Coldplay puts 'Vida' into new songs at free MSG gig

BY GLENN GAMBOA | glenn.gamboa@newsday.com

June 25, 2008

Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin fronts the band playing a free concert Monday night at Madison Square Garden in support of their new album, "Viva la Vida". (ARI MINTZ, Newsday / June 24, 2008)

Braininess doesn't always translate well on record for rockers, and Coldplay, who celebrated the release of their "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends" album with a free concert for fans at Madison Square Garden Monday night, is no exception.

For great performers, however, brain power and star power can be powerful allies and Coldplay, especially singer Chris Martin, is no exception to this either, as the band's crafty 70-minute show not only erased some of the album's problems, but highlighted some of the album's subtler charms.

Though Coldplay rolled through eight new songs, usually the kiss of death for arena shows, they handled it effortlessly through smart moves in pacing and staging, including playing on a mini-stage in the middle of the Garden floor and heading up to the balcony to deliver a moving, stripped-down version of "Yellow."

"Viva La Vida," the band's first No. 1 single and the song that will propel the album to No. 1 as well, was transformed from delicate pop number to an arena anthem by Martin's bouncing performance and the crowd participation that unexpectedly built the little bridge of "oh ooh-woh-oh's" into something of Springsteenesque proportions.

"Great singing, there," said Martin, seeming a bit shaken by the moment's power.

Coldplay pulled off some surprises of its own. By separating "Chinese Sleep Chant" from its boring medley partner "Yes," it was able to soar to its mid-'80s U2-like glory.

By cutting off "Reign of Love" from the gorgeous "Lovers in Japan," Coldplay found a worthy, upbeat showstopper, complete with butterfly-shaped confetti to flutter in the lights.

And Martin was, of course, quick-thinking enough to turn his flubbing of the lyrics to "Fix You" into the night's most-memorable moment, turning the next verse into "When you embarrass yourself at MSG, but it doesn't matter 'cause you got in for free."

BLUE JACKETS

The Blue Jackets were "hand-picked" by Coldplay to open the band's free concert Monday night, giving the unsigned Long Island band a new audience for its EP "No Doubt About It." They've had high-profile help before, landing on the soundtrack to Edward Burns' "The Groomsmen" in 2006.