Coldplay Jams the Meadows

It's been about six years since I last pulled into The Meadows Amphitheatre in Hartford, CT. Much has changed since the heyday of the Meadows. For one, it is now called the New England Dodge Music Center formerly Meadows Music. Say that ten times fast. Gone are the days of the Jai Lai parking lot scene. Beirut in the streets, 15 year olds sucking down balloons, port-o johns being knocked down and lit on fire, cars being overturned, drunk Twister, not to mention the riot police. Ahhh those were the good ol' days. These days the ingenious people of Dodge make everyone over the age of 21 stand in astronomically long lines just to receive a bracelet to be able to drink, then you get to sit in another long line to once again show your ID and fancy new bracelet to finally receive that coveted Budweiser. However, this day was different for many reasons other than how I was going to get drunk, one of the main being I was taking my father to see one of his favorite discoveries, Coldplay. My father visited London in the spring of 2000 and became obsessed with this new band that was all the rave over across the pond. Luckily, he introduced my friends and I to Coldplay before it was released in the U.S. and even though they might be one of the biggest bands in the world right now, it still felt like out little secret. That is until we sat down in our seats 20 rows back from the stage, and turned around to see the Meadows lawn packed to the brim. Apparently word had got out. Mr. Chris Martin and his fellow bandmates put on an electric show. This band has definitely come along way from the shy, nervous band that played a packed house in 2001 at the Paradise in Boston. They dipped into all three of their albums playing a great mix of up tempo songs along with their brooding slower songs that has become a staple of their sound. Everything about the show screamed professional from the lights to the sound to the choreography, there is no question Coldplay is ready for the big time. I hear a lot of "Oh, you're going to see them?" comments from my fellow music snobs. Most of us who love music, dislike the big bands because it's not our little secret anymore but those feelings need to be brushed aside. Coldplay is one of the best bands to grace our planet in the past ten years and it should be embraced and appreciated as such. Check 'em out if you're lucky enough to nab some tickets, it'll be more than worth the price of admission.

Setlist:
Square One
Politik
Yellow
God Put A Smile Upon Your Face
Speed Of Sound
Low
The Hardest Part
Everything's Not Lost
White Shadows
The Scientist
'Til Kingdom Come
Don't Panic
Clocks
Talk

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Swallowed In The Sea
In My Place
Fix You