Martin was a comedian of sorts at times, too, at one point promising that because the show was so early, there’d be "a lot less swearing."
Coldplay’s a huge band, used to performing at stadiums. Which means the Beacon’s sub-3000 capacity made the night’s show about as “intimate” as one could be for a band of their stature. Their usually elaborate stage design and production was toned down immensely and there were a few technical difficulties. Makeshift stars dangling from the ceiling didn’t light up until halfway through the hour-long show. “Oh, they work!” yelped Martin when he realized they were, at last, flickering.
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He also mentioned that being in a group when you’ve known the members since age 18 definitely helps during off-kilter moments on stage. "We have each other's back,” he said before passing off an out of tune guitar to a stagehand and switching up the set list to play their new single “Magic” from their forthcoming “Ghost Stories” album instead of “God Put a Smile Upon Your Face,” which came later along with that once wonky guitar.
The evening’s highlight was their run of “Viva la Vida,” which made the Beacon feel like a European soccer game with its euphoric, harmonious chants towards the end. “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall" followed with confetti raining, marking the end of the night. Saying goodbye, Coldplay dropped the instruments, gathered together and took a bow.
And hours later for another packed house at 9PM, they’d do it all over again.
