Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field was the place to be on Wednesday (June 8). The Linc hosted over 50,000 Coldplay fans who used their own energy to help power the show at the venue's first concert since before the covid-19 pandemic started. Members Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, and Will Champion have made a conscious effort to find ways to tour more sustainably, even making it clear in 2019 that they were going to stop touring because of the harm it does to the environment.
A few years later, they are back in stadiums across the US, South America, Europe, and more — with the gold standard for eco-friendly touring. They've implemented several sustainable initiatives — from kinetic dance floors and electricity-generating pedal bikes so fans can actively charge the show batteries, to cutting down CO2 emissions and using biodegradable confetti. The Xylobands handed out upon entry to the show are made of compostable, plant-based materials, and collected at the end, with plans of repurposing them for future tours. If you’re not familiar with these wristbands — they change color depending on the song. You can guess what color everyone’s wrists were when the band was performing “Yellow.”
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
In the middle of performing “A Sky Full of Stars,” the band stopped and Martin urged the audience to put their phones away, saying this exact group of thousands of people will never gather again and we should remember it in here, pointing to his head. “Life is so strange and amazing… We play [this song] the same every f***ing day, but I feel like this is gonna be the best ever sounding right here, right now. One song, no phones, trust me.”
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Even when the rain started, fans didn't seem to mind. They were too busy hugging their friends, crying, singing at the top of their lungs. Martin made several nods to the city of brotherly — and sisterly — love, including singing the Eagles' fight song.
Following two performances at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey with surprise appearances by Kylie Minogue and Bruce Springsteen, there were sadly no special guests. Philly did get a taste of Angel Moon from the newly Atlantic Records-signed all-felt puppet band, The Weirdos, who joined Coldplay to sing "Human Heart" and "Biuytiful." She even had an umbrella for her encore performance.
Rain or shine, any night with Coldplay is sure to be a night to remember.
Keep scrolling to see more photos and the setlist from the show.
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Photo: Rachel Kaplan for iHeartRadio
Setlist:
"Light Through the Veins" (Jon Hopkins song)
"Flying Theme" (John Williams song from E.T.)
"Music of the Spheres"
"Higher Power"
"Adventure of a Lifetime"
"Paradise"
"Charlie Brown"
"The Scientist"
"Viva la Vida"
"Hymn for the Weekend"
"Let Somebody Go"
"In My Place"
"Yellow"
"Sunrise" (spoken by Louis Armstrong)
"Human Heart" (w/ Angel Moon)
"People of the Pride"
"Clocks"
"Infinity Sign"
"Something Just Like This"
"Midnight" (Jon Hopkins remix)
"My Universe"
"A Sky Full of Stars"
"Sparks"
"Humankind"
"Fix You"
"Biutyful" (w/ Angel Moon)
"A Wave"
Read more about Coldplay's sustainable efforts here.