It’s Sunday and Coldplay are in town for three shows. The closer you get to the Olympic Stadium, the more REFILL-CUPS you can see. With my Gösser cans, I’m the very last environmental sow rag here. This concert should be sustainable, climate-neutral, aware and something like that. Even before that, because I’m interested in criticism, I read critical articles on this undertaking, because on the one hand there are Coldplay’s Eco-Measures nothing but symbolic politics, on the other hand they would even contribute to the greenwashing of the oil company Neste (first read Nestlé and thought, well, they dare something!), which allegedly produces sustainable aviation fuel, which according to eco-experts is not possible at all. I would think it would be good if Chris Martin and the like would say: “Tax me until the Getno!” – but at least I find a demonstration of what is possible interesting and I traveled there myself by train and not as usual with the SUV , because somewhere it said that what matters most is how the fans get to the event and not whether the rich fly around the world with all their equipment.
Once inside, you can admire the measures: In the stadium there are screens that provide information about the environment and organizations that you support. So: You let the pig out here today, but then compensate, do penance, do detox, we all know that. A tree for every ticket! There are also small kinetic dance floors in the interior, there is always a countdown and then a song and then a few hundred people dance there, creating the electricity that is needed on the small stage afterwards so that Coldplay can play a song on it . I think the HYDRATION STATION is nice, it’s just the overcrowded women’s toilet sinks, where someone outside wrote HYDRATION STATION on a piece of paper. Not far away is one of the bratwurst stands that Chris Martin couldn’t prevent.
Coldplay live in Berlin: Every song is a finale
Then it starts: Alli Neumann enters the stage and stands in for the sick Zoe Wees. Then there’s London Grammar, how rich should you get gifts? Finally, the wristbands that we received at the entrance flash the famous Coldplay wristbands! That must be Coldplay! A man asked me if I should have bought the ribbons and I said “No, they were free at the entrance” and he very sad”Mmm” and me too”Mmm”. But then comes Higher Power and we’re both happy arm-blink or not.
What happens after that is an absolute frenzy. Flashing colors, pyro, confetti, glitter, every song is a finale. You expected it, but you still can’t believe it. You want to take photos and videos, even if you’re totally opposed to people doing it, but you have to capture it because you can’t believe it and you have to send it straight away to people you did that one Coldplay with 15 years ago song shared because: “Can you believe I’m with Coldplay!!” Hit, hit, hit, then “The Scientist”, take a deep breath, sing along, nothing lights up. Hit, hit, hit again, then “Politics”, many sit down because they don’t know this crazy song, it’s obviously too old, Coldplay were still cool and indie or something. “In My Place” and “Yellow” (light bracelets on yellow) one after the other, are they crazy? People wonder how Chris Martin can always jump across the stage so squeaky happy, but imagine if you wrote or sang these songs? It all makes sense Soon “Clocks”, I can’t anymore. Somewhere in between there is still some commotion, an ambulance drove straight into the interior, the drummer tells Chris what’s up, he stops, asks if everyone is okay, everyone is okay, Chris says something about dear people and that people are not as bad as their reputation and yes, that’s true. If Chris started a cult, I’d end up drinking his poison.
The biggest stops are really still being pulled out here today: The Ukrainian children’s choir “Color Music” sings “Something Just Like This” with a broad grin, Chris thanks the audience for the German willingness to help regarding the war refugees, the Germans like that, others are more reserved. With “Sparks” the guys have arrived on the small stage (kinetic energy, we remember), a lot of people don’t know the song again and sit accordingly, I’m stunned because Chris just sounds exactly like he did on PARACUTES, which by the way is on came out the day exactly 22 years ago. The professional fans who have already been to several or all of the concerts already know where they have to go from the change of stage and accordingly make the pilgrimage there from the very beginning. Cute! After “Fix You” in the green sea of lights, I can understand these ultras. Why wouldn’t you want to go to Coldplay every day? Anyway, my wristband is still glowing.
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