3-Dec-08 - Birmingham, NIA - Tickets, Preview, Meetups, Review/Photos

[Jenjie]

Welcome to the thread for the above concert which can be used for all discussion prior to, during and after the gig.

One thread one concert - should hopefully keep everyone organised and up-to-date with Coldplay on the road.

Did you get tickets?
Are you looking for tickets?
Are you looking for ticket swaps?
Need help/directions on getting to the concert?
Not sure what the arrangements and rules are for the particular venue is?
Are you just bloody excited?
Do you have a review for the concert?
Did you take any pictures... share them here!


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Setlist

Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Yellow
Chinese Sleep Chant
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)
Talk (techno version)
The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano)
Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
Green Eyes (acoustic)
Speed Of Sound (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will singing)
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
——
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
——-
The Scientist
Life in Technicolor ii
The Escapist (outro)


Photos

http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/gallery/showgallery.php/cat/1559

Wiki reviews

http://wiki.coldplaying.com/index.php/3_December_2008:_NIA%2C_Birmingham%2C_UK#Setlist

Videos

Mexican wave....!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwJ3Hk437Xs


Life In Technicolor



Violet Hill



Clocks



In My Place



Yellow

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e-UQHWN1pU

Chinese Sleep Chant



42

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXb3kMQUJ-w

Fix You

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xzYxw7e06I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EViL6vf7O4U

Strawberry Swing



God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version)



Talk (techno version)



The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMDRwf66Hds

Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BMDRwf66Hds

Viva La Vida

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYXS2JK7LAo

Lost!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K80NrjYkt18

Green Eyes (acoustic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-6XemS3Mig

Speed Of Sound (acoustic)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNlZkb8D2Y4

Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will singing)



Viva La Vida (remix interlude)



——



Politik



Lovers In Japan

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDXOolaajz8

Death And All His Friends

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MaShLphrhA

——-



The Scientist

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNg9xYYSuxw

Life in Technicolour ii

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2UJx2ftr_E

The Escapist (outro)


Merchandise

Coldplaying Charity Club Tour Merchandise (http://www.coldplaying.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38904). All proceeds go to Oxfam Unwrapped.

http://images.cafepress.com/product/268863775v16_350x350_Front_Color-CaribbeanBlue.jpg
http://images.cafepress.com/product/268868529v16_350x350_Front_Color-AshGrey.jpg

http://images.cafepress.com/product/273152429v7_240x240_Front_Color-Black.jpg
http://images.cafepress.com/product/268868202v9_240x240_Front_Color-BlueWhite.jpg

Check out the shop for more items and other colours.

[caru_Politik]

I'm going to this one. i haven't shut up about it all day. i booked kinda late though so I'm in the higher tier. apparently it's a good view. does anyone have a seating chart?

[busybeeburns]

Coldplay have added an extra date to the Birmingham leg of their UK tour after phenomenal demand for the first two dates.

The band, who have sold over 30 million albums and had a string of hit singles including Yellow, Don’t Panic and Clocks, will now play at the NIA on Wednesday, December 3, as well as December 1 and 2 as previously announced.

Celebrating their 11th year together, the group will release its fourth album, ‘Viva La Vida or Death And All His Friends’, on June 12.

Singer Chris Martin says: “This album was fuelled by a desire to move from black and white into colour. Or, if you like, we decided to let our garden grow a little more unkempt. The bloodhound was let off its leash.”

Bassist Guy Berryman enthuses: “I think it’s our boldest and most confident record. We were much more open to new ideas and influences and much less afraid to experiment.”

Martin explains how the band had changed its approach to songwriting: “The starting point for this album was listening to an amazing old Blur song called ‘Sing (To Me)’ while we were on the road with ‘X&Y’.

“I remember hearing it and thinking, ‘OK, we need to get better as a band’.”

The first song for Viva La Vida was written the very next day.

“I’m driven by two things,” Martin continues. “One is trying to make sense of existence. The other is when I hear something brilliant, trying to write something as good as that.

“With this album, we were inspired by so much amazing music. We’d listen to Rammstein and Tinariwen next to each other and the result would be something like the middle bit of ‘42′.

“For another track, we’d listen to Marvin Gaye and Radiohead. Or Jay-Z and the Golden Gate Trio. Or My Bloody Valentine and Gershwin. Or Delakota and Blonde Redhead. There were no limitations.”

So where does Viva La Vida rank in the Coldplay canon?

“I wanted this record to prove us worthy of the position we’ve been given,” says Martin.

“And there’s no question that we’ve come out of this process a better band; whatever anyone makes of the record, when we play live, we’re gonna be on fire.

“But, ultimately, however cerebral you try to get about it, this album is there to entertain people; to provide 42 minutes of enjoyment, with ten great songs that will each be somebody’s favourite.

“I’m really hopeful that we’ve achieved that.”

Fans can make up their own minds when Coldplay air a generous selection of new songs, including recent single Violet Hill, alongside the classics on the road later this year.

Coldplay are at Birmingham NIA from December 1-3. Tickets are priced £42.50 and £38.50, plus booking and transaction fee and are available from The Ticket Factory on 0871 945 6000 or online at www.theticketfactory.com.

http://www.expressandstar.com/2008/05/30/coldplay-to-get-hot-in-the-city/

[coldpatrix]

Already sold out!

[Kels488]

i have tickets-flat floor Block G, Row C-Anyone know if these are good seats??

I a bit annoyed that there so far back :(! cuz i dont remember when booking them if it said that the floor section was gonig to be seated! suppsoe i shouold b greatful though- i have coldplay tickets- woohoo :D!

write back
thanks

2nd coldplay concert- 3rd dec :D!

[marianatsl]

is anyone here going to this gig??
I just got now the ticket i got from ebay.
will be there tomorrow night.
Block A, row E!!
:dance::dance:

[rossy3k]

Hello dudes! Can't wait for tomorrow night (3rd dec), gonna be incredible, i was front row at the BBC gig in June and i'm against the walkway in the front block for this gig, anybody wanna meet up with a hardcore Coldplay fan before the gig?
I'm up for meeting anybody!
Ross :-)

[rossy3k]

p.s. give me a text on 07515358575 if ur a fan and i'll meet u tomorrow, this is all last minute, but really want to meet some fans!

[the.hardest.part]

This is one quiet thread for a sold out show!

[Mimixxx]

Mari is at this show so we'll hopefully get something :D

[Christa42]

holy crap, where is everyone?

[Mimixxx]

We're only an ikl country...:blush:

Guess there's just not that many forum members going. :(

[Mimixxx]

A girl I know on Facebook's status is:

Sarah has just seen Coldplay - surprised that they sang a Take That song!!

Probably wasn't the whole thing though.

[Littlewhiteshadows]

It will have been Back for Good again, they've done that on at least 2 dates that I'm aware of. If she's surprised she's obviously blissfully unaware of Chris Martin's desire to make himself a bigamist by marrying Gary Barlow and making beautiful tuneful children.

[jonwrightuk]

Just got back from this gig, was there last night as well - both amazing.

Set list for tonight was along the lines of....


Life In Technicolor
Violet Hill
Clocks
In My Place
Yellow
Chinese Sleep Chant
42
Fix You
Strawberry Swing
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (partial techno remix)
Talk (partial techno remix)
The Hardest Part (Chris solo piano)
Postcards From Far Away (Chris solo piano)
Viva La Vida
Lost!
Green Eyes (acoustic)
Speed Of Sound (acoustic)
Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will lead vocals)
Viva La Vida (remix interlude)
First Encore
Politik
Lovers In Japan
Death And All His Friends
Second Encore
The Scientist
Life In Technicolor ii
The Escapist (outro)

Acoustic Speed of Sound being the only difference, but it worked well!


Just realised this is my first post yet I joined in June 2005, crikey!

[Mimixxx]

So they did three C-stage songs?! Cool :D

[Littlewhiteshadows]

Nonononononooooo stop playing Green Eyes damnyyyyou.

[Mimixxx]

Noo, keep playing it! :heart: At least until Sunday.

[Littlewhiteshadows]

I'm just bitter because they chose the gig I went to to stick to the setlist and then they give nice surprises to everyone else. Well yes, we got Trouble but *stomps* I waaaant Green Eyes!

[jonwrightuk]

So they did three C-stage songs?! Cool :D


They did - Speed of Sound wasn't the full version though.

Really really want them to add Glass of Water to the live set!!

[Littlewhiteshadows]

I would have loved them to do that or Rainy Day...but they still seem to be avoiding EP stuff :( Well, unless you count Postcards and LIJ Osaka Sun whatsit (there were wooooahhhs in the version I saw at Sheffield that aren't on the original but are on Osaka Sun so I'm assuming that's what was going on there).

[professa95]

in the first birmingham show they got lit 2 so why didnt anyone going tonight get a good video of lit2 cause they mustve known it was gonna be played

[Timothy Q. Mouse]

Acoustic Speed of Sound? SERIOUSLY?

For a band that sticks to a setlist for 99% of every tour leg, there is some crazy shuffling going on here.

Bring back Cemeteries please.

[Chris Fix You]

Was at the NIA gig last night; Fantastic!
Spot on with the set list jonwright.

Only thing jon is that I didn't think coming back from the upper teir acoustic set counted as encore 1! They played that slightly odd Viva la Vida remix while they ran back. I saw them in Toronto and they truly did do a second encore. It was lights up and everything but people were still going mental for ages, so they came out again and played Don't Panic which Chris said they hadn't rehearsed.

Crowd good last night too I thought. Chris said the best volume of all the 3 Birmingham gigs - ha! take that Dec 1 and 2!

Speaking of Take That....Chris sang "I want you back" during the encore, creatively segwayed at the end of The Scientist, and carrying on with the same chords. Wow!
Chris really showed his talent on the piano last night, he was doing all sorts! They were all great; what skills! Each played at least two different instruments.

And the work they were putting in. Will is incredible to watch; honestly the drumming is the highlight of the show for me. They were all dripping with sweat by the end of it. Judging by that and the really good repartee from Chris between the songs, they are really trying to give everyone a great night. No arrogance, nothing taken for granted, and Chris getting a huge noise from the crowd.

Chris played The Hardest Part on his own on the little right hand stage, and said it was their "X-Factor" song - for anyone who auditioned and didn't get on (which he said they wouldn't have either). Fix you was awesome, and Lovers in Japan proves a brilliant live song, especially with the rapid changing video and buterfly shower. What a band.

Slight gripe? Support bands. Juniors were OK and got people going, but who was this John Hopkins fellow with his weird synth and videos...I would rather have had nothing. It did not go down well! I had heard we might get Duffy!

[professa95]

nice review!

[marianatsl]

Mari is at this show so we'll hopefully get something :D

I'm soooooorry I didn't come here earlier but my bus back from Birmingham was at 3am, so i got home at nearly 6 and NEEDED to sleep...

The concert was absolutely brilliant.
My seat was right in front of Jonny's ramp so I got to see a lot of Chris+Jonny action.
The crowd was absolutely fantastic. A guy in the stands, before the concert started doing a 'ola' and it took a while to catch up, but when it did... boy it was beautiful to see the whole arena doing the 'ola' three times in a row (I got it filmed).

The concert was brilliant and I was a bit afraid the band would be tired after 2 concerts in a row in the same venue but they were amazing!!! And the crowd singing was beautiful!! I think Chris and the band were quite impressed!!

They sang Green Eyes. Omg! And LiT ii live is just too good (I got a video!!)

And I managed to get a bagfull of butterflies (Ok, I looked stupid throwing myself on the floor after the concert ended, but i don't really care...)

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

[marianatsl]

in the first birmingham show they got lit 2 so why didnt anyone going tonight get a good video of lit2 cause they mustve known it was gonna be played

sorry for the double post. but just to let you know i have a video of lit ii from last night.
i'll post it here as soon as i upload it.
:nice:

[Mimixxx]

Yay! :D :kiss:

[Mimixxx]

Yay! :D :kiss:

[brandybob]

First post for me! It was a GREAT concert last night. Thought I'd share my pictures with you here:

http://thetravellingmacbook.blogspot.com/

dunno how to post pictures in posts. got some very short vids too which I'll put on YouTube.

still smiling at the memory of it all :-)

[jonwrightuk]

First post for me! It was a GREAT concert last night. Thought I'd share my pictures with you here:

http://thetravellingmacbook.blogspot.com/

dunno how to post pictures in posts. got some very short vids too which I'll put on YouTube.

still smiling at the memory of it all :-)


Great photos, the butterflies one is now my desktop background :)

[Matt7895]

Went to my first Coldplay concert last night (NIA, 3rd December), being a fan ever since Parachutes.

Concert was great, sound was fantastic, band was really energetic. They played 'Life In Technicolor II' to end the show, my favourite track off the new EP. Will sang 'Death Will Never Conquer', I thought he was really good. They also tried 'Speed of Sound' acoustic.... it didn't work. But everything else was brilliant. Chris was joking around with the crowd and they just looked genuinely happy to be out there. It was nice hearing 'Green Eyes' again, too. Brings back memories. 'Viva La Vida' and 'Lovers in Japan' were orgasmic.

Only complaint I could make were the people around me... I was the only one dancing and singing along! Everybody else was sitting down, stony faced. I was on the upper tier, left side when looking from the stage. I've definitely gotta go floor level next time!

Oh, as for support, there was a band called 'The Juniors', they were average, not bad but nothing special either. The abstract/trance/psychedelic dance guy was absolute rubbish. Especially the videos he was showing, absolutely awful. I was laughing at them with a girl in the seat next to me, who I'd never met before.

[roche714]

BrandyBob

I have to say trhat all your pics are amazing.Great pic of Chris.The colors of the fotos of your travels are incredible

[marianatsl]

First post for me! It was a GREAT concert last night. Thought I'd share my pictures with you here:

http://thetravellingmacbook.blogspot.com/

dunno how to post pictures in posts. got some very short vids too which I'll put on YouTube.

still smiling at the memory of it all :-)

Your pictures are fantastic. The ones from the concert and also from your trips... congrats.

[brandybob]

thanks!

I have Life in Technicolour going around my head still, but that's no bad thing...

[busybeeburns]

Coldplay @ The NIA, Birmingham

[marianatsl]

amazing pics!! thanks Ian.
(and i think i can see my pink camera in one of the pics... :thinking: )

[gasheaduk]

Coldplay @ The NIA, Birmingham (http://www.flickr.com/photos/gasheaduk/sets/72157610734496390/show/)

Does this make me slightly famous lol. Note the first and third pics are actually videos, you'll need to go to Flickr to view them. I've got a couple more that I'll upload to YouTube ASAP.

Was a great gig. My first Coldplay one but I shall be getting up early to try and get tickets for Wembley :)

[1bernes]

First concert for me. Wow! What an experience.

Highlights: Acoustic Green Eyes, Politiks, Life in Technicolour 2 and Yellow. Junior were pretty decent too.

Low points: Jon Hopkins (music was OK, but in the wrong context), some rotter making my tickets disappear in the post!

Had a great night, thankful in the knowledge that the loony fortysomething women with flailing arms was four seats away so I was safe!!! She made me feel old!!

Maybe I am being a bit trainspotterish, but does anyone know who the artist(s) was for the incidental music they played before the support acts? Some of it was good too.

[Matt7895]

First concert for me. Wow! What an experience.

Highlights: Acoustic Green Eyes, Politiks, Life in Technicolour 2 and Yellow. Junior were pretty decent too.

Low points: Jon Hopkins (music was OK, but in the wrong context), some rotter making my tickets disappear in the post!

Had a great night, thankful in the knowledge that the loony fortysomething women with flailing arms was four seats away so I was safe!!! She made me feel old!!

Maybe I am being a bit trainspotterish, but does anyone know who the artist(s) was for the incidental music they played before the support acts? Some of it was good too.

I recognised Bloc Party amongst some of that stuff. I think it was a mixture of loads of different tracks.

As for tickets disappearing, my parents also went to the concert last night, although sitting in a different part of the arena. But they got scammed, and the tickets never arrived. Fortunately more tickets were made available on Tuesday, and they managed to get seats slap bang next to the B stage.

[KissesBirds]

First post for me! It was a GREAT concert last night. Thought I'd share my pictures with you here:

http://thetravellingmacbook.blogspot.com/

dunno how to post pictures in posts. got some very short vids too which I'll put on YouTube.

still smiling at the memory of it all :-)


WOW! Great pics! Thanks for sharing. :nice:


.

[1bernes]

I recognised Bloc Party amongst some of that stuff. I think it was a mixture of loads of different tracks.

As for tickets disappearing, my parents also went to the concert last night, although sitting in a different part of the arena. But they got scammed, and the tickets never arrived. Fortunately more tickets were made available on Tuesday, and they managed to get seats slap bang next to the B stage.
Thanks for the pointer Matt7895! I will check them out.

My tickets were posted on 20-Aug but never arrived. Water under bridge now but grrr! At least I could get duplicates!

[marianatsl]

someone was complaining there was no LiT ii videos from this concert...

here you go
YouTube - Life in Technicolour ii Coldplay Birmingham 03/12

soorry bout the screaming. :embarrassed:

oh, and i like this video of yellow... the crowd is just so electric!!
YouTube - Yellow - Coldplay Birmingham 03/12

[Chris Fix You]

Here is a clip I got during the incredible Fix You. The sound's a bit better than some other clips I've seen, thank you Canon Camera!

Jonwright and busybeeburns you are great photographers - thank you! Can you get in with a decent camera and telephoto then?

YouTube - Coldplay Fix You Dec 3rd '08 Birmingham NIA

[gasheaduk]

I can't seem to embed Vimeo videos so I'll have to link - http://www.vimeo.com/2441507

EDIT: And here's Viva la Vida - http://vimeo.com/2442043. I have a video of LiTii too but I've hit my upload limit sadly. Will upload next week.

[brandybob]

Have added some videos - very short but very sweet (watch in high quality ;-)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=s8Y1JnMVY3Y

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=cT3Hkwq8GYo

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=IeF9gLtDhAQ