
An athletic and paint-splattered Chris Martin of Coldplay at the X/ Photo by Marisa Wojcik
A few more thoughts on the Coldplay concert Friday at Xcel Energy Center after I filed my review:
• Chris Martin has a lot of Bruce Springsteen in him, from the "anybody out there?" question at the beginning to the determination to make this the best show ever. Thing is that after an hour, Martin, 35, looked winded. Didn't Springsteen, who is 62, just play a four-hour marathon recently in Europe? Plus, Martin makes some awfully cheesy (and insincere) comments to the crowd. But I did like how he connected with the 8-year-old when the quartet performed among fans in the bowl end of the X.
• Martin's falsetto makes it easier for women – who dominate his audience – to sing along. But he's using less and less falsetto.
• Loved the round video screens that Coldplay used – one behind the stage and four others smartly placed throughout the arena (not just flanking the stage).
• Until the show was over, it was hard to tell how much graffiti covered the stage itself. The X-shaped mini-stage was covered in graffiti as was a wide curved ramp on the main stage. It all looked similar to the graffiti on the wall behind the stage.
• As always, Martin's clothes, piano and guitars were decorated with splattered paint. It has become his signature.
• There was a child-like drawing taped to Martin's main upright pianos with "paradise" spelled out in vertical letters. Did one of his kids do it? Or someone else?