malaysia. [25] Other organizations endorsed by Coldplay include Global Citizen, [26] The Food Forest Project, [27] Sea Shepherd UK, [28] Project Seagrass, [29] Seafields, [30] My Trees Trust, [31] Farm Under the Radar, [32] Project Quercus, [33] Sustainable Food Trust, [33] Global Tech Advocates, [34] Knowledge Pele, [35] Climeworks, [36] Cleaner Seas Group, [37] Conservation Collective and the Devon Environment Foundation, [38] which have all assisted them to reach the tour's goal. Additionally, Imperial College London's Grantham Institute helped the band to study and publish their progress. [39] In 2022, DHL announced they were partnering with Coldplay to provide expertise in sustainable logistics and transport solutions, [40] while the following year saw an alliance with AIA Vitality in Indonesia. [41]
American singer H.E.R. was the band's most frequent supporting act, opening for them in San José (with Mish Catt), [42] Santo Domingo (with La Marimba), [43] and Buenos Aires (with Zoe Gotusso) in 2022. [c] During the first run across the United States, she was paired with a new act in each stop, those included Leila Pari ( Dallas), Alaina Castillo ( Houston), Kacy Hill ( Glendale), Bobby Gonz ( Santa Clara), Drama ( Chicago), Shaed ( Landover), Bea Miller ( East Rutherford), Lizzy McAlpine ( Philadelphia), Mariah the Scientist ( Atlanta), and Gigi ( Tampa). [45] However, for the second leg in the continent, she was accompanied by 070 Shake and Gonz in all performances. [46]
H.E.R. also took part in many dates from the first European batch, although occasionally replaced by London Grammar. [47] They collaborated with Alli Neumann in Frankfurt and Berlin; [d] Mery Spolsky in Warsaw; Gaumar and Lous and the Yakuza in Saint-Denis; and Nina Nesbitt in Glasgow. [47] The former was additionally invited to the Brussels concerts, while the secondary openers at Wembley Stadium were Griff, Ibibio Sound Machine and Laura Mvula. [47] Mexico had exclusively national supporters in the initial shows ( Carla Morrison and DannyLux). [49] Still in 2022, Camila Cabello played in Lima (with Andrea Martinez), Bogotá (with Mabiland), and Santiago (with Princesa Alba). [50] Chvrches then followed Elana Dara ( São Paulo) and Clara x Sofia ( Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro) in 2023. [51]
For the second European run, they held shows after Hinds ( Barcelona), Ona Mafalda (Barcelona), Porij ( Manchester), [e] Hana Lili ( Cardiff), Laila al Habash ( Naples) and Mara Sattei ( Milan), while Griff joined Bárbara Bandeira in Coimbra; Caroline Alves in Zürich; Oh Land in Copenhagen; [f] Luciia in Gothenburg; and Zoë Tauran in Amsterdam. [54] A few months later, Coldplay announced the openers for Tokyo ( Yoasobi), Kaohsiung ( Accusefive), Jakarta (Rahmania Astrini), Kuala Lumpur (Bunga), [55] Bocaue (Jikamarie), Singapore ( Jasmine Sokko, Rriley, and Jinan Laetitia), and Bangkok (Valentina Ploy). [56] Oceania had seven guests: Thelma Plum, Amy Shark, Tash Sultana, Adrian Dzvuke, King Ibis, PinkPantheress and Emmanuel Kelly. [57] Europe's third stint featured Maisie Peters, Janelle Monáe and Maggie Rogers, who had to team up with Antonia Kaouri ( Athens), Emaa ( Bucharest), Solére ( Budapest), Alma ( Helsinki), Ronisia ( Décines-Charpieu), Rose Villain ( Rome), Wees ( Düsseldorf), Wilhelmine ( Munich), Oska ( Vienna), and Aby Coulibaly ( Dublin). [58]
Martin mentioned that the concert was divided into four acts because it is "a journey traveling outwards into the unknown to then come home having learned something new. This is represented both visually and with what songs fit into what act". [59] Following the support performances, two guest speakers (usually from the visited country) greet the attendees and introduce a video with Coldplay's sustainability efforts. [60] It runs for about three minutes and features "Light Through the Veins" by Jon Hopkins as its soundtrack. [61] Once the short film ends, the band are welcomed and "Flying", a score written by John Williams for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), is played. [62] This marks the beginning of Act I – Planets, which is about "knowing there's a bigger magic out there somewhere and choosing to go and look for it". [59] The screens exhibit a live feed of each group member emerging from under or near the stage. [63] After they wave to the audience, "Flying" is transitioned into "Music of the Spheres" and Martin stays on the B-stage, while Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland and Will Champion head to the main one. [63] Red lights are emitted from the wristbands, leading to " Higher Power". [63]
Following the song, Martin makes his way to the main stage for " Adventure of a Lifetime" and giant colourful balls are thrown to the public. [64] Coldplay then transition into " Paradise", which features an extended introduction and outro based on a call-and-repeat exchange with the crowd. [g] They used to perform " Charlie Brown" right after, but it was removed from the set list starting from Bogotá. [65] An excerpt of "Oceans" can be heard and " The Scientist" begins; Martin formally thanks the audience for their time while on the piano, then a sped up, backwards version of the song is played as the band head to the B-stage once again. [63] This transition leads to " Viva la Vida", the first track from Act II – Moons, [66] a segment defined by struggle, since the universe "is rough and gritty sometimes". [59] After the night is continued with either " Hymn for the Weekend" or " Something Just Like This", they reach a section which often changes: " Let Somebody Go" might have a guest appearance, [67] be followed by "بنی آدم" ("Bani Adam"), [68] or accompanied by "Politik". [69] Since 2023, however, this part became The Songbook, where Martin invites a fan and holds a piano session with them. [70]
His bandmates rest on the main stage and only return for " In My Place", [69] which is occasionally exchanged with " Orphans", [71] " A Head Full of Dreams" or "Charlie Brown". [72] To finish "Yellow", the public are asked to dedicate the last chorus to those who are seated on the back of the venue. [63] Giant red hearts are created across the venue with the wristbands to mark the beginning of Act III – Stars. [63] This section was inspired by meeting free aliens and represents "loving oneself and therefore being able to love others of all creeds and colours". [59] Martin is joined by Angel Moon for "Human Heart" and the puppet makes the vocals from We Are King. [63]
Conversely, flashing white lights and green lasers are used in "People of the Pride" and " Clocks", respectively. [59] Following the two songs, a secondary act known as The Lightclub kicks off with "Infinity Sign" being played while Martin, Berryman, Buckland and Champion are wearing custom alien helmets. [66] Depending on which song was performed earlier, the transition leads to either "Something Just Like This" or "Hymn for the Weekend" ( Seeb Remix). [73] Both of them are carried out in American Sign Language. [63] After the first option, the concert is continued by " Midnight", but if the second is chosen, "Aeterna" is reproduced instead. [73]
Once this segment ends, Coldplay head back to the main stage for " My Universe" (featuring holographic images of BTS members on the screens) and " A Sky Full of Stars" (stopped before the chorus and restarted after Martin tells the audience to put their phones away). [63] "Sunrise", which includes Louis Armstrong's speech from " What a Wonderful World", is responsible for starting Act IV – Home, [h] when you conclude a journey "knowing/loving yourself a bit more" and able to see all beings as beautiful. [59] During this interlude, the band walk to the C-stage, where they usually perform tracks from Parachutes (2000), covers or invite a local guest. [74] This section then sees Martin thanking the tour's crew, introducing his bandmates by name and asking the public to raise their arms to send love out into the world, triggering multiple fireworks. [63] After two or three songs, Coldplay return to the main stage for "Humankind", " Fix You" and "Biutyful". [75] The latter features the Weirdos, a puppet group led by Angel Moon. [76] When the final blast of confetti gets launched, the phrase "Believe in Love" appears on the central screen, end credits are exhibited on the remaining ones, and the band bid farewell as "A Wave" is played in the background. [63]
Coldplay broke numerous attendance, gross and demand records around the world. Sales for the first European leg were opened on 22 October 2021 and the band sold more than a million tickets in 24 hours according to Billboard. [77] Additional dates were announced in all cities. [78] Over 200,000 admissions were bought for the four shows at Estadio River Plate in less than a day. [79] Months later, the group scheduled another six performances at the venue, becoming the first act to hold 10 concerts during a single tour. [80] On 25 August 2022, the second European run saw 1.4 million entries being purchased in 24 hours, [81] marking the fastest sales in history by a band and the biggest overall since Robbie Williams' Close Encounters Tour in 2005. [82] More than 712,000 customers tried to buy tickets in the United Kingdom, with the extremely high demand at Etihad and Principality stadiums causing the British Ticketmaster website to crash. [83] The same happened in Spain, where they achieved the fastest sales of all time. [84]
Media outlets reported extensive online queues in Portugal (450,000 users), [85] Italy (700,000 users), [86] and the Netherlands (700,000 users) as well. [87] In December 2022, Billboard observed that despite reporting data from only 40 out of 64 shows performed, Coldplay achieved the most successful tour of the year by a group. [88] When missing were numbers made available, it was revealed they actually earned the biggest concert run in overall terms, with $342.1 million from 3.8 million tickets sold. [89] As the band concluded their second Latin American leg, it was announced Coldplay had the biggest tour of the continent's history ($193 million from 2.3 million entries sold). [90]
On 15 May 2023, presale for Optus Stadium saw the biggest demand ever registered on Ticketmaster Australia, as over 300,000 people were attempting to buy tickets. [91] The record was extended to 365,000 during general sales. [91] BH mentioned that 400,000 users entered GoLive Asia's website simultaneously for the Bukit Jalil National Stadium concert. [92] Similarly, 1.7 million customers tried to get admissions at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. [93] NME claimed a million buyers were in the queue for the Singapore National Stadium shows. [94] SM Tickets delayed online purchasing for the second performance at Philippine Arena following a website crash. [95]
As per Die Presse, around 600,000 people tried to secure admissions for the dates at Ernst-Happel-Stadion in August 2023. [96] Three months later, Stuff informed that over 200,000 customers lined up for Eden Park's presale. [97] Moreover, the Music of the Spheres World Tour has been ranked as the third-highest-grossing concert run of all time, with over $810.9 million from 7.66 million entries. [98] IQ noted that Coldplay sold nine million tickets worldwide counting upcoming concerts, becoming the first act in history to achieve the feat. [99]
Year | Period | Venue | Country | Description | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | 18 and 19 March | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica | Costa Rica | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour | [100] |
Highest attendance for a male act (86,199) | [101] | ||||
25 and 26 March | Estadio BBVA | Mexico | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour | [100] | |
Highest attendance (112,262) | [101] | ||||
29 and 30 March | Estadio Akron | First act to perform two sold-out shows on a single tour. | [100] | ||
Highest attendance (90,153) | [101] | ||||
3–7 April | Foro Sol | First act to perform four shows on a single tour in the 21st century | [102] | ||
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (259,591) | [103] | ||||
10–13 July | Olympiastadion | Germany | First act to perform three shows on a single tour | [104] | |
Highest attendance (216,535) | [105] | ||||
16–19 July | Stade de France | France | Fastest ticket sales ever in France (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [106] | |
16–20 July | First act to sell over 300,000 tickets on a single tour | [107] | |||
First act to perform four shows on a single tour | [108] | ||||
Highest attendance (318,331) | [109] | ||||
Most career performances by an international group (8 shows) | [110] | ||||
5–8 August | King Baudouin Stadium | Belgium | Fastest ticket sales ever in Belgium (over 150,000 units in a morning) | [111] | |
5–9 August | First act to sell over 200,000 tickets on a single tour | [112] | |||
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (224,719) | |||||
12–21 August | Wembley Stadium | England | Longest residency for a rock act (tied with the Rolling Stones) | [113] | |
10 September | Barra Olympic Park | Brazil | Fastest ticket sales ever for a headlining group at Rock in Rio | [114] | |
13 and 14 September | Estadio Nacional del Perú | Peru | First English-speaking act to perform two consecutive sold-out dates | [100] | |
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (85,845) | [115] | ||||
16 and 17 September | Estadio El Campín | Colombia | Most sold-out shows on a single tour (tied with Guns N' Roses) | [100] | |
20–24 September | Estadio Nacional de Chile | Chile | First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | [116] | |
Highest attendance (256,916) | [115] | ||||
25 October–8 November | Estadio River Plate | Argentina | First act to perform 10 shows on a single tour | [117] | |
Highest attendance boxscore worldwide (626,841) | [118] | ||||
Highest-grossing boxscore in Latin American history ($49.7 million) | [119] | ||||
2023 | 10–18 March | Estádio do Morumbi | Brazil | First act to perform five and six shows on a single tour | [120] |
Highest attendance (439,651) | [121] | ||||
Highest-grossing boxscore in Brazilian history ($40.1 million) | |||||
21 and 22 March | Estádio Couto Pereira | First act to perform two shows on a single tour | [122] | ||
Highest attendance (85,776) | [123] | ||||
25–28 March | Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos | First act to perform three shows on a single tour | [120] | ||
Highest attendance (211,012) | [123] | ||||
17–21 May | Estádio Cidade de Coimbra | Portugal | Fastest ticket sales ever in Portugal (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [124] | |
First act to sell over 200,000 tickets on a single tour | |||||
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (208,284) | [125] | ||||
24–28 May | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | Spain | Fastest ticket sales ever in Spain (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [126] | |
First act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (224,761) | [127] | ||||
21 and 22 June | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | Italy | Fastest ticket sales ever in Naples (over 86,000 units in half an hour) | [128] | |
25–29 June | San Siro | Fastest ticket sales ever in Italy (over 240,000 units in a morning) | [86] | ||
First international act to perform three and four shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance for an international act (249,560) | [118] | ||||
8–12 July | Ullevi | Sweden | First international act to perform four shows on a single tour | [129] | |
Highest attendance for an international act (267,180) | [118] | ||||
15–19 July | Johan Cruyff Arena | Netherlands | First group to perform four shows on a single tour in the 21st century | [130] | |
Highest attendance of the 21st century for a group (217,609) | [131] | ||||
27 and 28 September | Snapdragon Stadium | United States | First act to perform two shows on a single tour | [132] | |
Highest attendance (64,130) | [133] | ||||
11 and 12 November | Kaohsiung National Stadium | Taiwan | First English-speaking act to perform two shows on a single tour | [134] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Taiwan (over 100,000 units in a morning) | |||||
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (102,949) | [135] | ||||
15 November | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Indonesia | Biggest queue in Indonesian history (over 1.7 million customers) | [93] | |
Highest-grossing single-day boxscore in Asian history ($13.9 million) | [136] | ||||
18 and 19 November | Optus Stadium | Australia | Biggest queue in Australian Ticketmaster history (over 365,000 customers) | [91] | |
First group to perform two shows on a single tour | |||||
Highest attendance (124,883) | [137] | ||||
22 November | Bukit Jalil National Stadium | Malaysia | Biggest queue in Malaysian history (over 400,000 customers) | [92] | |
Highest single-day attendance in Asian history for a Western act (81,812) | [138] | ||||
2024 | 19 and 20 January | Philippine Arena | Philippines | First English-speaking group to perform two shows on a single tour | [139] |
Highest attendance (96,079) | [98] | ||||
23–27 January | Singapore National Stadium | Singapore | Fastest ticket sales ever in Singapore (over 200,000 units in a morning) | [140] | |
23–31 January | First act to perform three, four, five and six shows on a single tour | ||||
Highest attendance (321,113) | [98] | ||||
3 and 4 February | Rajamangala Stadium | Thailand | First English-speaking act to perform two shows on a single tour | [141] | |
Highest attendance for an English-speaking act (106,027) | [98] | ||||
8 and 9 June | Olympic Stadium | Greece | First international act to schedule two shows on a single tour | [142] | |
12 and 13 June | Arena Națională | Romania | Biggest queue in Romanian history (over 100,000 customers) | [143] | |
First act to schedule two shows on a single tour | |||||
Fastest ticket sales ever in Romania | [144] | ||||
16–19 June | Puskás Aréna | Hungary | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [145] | |
22–25 June | Groupama Stadium | France | First group to schedule three shows on a single tour | [146] | |
29 June | Worthy Farm | England | Most career performances by a headliner at Glastonbury Festival (5 shows) | [147] | |
12–16 July | Stadio Olimpico | Italy | First international act to schedule three and four shows on a single tour | [148] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Rome (over 240,000 units in a morning) | [149] | ||||
20–23 July | Merkur Spiel-Arena | Germany | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [150] | |
27–31 July | Helsinki Olympic Stadium | Finland | First act to schedule three and four shows on a single tour | [151] | |
15–18 August | Olympiastadion | Germany | First international group to schedule three shows on a single tour | [152] | |
21–25 August | Ernst-Happel-Stadion | Austria | First act to schedule four shows on a single tour | [153] | |
29 August–2 September | Croke Park | Ireland | First group to schedule four shows on a single tour | [154] | |
Fastest ticket sales ever in Ireland | [155] | ||||
30 October–3 November | Marvel Stadium | Australia | First group to schedule four shows on a single tour | [156] | |
6–10 November | Accor Stadium | ||||
13–16 November | Eden Park | New Zealand | First act to schedule three shows on a single tour | [157] |
The tour received widespread acclaim from music critics worldwide. [i] Andrew Chamings from San Francisco Chronicle said that despite his "cynicism, Coldplay's show was a joyous, bright, cathartic post-pandemic triumph". [164] Writing for Houston Press, Marco Torres called it "a beautiful dream, with balloons flying around, confetti bursting from air cannons and lasers shooting from the stage through the smoke" as the group performed. [165] Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Mac Engel claimed that Martin showed all of the skills that make him one of the top performers of his generation and made Cotton Bowl feel intimate with a powerful set. [166] In her review for Chicago Sun-Times, Selena Fragassi credited the concerts with setting the bar for what tours could be like in the future. [167] Similarly, Christopher A. Daniel from The Atlanta Journal-Constitution praised the production values as "reminiscent of the art rock foundation paved by bands like Genesis, Kraftwerk and Pink Floyd", adding that Coldplay are set to become a "must-see legendary act". [168] Furthermore, Philip Cosores of Uproxx mentioned "there is no wasted energy, with every bit of the set time used to create memories and impact the audience". [169] He then concluded that if environmental concerns are further adopted for touring, the status of the band "as one of the essential artists of our time will take on greater meaning than just the legacy of their music". [169]
Regioactive's Torsten Reitz declared that they were "full of energy and much more powerful than on record", mastering both upbeat and quiet moments. [170] Marine Pineau wrote that Coldplay lived up to their reputation as a live act and lauded the band for their showmanship in her review for Virgin Radio. [171] Alexis Petridis from The Guardian praised the tour for being a "genuinely immersive" experience which gave depth to its namesake album through an inventive approach, rating the residency at Wembley Stadium with five stars. [172] Kate Solomon of The Times considered it a "triumphant homecoming", awarded Coldplay four stars and commended their musicianship. [173] The Telegraph's Neil McCormick hailed them as "modern masters" of stadium entertainment and granted the same score. [174] Writing a five-star piece for NME, Hannah Mylrea stated that the band offered a masterclass in how a massive pop show can be done. [175] Moreover, Wilson Ledo from CNN Portugal mentioned the concerts had a permanent euphoria and praised how Martin interacted with the public constantly. [176] In his Muzikalia article, Pau Clot informed that Coldplay offered a spectacle which "cannot be matched by anyone on this planet today". [177] Göteborgs-Posten's Johan Lindqvista highlighted the stage presence of the group and said Martin had enough "love and showman charisma that he shines brighter than all the lights and lasers". [178]
Felipe Branco Cruz from Veja argued the band "reinvented the concept of arena rock" with their performance at Rock in Rio festival, turning the public into protagonists of the show rather than mere spectators and consequently carrying on the legacy of spectacles "which transcend music" that was established by groups such as Pink Floyd, Queen and U2. [179] Writing for UOL, Yolanda Reis said it is "undeniable" they are "true showmen" and defined the concert as "unforgettable". [180] Folha de São Paulo's Carlos Albuquerque affirmed Coldplay exhibited "nearly two hours of delicious escapism" and effortlessly took advantage of everything at their disposal on stage. [181] Ana Raquel Lelles praised them for keeping the audience excited with a "masterful" repertory in spite of the rainstorm in her review for Estado de Minas. [182] Julio Maria from Estadão commented the band managed to achieve a "higher level of spectacle" and highlighted " Paradise" as the "first great catharsis" in the curve which "continued to climb" throughout the night. [183] Roberto Medina, the founder and president of the festival, claimed "there was only one moment like today, Freddie Mercury in 1985. It was incredible, it was memorable". [179]
Writing for El Comercio, Juan Carlos Fangacio Arakaki mentioned Coldplay were "impeccable", delivering a complete and diverse set list in a show which "never let down". [184] CNN Chile's Pablo Figueroa said the group showcased "confidence, strength and respect for their audience", becoming "protagonists in one of the most exciting musical moments" of the country since the transition to democracy. [185] Marcelo Fernández Bitar from Clarín emphasised Martin's charisma, his bandmates' solidity and the band's connection with the public, adding the performance reaffirmed the passion evoked by their songs. [186] Similarly, an editorial by Infobae praised Coldplay for being "versatile" and "synchronised" in a concert that ranged from "the most subtle" to "the most grand". [187] In his review for La Nación, Mauro Apicella commented they managed to be in the vanguard of stadium technology with good and simple ideas which never leaves out the audience and have songs that "became classics". [188] Omelete's Caio Coletti stated Berryman's bass is "irresistibly propulsive", Martin's uncoordinated dancing "at this point is already a trademark" and Champion has proved to be a good vocalist by guiding the " Viva la Vida" chants. [189] He also lauded them for giving a highly sensorial performance and understanding how the night of the show "is all about entertaining fans and finding new ways to elevate their experience". [189]
Barks' Saori Yoshiba ( Japanese: 吉羽さおり) considered the tour a "captivating mixture of depth and intensity" which allowed her to "fully feel the power of music and the energy of a live performance". [190] Writing for CNN Indonesia, Muhammad Feraldi Hifzurahman revealed that while the statement feels exaggerated at first, Coldplay "really deserve to be called a musical experience that must be tried at least once in your life". [191] Conversely, his review included only four stars out of five because the organisers of the venue failed to manage the crowd. [191] Sam Mead from The Music declared that "over two decades in, this is the band at their best – hard-hitting, punchy grooves". [192] As per Caleb Runciman of The West Australian, they delivered the greatest event of Optus Stadium history and a set that "felt like a concert, theatre production, and light show all in one". [193] He commended the musical prowess of the group as well, rating them with five stars. [193] Rolling Stone Australia's Poppy Reid defended that Coldplay solidified their status among the most visionary live acts in rock music and seamlessly "blended their hits with visual wonders" on their performances. [137] In a review for the Manila Bulletin, Gregorio Larrazabal pointed out that the inclusion of national guests at the Philippine Arena has offered "a cultural confluence, a dazzling spectacle not just of musical prowess, but of global and local melodies intertwining". [194]
Folha de São Paulo, [195] G1, [196] O Globo, [197] and UOL ranked Coldplay's performance among the best of Rock in Rio 2022. [198] Billboard mentioned the stage's inflatable spheres while discussing the best special effects of the year. [199] Panorama, Sky TG24 and The West Australian called the tour one of the greatest events of 2023. [200]
Year | Ceremony | Category | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Tour of the Year | Won | [201] |
Pollstar Awards | Major Tour of the Year | Nominated | [202] | |
Rock Tour of the Year | Nominated | |||
WhizBang Award | Won | |||
Live Music Is Better Award | Nominated | |||
Ticketmaster Awards | Concert of the Year – Poland | Nominated | [203] | |
Best International Concert – France | Won | [204] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2023 – Italy | Won | [205] | ||
2024 | iHeartRadio Music Awards | Favorite Tour Photographer [j] | Nominated | [206] |
People's Choice Awards | The Concert Tour of the Year | Nominated | [207] | |
Pollstar Awards | Pop Tour of the Year | Nominated | [208] | |
Road Warrior of the Year [k] | Nominated | |||
Ticketmaster Awards | Concert of the Year – Sweden | Won | [209] | |
Concert of the Year – Switzerland | Won | [210] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Australia | Nominated | [211] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – France | Won | [204] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Germany | Won | [212] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – Italy | Won | [205] | ||
Most Anticipated Event of 2024 – New Zealand | Won | [213] |
In September 2022, the band announced that one of their performances at Estadio River Plate would be transmitted to cinemas around the world through a partnership with Trafalgar Releasing, the company responsible for premiering Coldplay: A Head Full of Dreams back in 2018. [214] Released as Live Broadcast from Buenos Aires, the project was directed by Paul Dugdale and exhibited in 81 countries, setting the record for live theatrical events. [215] On 19 April 2023, a director's cut was made available featuring remastered sound, visuals captured using different filming techniques, and an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview with the group. [216] This version was titled Coldplay – Music of the Spheres: Live at River Plate and additionally included panoramic and 4DX formats. [216] Writing for MadMass, Mattia Salvi noted the film was engaging, versatile, and a "complex visual transliteration, which fortunately Dugdale and his entire crew manage to achieve with great naturalness, without inappropriate artifices". [217]
According to Pollstar's Eric Renner Brown, Coldplay have ushered into "a new era of sustainable touring" with the Music of the Spheres World Tour. [218] Their efforts were considered unprecedented for a stadium concert run, [219] as the band reduced their CO2 emissions by 47% in the first year activities, [220] planted over 9 million trees in forest reserves, [221] and had their methods adopted by Live Nation to provide green options to more artists. [222] Furthermore, they were listed among the most influential climate action leaders in the world by Time. [223] Since the tour became a leading topic of news coverage in visited countries, it was also called a media phenomenon. [224] Mark Beaumont from The Times opined that the band regained public respect and credibility, which prompted a shift in attitude towards them. [225]
Due to its high demand, the tour caused ticket speculation to rise in numerous regions, including Portugal, [226] Italy, [227] and Malaysia. [228] In the latter country, investigation of those cases inspired new legislation for future shows. [228] Similarly, the government of Indonesia decided to make their event permit process more flexible after Coldplay could not schedule enough dates to meet demand. [229] Media outlets commented that ticketless fans gathered outside venues to hear the group perform in cities such as Barcelona, Rio de Janeiro and Kaohsiung. [230] Concerts were noted for boosting local economies as well, drawing comparisons to winning a lottery prize. [231] Additionally, the band experienced a resurgence on the music charts, as their discography saw major gains in sales. [232] To endorse local non-profits, they partnered with Global Citizen and the Love Button Global Movement. [233]
This set list was taken from the 3 July 2022 concert in Frankfurt, Germany. It does not represent all shows throughout the tour. [234]
The band performed covers, invited guests and fans, wrote songs specifically for the occasion and made dedications in numerous dates, skipping to the rest of the show otherwise:
Date (2022) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
18 March | San José | Costa Rica | Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica |
H.E.R. MishCatt |
86,199 / 86,199 | $5,687,127 |
19 March | ||||||
22 March | Santo Domingo | Dominican Republic | Estadio Olímpico Félix Sánchez | H.E.R. La Marimba |
30,524 / 30,524 | $2,571,873 |
25 March | Guadalupe [i] | Mexico | Estadio BBVA |
Carla Morrison DannyLux |
112,262 / 112,262 | $8,996,432 |
26 March | ||||||
29 March | Zapopan [ii] | Estadio Akron | 90,153 / 90,153 | $8,190,681 | ||
30 March | ||||||
3 April | Mexico City | Foro Sol | 259,591 / 259,591 | $19,544,924 | ||
4 April | ||||||
6 April | ||||||
7 April | ||||||
6 May | Dallas | United States | Cotton Bowl | H.E.R. Leila Pari |
58,669 / 58,669 | $6,065,763 |
8 May | Houston | NRG Stadium | H.E.R. Alaina Castillo |
46,959 / 46,959 | $5,413,072 | |
12 May [l] | Glendale [iii] | State Farm Stadium | H.E.R. Kacy Hill |
42,849 / 42,849 | $3,542,528 | |
15 May [m] | Santa Clara | Levi's Stadium | H.E.R. Bobby Gonz |
50,791 / 50,791 | $5,861,025 | |
28 May | Chicago | Soldier Field | H.E.R. Drama |
107,072 / 107,072 | $10,969,930 | |
29 May | ||||||
1 June | Landover [iv] | FedExField | H.E.R. Shaed |
47,133 / 47,133 | $5,196,389 | |
4 June | East Rutherford | MetLife Stadium | H.E.R. Bea Miller |
117,240 / 117,240 | $13,153,892 | |
5 June | ||||||
8 June | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field | H.E.R. Lizzy McAlpine |
57,415 / 57,415 | $5,606,712 | |
11 June | Atlanta | Mercedes-Benz Stadium | H.E.R. Mariah the Scientist |
54,059 / 54,059 | $5,913,613 | |
14 June | Tampa | Raymond James Stadium | H.E.R. Gigi |
55,980 / 55,980 | $6,300,175 | |
2 July | Frankfurt | Germany | Deutsche Bank Park | H.E.R. Alli Neumann |
138,282 / 138,282 | $13,745,935 |
3 July | ||||||
5 July |
London Grammar Alli Neumann | |||||
8 July | Warsaw | Poland | PGE Narodowy | H.E.R. Mery Spolsky |
57,574 / 57,574 | $4,576,813 |
10 July [d] | Berlin | Germany | Olympiastadion | London Grammar Alli Neumann |
216,535 / 216,535 | $20,389,783 |
12 July [d] | H.E.R. Alli Neumann | |||||
13 July | ||||||
16 July | Saint-Denis [v] | France | Stade de France | H.E.R. Gaumar |
318,331 / 318,331 | $28,035,164 |
17 July [n] | ||||||
19 July | London Grammar Lous and the Yakuza | |||||
20 July | ||||||
5 August | Brussels | Belgium | King Baudouin Stadium | H.E.R. Lous and the Yakuza |
224,719 / 224,719 | $20,007,105 |
6 August | ||||||
8 August | London Grammar Lous and the Yakuza | |||||
9 August | ||||||
12 August | London | England | Wembley Stadium | H.E.R. Griff |
464,839 / 464,839 | $49,209,920 |
13 August | ||||||
16 August | London Grammar Ibibio Sound Machine | |||||
17 August | H.E.R. Ibibio Sound Machine | |||||
20 August | London Grammar Laura Mvula | |||||
21 August [o] | ||||||
23 August | Glasgow | Scotland | Hampden Park | H.E.R. Nina Nesbitt |
106,209 / 106,209 | $10,402,757 |
24 August | London Grammar Nina Nesbitt | |||||
10 September [p] | Rio de Janeiro | Brazil | Barra Olympic Park | — | — | — |
13 September [q] | Lima | Peru | Estadio Nacional del Perú |
Camila Cabello Andrea Martinez |
85,845 / 85,845 | $9,242,799 |
14 September | ||||||
16 September | Bogotá | Colombia | Estadio El Campín | Camila Cabello Mabiland |
88,314 / 88,314 | $8,062,927 |
17 September | ||||||
20 September | Santiago | Chile | Estadio Nacional de Chile | Camila Cabello Princesa Alba |
256,916 / 256,916 | $15,886,887 |
21 September | ||||||
23 September | ||||||
24 September | ||||||
25 October | Buenos Aires | Argentina | Estadio River Plate | H.E.R. Zoe Gotusso |
626,841 / 626,841 | $49,695,814 |
26 October | ||||||
28 October [r] | ||||||
29 October | ||||||
1 November | ||||||
2 November [c] | H.E.R. Clara Cava | |||||
4 November | H.E.R. Zoe Gotusso | |||||
5 November | ||||||
7 November | ||||||
8 November |
Date (2023) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 March [s] | São Paulo | Brazil | Estádio do Morumbi |
Chvrches Elana Dara |
439,651 / 439,651 | $40,104,881 |
11 March [s] | ||||||
13 March [s] | ||||||
14 March [s] | ||||||
17 March [s] | ||||||
18 March [s] | ||||||
21 March | Curitiba | Estádio Couto Pereira | Chvrches Clara x Sofia |
85,776 / 85,776 | $8,126,841 | |
22 March | ||||||
25 March [t] | Rio de Janeiro | Estádio Olímpico Nilton Santos | 211,012 / 211,012 | $17,204,664 | ||
26 March [t] | ||||||
28 March | ||||||
17 May | Coimbra | Portugal | Estádio Cidade de Coimbra | Griff Bárbara Bandeira |
208,284 / 208,284 | $21,473,885 |
18 May | ||||||
20 May | ||||||
21 May | ||||||
24 May | Barcelona | Spain | Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys | Chvrches Hinds |
224,761 / 224,761 | $27,262,896 |
25 May | ||||||
27 May | Chvrches Ona Mafalda | |||||
28 May | ||||||
31 May [e] | Manchester | England | Etihad Stadium | Chvrches Porij |
195,874 / 195,874 | $24,164,085 |
1 June [e] | ||||||
3 June | ||||||
4 June | ||||||
6 June | Cardiff | Wales | Principality Stadium | Chvrches Hana Lili |
119,280 / 119,280 | $14,151,135 |
7 June | ||||||
21 June | Naples | Italy | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | Chvrches Laila al Habash |
93,341 / 93,341 | $9,856,532 |
22 June | ||||||
25 June | Milan | San Siro | Chvrches Mara Sattei |
249,560 / 249,560 | $29,439,180 | |
26 June | ||||||
28 June | ||||||
29 June | ||||||
1 July | Zürich | Switzerland | Letzigrund | Griff Caroline Alves |
95,055 / 95,055 | $14,972,413 |
2 July | ||||||
5 July [f] | Copenhagen | Denmark | Parken Stadium | Griff Oh Land |
98,646 / 98,646 | $12,230,710 |
6 July [f] | ||||||
8 July | Gothenburg | Sweden | Ullevi | Griff Luciia |
267,180 / 267,180 | $26,242,821 |
9 July | ||||||
11 July | ||||||
12 July | ||||||
15 July | Amsterdam | Netherlands | Johan Cruyff Arena | Griff Zoë Tauran |
217,609 / 217,609 | $30,322,573 |
16 July | ||||||
18 July | ||||||
19 July | ||||||
20 September | Seattle | United States | Lumen Field | H.E.R. 070 Shake Bobby Gonz |
60,342 / 60,342 | $8,124,415 |
22 September | Vancouver | Canada | BC Place | 89,645 / 89,645 | $12,405,572 | |
23 September | ||||||
27 September | San Diego | United States | Snapdragon Stadium | 64,130 / 64,130 | $10,355,147 | |
28 September | ||||||
30 September | Pasadena [vi] | Rose Bowl | 136,043 / 136,043 | $19,019,116 | ||
1 October | ||||||
6 November | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Dome | Yoasobi | 97,267 / 97,267 | $13,726,445 |
7 November | ||||||
11 November | Kaohsiung | Taiwan | Kaohsiung National Stadium | Accusefive | 102,949 / 102,949 | $15,159,017 |
12 November | ||||||
15 November | Jakarta | Indonesia | Gelora Bung Karno Stadium | Rahmania Astrini | 78,541 / 78,541 | $13,893,822 |
18 November | Perth | Australia | Optus Stadium |
Amy Shark Thelma Plum Adrian Dzvuke |
124,883 / 124,883 | $13,888,883 |
19 November |
Tash Sultana Thelma Plum King Ibis | |||||
22 November | Kuala Lumpur | Malaysia | Bukit Jalil National Stadium | Bunga | 81,812 / 81,812 | $10,904,369 |
Date (2024) | City | Country | Venue | Opening acts | Attendance | Revenue |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
19 January | Bocaue [vii] | Philippines | Philippine Arena | Jikamarie | 96,079 / 96,079 | $15,425,465 |
20 January | ||||||
23 January | Singapore | Singapore National Stadium |
Jasmine Sokko Jinan Laetitia |
321,113 / 321,113 | $43,362,247 | |
24 January | ||||||
26 January | ||||||
27 January |
Rriley Jinan Laetitia | |||||
30 January | ||||||
31 January | ||||||
3 February | Bangkok | Thailand | Rajamangala Stadium | Valentina Ploy | 106,027 / 106,027 | $16,878,887 |
4 February | ||||||
8 June | Athens | Greece | Olympic Stadium |
Maisie Peters Antonia Kaouri |
— | — |
9 June | ||||||
12 June | Bucharest | Romania | Arena Națională | Maisie Peters Emaa |
— | — |
13 June | ||||||
16 June | Budapest | Hungary | Puskás Aréna | Maisie Peters Solére |
— | — |
18 June | ||||||
19 June | ||||||
22 June | Décines-Charpieu [viii] | France | Groupama Stadium |
Janelle Monáe Ronisia |
— | — |
23 June | ||||||
25 June | ||||||
29 June [u] | Pilton | England | Worthy Farm | — | — | — |
12 July | Rome | Italy | Stadio Olimpico | Janelle Monáe Rose Villain |
— | — |
13 July | ||||||
15 July | ||||||
16 July | ||||||
20 July | Düsseldorf | Germany | Merkur Spiel-Arena | Janelle Monáe Zoe Wees |
— | — |
21 July | ||||||
23 July | ||||||
27 July | Helsinki | Finland | Helsinki Olympic Stadium | Maisie Peters Alma |
— | — |
28 July | ||||||
30 July | ||||||
31 July | ||||||
15 August | Munich | Germany | Olympiastadion |
Maggie Rogers Wilhelmine |
— | — |
17 August | ||||||
18 August | ||||||
21 August | Vienna | Austria | Ernst-Happel-Stadion | Maggie Rogers Oska |
— | — |
22 August | ||||||
24 August | ||||||
25 August | ||||||
29 August | Dublin | Ireland | Croke Park | Maggie Rogers Aby Coulibaly |
— | — |
30 August | ||||||
1 September | ||||||
2 September | ||||||
30 October | Melbourne | Australia | Marvel Stadium |
PinkPantheress Emmanuel Kelly |
— | — |
31 October | ||||||
2 November | ||||||
3 November | ||||||
6 November | Sydney | Accor Stadium | — | — | ||
7 November | ||||||
9 November | ||||||
10 November | ||||||
13 November | Auckland | New Zealand | Eden Park | — | — | |
15 November | ||||||
16 November | ||||||
Total | 7,667,658 / 7,667,658 (100%) | $810,966,041 |
Date (2022) | City | Country | Venue | Reason | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
26 April | Inglewood [vi] | United States | SoFi Stadium | Logistic and production issues | [330] |
30 April |
Credits taken from the band's official tour book, which was released "In loving memory of Ben Farrey and Steve Strange". [331]
Credits taken from Projection, Lights & Staging News, with product quantities being represented between parenthesis whenever possible. [332]