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| Coldplay get giddy as they smash Wembley Stadium record | Coldplay get giddy as they smash Wembley Stadium record |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The band are taking a break after smashing box office records on their latest tour | The band are taking a break after smashing box office records on their latest tour |
| Coldplay celebrated the end of their record-breaking 10-show run at Wembley Stadium with a dazzling, multi-coloured night of musical magic. | Coldplay celebrated the end of their record-breaking 10-show run at Wembley Stadium with a dazzling, multi-coloured night of musical magic. |
| Playing hits from every era of their 25-year career, they filled the stadium with light, and even indulged themselves with a giddy version of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody. "This is the song I warm up to in the car park," joked singer Chris Martin. | Playing hits from every era of their 25-year career, they filled the stadium with light, and even indulged themselves with a giddy version of Whitney Houston's I Wanna Dance With Somebody. "This is the song I warm up to in the car park," joked singer Chris Martin. |
| The show closed the latest leg of their Music Of The Spheres Tour, which has circled the world four times since 2022. It is now the highest-attended tour in history, with more than 13m tickets sold. | |
| On stage, Martin promised it would resume "somewhere in southern Africa in about 18 months". | On stage, Martin promised it would resume "somewhere in southern Africa in about 18 months". |
| Friday's show was held almost a week late, after a strike by London transport workers forced the band to postpone. | Friday's show was held almost a week late, after a strike by London transport workers forced the band to postpone. |
| "I know it caused a lot of inconvenience for a lot of you," Martin told the crowd. "In return we're going to play a show fifteen times better than any show we've ever played before. That's the pledge." | "I know it caused a lot of inconvenience for a lot of you," Martin told the crowd. "In return we're going to play a show fifteen times better than any show we've ever played before. That's the pledge." |
| They might not have achieved that goal - Coldplay have already set themselves a ridiculously high bar - but this was stadium stagecraft at its absolute finest. | They might not have achieved that goal - Coldplay have already set themselves a ridiculously high bar - but this was stadium stagecraft at its absolute finest. |
| Coldplay are the first band to power a concert at Wembley Stadium entirely by renewable energy with no generator use. | Coldplay are the first band to power a concert at Wembley Stadium entirely by renewable energy with no generator use. |
| The concert is a sensory overload, full of LED writstbands, raining confetti, laser lights, spinning inflatables, 3D glasses that turn everything into hearts and stars, and even a brief puppet show (the operators, Drew and Nicolette, happily got engaged during last Saturday's concert). | The concert is a sensory overload, full of LED writstbands, raining confetti, laser lights, spinning inflatables, 3D glasses that turn everything into hearts and stars, and even a brief puppet show (the operators, Drew and Nicolette, happily got engaged during last Saturday's concert). |
| Martin is the glue that holds it together. He bounds across the stage like a puppy - or is it a youth pastor? - covering the length of the catwalk several times within the first few songs. | Martin is the glue that holds it together. He bounds across the stage like a puppy - or is it a youth pastor? - covering the length of the catwalk several times within the first few songs. |
| His plan isn't just to bridge the gap between the band and the audience, it's to dismantle it entirely. | His plan isn't just to bridge the gap between the band and the audience, it's to dismantle it entirely. |
| "I see you," he says repeatedly, identifying uber-fans at the front and distant figures in the vertigo seats. | "I see you," he says repeatedly, identifying uber-fans at the front and distant figures in the vertigo seats. |
| "I see you over here with a Brazilian flag. And I see you, too, in the top corner with lights on your bodies. You look like you're from the movie Tron." | "I see you over here with a Brazilian flag. And I see you, too, in the top corner with lights on your bodies. You look like you're from the movie Tron." |
| It's a schtick, for sure, but it fosters an incredible sense of unity. Those LED wristbands play a huge part, too, making everyone in the audience part of a giant tapestry of light. And there's a communal euphoria in singing along to hits like Paradise, The Scientist, Yellow and Sky Full of Stars. | It's a schtick, for sure, but it fosters an incredible sense of unity. Those LED wristbands play a huge part, too, making everyone in the audience part of a giant tapestry of light. And there's a communal euphoria in singing along to hits like Paradise, The Scientist, Yellow and Sky Full of Stars. |
| After the first 30 minutes, I realised that I'd barely looked at the giant screens above the stage. | After the first 30 minutes, I realised that I'd barely looked at the giant screens above the stage. |
| The audience is the show. | The audience is the show. |
| The Wembley concerts alone were attended by more than 800,000 people | The Wembley concerts alone were attended by more than 800,000 people |
| That's a contrast to most stadium concerts, where the message is more like: "Look upon me, puny mortals, and be astonished by my divine talents and somewhat improbable physique." | That's a contrast to most stadium concerts, where the message is more like: "Look upon me, puny mortals, and be astonished by my divine talents and somewhat improbable physique." |
| Coldplay don't bother with any of that. Martin's bandmates Guy Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland would rather that no-one noticed them at all. Instead, they'd rather make a fuss over their special guests. | |
| In London, that means Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Orchestra - a group of youth players who've supported the band at all of their Wembley dates. They come out twice, for Viva La Vida and feelslikeimfallinginlove, twirling their cellos and jumping up and down as they provide the stirring string accompaniment. | In London, that means Venezuela's Simón Bolívar Orchestra - a group of youth players who've supported the band at all of their Wembley dates. They come out twice, for Viva La Vida and feelslikeimfallinginlove, twirling their cellos and jumping up and down as they provide the stirring string accompaniment. |
| Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, meanwhile, hogs the spotlight during We Pray, hitting some quite extraordinary high notes. | Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna, meanwhile, hogs the spotlight during We Pray, hitting some quite extraordinary high notes. |
| Who has played the most shows at Wembley Stadium? | Who has played the most shows at Wembley Stadium? |
| Coldplay - 16 nights on the Music of the Spheres tour, 2022-25* | Coldplay - 16 nights on the Music of the Spheres tour, 2022-25* |
| Taylor Swift - Eight nights on the Eras tour, 2024 | Taylor Swift - Eight nights on the Eras tour, 2024 |
| Take That - Eight nights on the Progress tour, 2011 | Take That - Eight nights on the Progress tour, 2011 |
| Oasis - Seven nights on the Live '25 tour, 2025 | Oasis - Seven nights on the Live '25 tour, 2025 |
| Michael Jackson - Seven nights on the Bad tour, 1988 | |
| * Including six nights in 2022 and 10 night in 2025 | * Including six nights in 2022 and 10 night in 2025 |
| Coldplay formed in London in the late 1990s, initially under the name Starfish | Coldplay formed in London in the late 1990s, initially under the name Starfish |
| Musically, Coldplay's set-list is stacked. There's a thrilling version of Clocks that shudders with discordant guitar riffs before resolving into a powerful chorus; and an extended acoustic version of Sparks has fans swooning. | Musically, Coldplay's set-list is stacked. There's a thrilling version of Clocks that shudders with discordant guitar riffs before resolving into a powerful chorus; and an extended acoustic version of Sparks has fans swooning. |
| Something Just Like This, an abominable song on record, becomes a euphoric mini-rave on stage; while Fix You is simply majestic. | Something Just Like This, an abominable song on record, becomes a euphoric mini-rave on stage; while Fix You is simply majestic. |
| With the tour about to go on hiatus (or maybe because he keeps self-administering throat spray) Martin is on whimsical form. | With the tour about to go on hiatus (or maybe because he keeps self-administering throat spray) Martin is on whimsical form. |
| He describes Coldplay as "the third best soft rock band in London"; randomly sings the opening lines of Wonderwall; and, during Paradise, invokes the dancehall star Shaggy, for no discernible reason. | He describes Coldplay as "the third best soft rock band in London"; randomly sings the opening lines of Wonderwall; and, during Paradise, invokes the dancehall star Shaggy, for no discernible reason. |
| "That song was by Shaggy," he declares, inaccurately. | "That song was by Shaggy," he declares, inaccurately. |
| Towards the end of the show, he stops everything to celebrate Buckland's 48th birthday, presenting the guitarist with a Lego Batmobile and promising, "I'll give you £1m if you build it before Fix You". | Towards the end of the show, he stops everything to celebrate Buckland's 48th birthday, presenting the guitarist with a Lego Batmobile and promising, "I'll give you £1m if you build it before Fix You". |
| Then, preparing to play the album track Jupiter for the first time, he announces: "This could be terrible. But if it is terrible, don't worry, we're going to play Yellow in a minute. | Then, preparing to play the album track Jupiter for the first time, he announces: "This could be terrible. But if it is terrible, don't worry, we're going to play Yellow in a minute. |
| "Will Champion could fart in the microphone, as long as we play Yellow." | "Will Champion could fart in the microphone, as long as we play Yellow." |
| Coldplay were the first group to use LED wristbands at their concerts, and the technology has evolved to allow incredibly sophisticated light shows | Coldplay were the first group to use LED wristbands at their concerts, and the technology has evolved to allow incredibly sophisticated light shows |
| Martin later admits that his sense of humour "gets me into trouble every day". But not as much trouble as married tech CEO Andy Byron, who was caught in a loving embrace with his HR executive on the giant screens of a Coldplay concert in the US earlier this year. | Martin later admits that his sense of humour "gets me into trouble every day". But not as much trouble as married tech CEO Andy Byron, who was caught in a loving embrace with his HR executive on the giant screens of a Coldplay concert in the US earlier this year. |
| The moment - during part of the show where Martin serenades audience members with an improvised song - went viral, and has reportedly led to at least one divorce. So when the jumbotron section of the show starts on Friday, Martin issues a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer. | The moment - during part of the show where Martin serenades audience members with an improvised song - went viral, and has reportedly led to at least one divorce. So when the jumbotron section of the show starts on Friday, Martin issues a tongue-in-cheek disclaimer. |
| "Whatever happens here, stays here. Guaranteed. So if you've just embezzled the company funds, come on camera now. It's fine." | "Whatever happens here, stays here. Guaranteed. So if you've just embezzled the company funds, come on camera now. It's fine." |
| Before long, a young couple flashes up on the screen. | Before long, a young couple flashes up on the screen. |
| "Holy crap, don't put me through this again," the singer grimaces, only agreeing to play a song after they've flashed their wedding rings at the camera. | "Holy crap, don't put me through this again," the singer grimaces, only agreeing to play a song after they've flashed their wedding rings at the camera. |
| The band are due to take a well-deserved break | The band are due to take a well-deserved break |
| The spontaneity and humour is part of what makes every Coldplay show unique, even when most of the set is painstakingly planned out. | The spontaneity and humour is part of what makes every Coldplay show unique, even when most of the set is painstakingly planned out. |
| On Friday, fans at the final London date showed their appreciation. | On Friday, fans at the final London date showed their appreciation. |
| During the final encore of All My Love, thousands of them unfolded paper red hearts and held them above their heads - the culmination of a secret online project organised by a German fan called Hannah. | During the final encore of All My Love, thousands of them unfolded paper red hearts and held them above their heads - the culmination of a secret online project organised by a German fan called Hannah. |
| It was a bittersweet moment. Fans know the band have a long break planned. And even if they use their gap year to make new music, Martin has announced it will be their penultimate album. | |
| "The Coldplay catalogue, as it were, finishes," after 12 records he told BBC Radio 2's Jo Whiley in 2021. "After that I think we will only tour." | |
| On tonight's evidence, it doesn't matter. | On tonight's evidence, it doesn't matter. |
| They could play the same setlist for the next 100 years and fans would flock to every show. | They could play the same setlist for the next 100 years and fans would flock to every show. |
| See you there. | See you there. |
| Coldplay setlist | Coldplay setlist |
| Higher Power | Higher Power |
| Adventure of a Lifetime | Adventure of a Lifetime |
| Paradise | Paradise |
| The Scientist | The Scientist |
| Viva La Vida | Viva La Vida |
| Hymn for the Weekend | Hymn for the Weekend |
| Jupiter | Jupiter |
| I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) | I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me) |
| Charlie Brown | Charlie Brown |
| Yellow | Yellow |
| Human Heart | Human Heart |
| People of the Pride | People of the Pride |
| Clocks | Clocks |
| We Pray | We Pray |
| Infinity Sign | Infinity Sign |
| Something Just Like This | Something Just Like This |
| My Universe | My Universe |
| A Sky Full of Stars | A Sky Full of Stars |
| Encore | Encore |
| Sparks | Sparks |
| The Jumbotron Song | The Jumbotron Song |
| Fix You | Fix You |
| Feelslikeimfallinginlove | Feelslikeimfallinginlove |
| All My Love | All My Love |