A SPOONFUL of MARY POPPINS is all that’s needed to help COLDPLAY’s
live shows go down a storm, according to CHRIS MARTIN and Co.
For the brolly-wielding supernanny is the secret inspiration for the band’s
spectacular concerts, I can reveal.
Before I caught up with the lads at London's Brixton Academy last night, I got
to witness the final rehearsal at Wembley for their Viva La Vida tour, the
UK leg of which kicks off in December.
And it was there that I caught a glimpse of some of the magic dust that Chris, JONNY
BUCKLAND, GUY BERRYMAN and WILL CHAMPION plan to sprinkle
on their superb set.
The show will be incredible, but frontman Chris reckons it still isn’t
a patch on MUSE.
Chris – who we’ve mocked up as the brolly-wielding nanny–
told me: “We grew up with Mary Poppins and all those sorts of
things.
“We love making big shows up and trying to work out what lights
will look cool. We get very nerdy about it because we can’t
believe we’re allowed to do it.
“But we will never get as extreme as Muse. We’ll let them
do the biggest thing and then think, ‘OK, how did they do it?’ Brolly good ... Chris Martin
“We have always been a step behind Muse. They’re so great
live.”
Coldplay – who performed at Brixton last night and begin the UK leg
of their tour in December – have splashed out £900k on six
giant video orbs dangling from the ceiling. And the band will play at
different positions all round the venues.
One highlight will be a different version of their first massive hit, Yellow,
which the lads play as if they are busking in a Tube station. Chris added: “I
think our concert will be really cool and a good balance between old and
new. Because that’s the danger at this point – to not
play Yellow.
“When people say we have moved on and shouldn’t play old
hits like Yellow, I laugh.
“It’s like growing your hair and then wearing a hat. What’s
the point of growing it? That’s how I feel about hits.”
CreakyWhen Chris grows his hair long, I sometimes do wish he would wear a hat.
Does that mean I don’t like Yellow?
Meanwhile, Coldplay have been accused of pinching the melody of Viva La Vida’s
title track from US indie band CREAKY BOARDS.
In an online video posting, Boards’ frontman ANDREW HOEPFNER claims
he wrote his “strikingly similar song” more than a year
before Coldplay released their track.
He later claims Chris saw Creaky Boards performing the song live in New York
in October 2007, adding “We were flattered when we thought we
spotted Chris in the crowd.”
A Coldplay spokesman dismissed the accusation and stressed Viva La Vida was
written and demoed in March 2007.
He added Chris has never attended a Creaky Bones show and was recording in
London when the footage was filmed.
Judge for yourself by clicking on the video above.
