From local restaurant Scotty’s that played their music all day, to the TV weatherman who advised viewers to take a light jacket to the big show, Coldplay was everywhere.

But was it worth the hype?

Definitely.

Whether you’re a Coldplay fan or not, the band knows how to put on a good show — complete with giant yellow balloons, butterfly confetti, lasers and spinning globe projection screens.

Scrunched together on a single blanket, seven friends and I watched the show from the lawn section of the Verizon Wireless Music Center in Noblesville. Despite the tight quarters, our $35 (or more than $50 with added fees) “seats” were sufficient, providing us with a good view of the stage.

After opening act Snow Patrol, who only caught the audience’s attention with their biggest hit “Chasing Cars,” Coldplay took the stage with sparklers in hand, and lead singer Chris Martin wearing his recognizable multi-colored jacket.

If anyone carries the show, it’s Martin, who delivered several witty one-liners throughout.

At one point, the British singer shared two things he had learned already that evening. The first: Don’t start a show with sparklers when it’s still light outside. The second: Before putting on a show in Indiana, learn the collective name of its people (He made the mistake of calling the crowd Indiana-ins during one song, but later corrected himself by incorporating “Hoosier” into the lyrics of another).

Before his solo version of “The Hardest Part,” which he played on one of two small stages located further out in the audience, Martin also joked that he was practicing toward his goal of becoming Justin Timberlake.

Coldplay played around 25 of their biggest hits for the audience, coming from albums “Viva La Vida” (2008), “X&Y (2005), “A Rush of Blood to the Head” (2002), and “Parachutes” (2000), plus a cover of Neil Diamond’s “I’m a Believer.”

They started with their latest album’s “Live in Technicolor.”
Judging by audience reaction and participation, fan favorites were “Yellow,” “Strawberry Swing,” and “Viva La Vida.”

What made “Yellow” special was the release of enormous yellow balloons into the audience.

“Strawberry Swing” was one of my favorites simply because my friend passed around strawberries for us to eat during the song. The perfect weather, combined with the taste of strawberries and the feel-good song made it truly seem like “such a perfect day.” Or at least a perfect moment.

“Viva La Vida” was clearly a hit because the audience continued to sing the chorus, well after the band had finished. And instead of repeating “encore” at the end of the show, they once again sang the chorus, which enticed the band out to finish with “The Scientist” and “Live in Technicolor.”

Coldplay makes any song seem special, because of their impeccable musicianship and Chris Martin’s almost flawless vocals. Only at one point did he have a vocal blunder, but his funny reaction made the mistake well worth it.

This week, Coldplay travels to New Orleans, San Antonio, Des Moines and Omaha. Get your Coldplay Tickets Now at ticketcyclone.com
If you can’t make it, you can still download their free 10-track, live album “Left Right Left Right Left” at www.coldplay.com.

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