Dubai: The mood was festive as British band Coldplay played under the magnificent Al Wasl dome at Expo 2020 Dubai on Tuesday night, February 16.
An earlier drama revolving around some unethical ticket holders selling free Coldplay tickets for a price, did not dampen the spirts of fans in any way. They thronged the venue and those who did not make the cut to see their favourite band up close made merry on the outside of the dome.
All in all the Coldplay gig turned out to be epic and fans left Expo 2020 Dubai smiling and looking happy.
The quartet, led by Chris Martin, played under the stars and the world’s largest 360 degree projection screen. The show started on time at 9pm. They started with a bang with their high energy number ‘Higher Power’. The energising number is from their album ‘Music of the Spheres’.
Ukranian expat Veronika, 30, was one excited fan on Tuesday night. She did not make the cut to the main stage to be closer to the band. She however got an entry into the Upper Garden area surrounding the dome where fans gathered to see their cherished band play live.
“I bought my ticket online. I love these guys I have been waiting to see the perform live,” the IT sales lady said, adding that ‘Butterfly’ was her favourite track of the band.
Martin took a seat at the piano for the second song as the band crooned ‘Clocks’, much to the delight of fans. The celebration was unmistakable.
He was back on his feet and engaging with the audience, sending them into a frenzy as the band played one track after the other.
Martin also made it a point to talk to the fans gathered — many who had parked themselves hours before the show at the Expo 2020 Dubai just so they could be as close to the band as possible. Martin said he wasn’t expecting such an engaging and immersive crowd — he said the band thought they would be playing to an empty shopping mall and that the concert in Dubai was a beginning of a new chapter.
Through the one-hour of performance the band played a playlist that was popular with UAE fans. Martin kept telling the crowd “This is old this is old” and it only excited the crowd more.
Iranian Edris Ahmadi, whose favourite Coldplay number is ‘Paradise’, said it felt surreal sitting in the Upper Garden area waiting for the band to start playing.
“It is a once in a lifetime experience for me,” he said. He was there with a group of friends who had gathered up at Expo 2020 Dubai hours before the show. Ahmadi was quick to add a mention of some unscrupulous people who decided to sell free tickets of for a price.
“I am sure they are happy they made some money. But they took away something beautiful from a fan who would have loved to be up close and front of their cherished band. A lot more people could have enjoyed the band at the dome if it was not for these people,” he said.
Filipino couple Victor, 32, and his wife Mary Jane, 33, could not agree more. “We were so disappointed that we could not get a ticket. When the free booking opened we were stuck on our computers for hours in the hope we would get a ticket. When we could not make it, we were disappointed for sure. But what made us angry was seeing people selling those free tickets for money. That was unfair,” they said.
The couple however did not want to dampen their spirits with this.
“We love Coldplay and we would not miss it for anything,” they said.
Belarus expat July Nazarenko, 32, said she was very miffed with the drama as well. Nazarenko, whose favourite Coldplay track is ‘Hymn For The Weekend’, however, said she would not let it come in between her love for the band.
