On the chilly night of November 7th, 2008 fans slowly pour into Orlando Florida’s enormous Amway Arena. The smell of overpriced hot dogs and bourbon chicken float through the smoky air as old and young take their seats. Six giant achromatic globes hang from the ceilings.

Finally the first notes of “Life In Technicolor,” the first track off the new album Viva La Vida blast through the wide open space. All the lights dim except for a few small flashing blue lights at the back of the stage. The shadows of Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion skirt across the stage. The screams of the crowd are painful, or pleasing to the ears solely based on their excitement. The hanging globes fill with light. Champion wallops on his drums and the lights flash in time. Finally the music calms and the four members of Coldplay break into Viva La Vida’s first single “Violet Hill.” Martin’s energy seems to be warming up as he runs back and forth across the stage.

A few minutes later flashes of red, green, and yellow lasers shoot from stage to roof, to kick off the song “Clocks,” with a scene that resembled to a tee the 2002 music video. Martin crouches down behind his piano, the word “VIVA” painted along its back, to tear up the popular reverberating riff. After assuring the crowd was having a good time, Champion again cracks on his drums with a larger than life sound to start up “In My Place.” Martin, never ceasing to bounce leads the audience like a conductor. From the front of the stage he shoots his right arm into the air in time with Buckland’s essential guitar, and an expertly crafted light show.

As the show continues, Martin moves out into the center of the crowded floor to take to a second piano set on a tiny stage. Here the spotlight floods the tiny area in a sea of elated onlookers. The crowd remains quiet during the piano heavy “Hardest Part.” After a vehemently energized performance of “Viva La Vida” the four members run into the pit, the audience unaware of where they are headed. A spotlight follows as they reach the second level to another mini-stage. Here, Champion and Berryman play guitar and bass respectively, while Buckland strums acoustic along with Martins vocals for an unusually serene “The Scientist.” The eyes of the second level patrons glow as they accept that Coldplay is performing three feet from their not-so-front-row seats.

Returning to the stage the men perform “Politik” with more absurd amounts of energy. Seconds later red, purple, yellow, and blue confetti the same colors of Martins reoccurring, black, sleeve decorated jacket, drops from the ceiling. As it falls upon the faces of hundreds of screaming, ecstatic fans, “Lovers In Japan,” begins at a high. The giant screen behind the stage flashes sped up scenes of travel through bright lit Tokyo streets. The band shreds through the track, and as the song comes to a close, the four take a bow and walk humbly off the stage waving.

The lights dim and echoed chants of “Coldplay, Coldplay, Coldplay” bounce off the walls. The blood curdling screams from the floor to follow signal only one thing: the band is back. Yellow lights begin to spin around the stage as the single that brought them to their fame begins. Again, still full of energy Martin prances around stage as if in a state of pure ecstasy. The energy is bigger than ever, and a song that on its own leans more towards acoustic comes to life stronger than any Coldplay song yet as it’s played live. Chris, Guy, Jonny, and Will sport Orlando Magic basketball jerseys. The loudest and most powerful track saved for the encore closes the show with a sense of renewal, not conclusion. Martin thanks the audience for their energy and singing, alludes to the “gigs” truthful finish and once again exits the stage. As the crowd disperses muffled talks of the shows energy and perfection can be overheard. One by one the crowd returns back out into Orlando’s chilly night.

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