Chasing the Melodies: Coldplay's Music of the Spheres in Singapore

Image was taken from Ticketmaster SG site. I do not own this picture.

The Coldplay concert was one of the most highly anticipated shows that captured the interest of the general public. Fans from all over the world visit Singapore just to experience the galactic-space themed show that is well-known for not only its musical performance but also its commitment for environmental sustainability.

The initial plan was to simply stand outside the stadium, enjoying the music and performance while finding solace with others who failed to secure Coldplay tickets. Despite the announcement that Coldplay would stop at Singapore to perform six shows altogether, the idea of attending the concert wasn’t even on my initial radar, hence the thought of purchasing tickets completely slipped from my mind.

However, the desire grew stronger, and it certainly didn’t help when a generous number of people around me were talking about it. I soon found myself camping on Ticketmaster, awaiting the release of the Infinity Tickets which cost S$28 for a pair. Despite our best efforts, it was all snagged by others instead. (Probably deserved the tickets more than us really.)

Image captured during Sparks

Come to: January 27, 2024, Coldplay Day 3. Without a ticket in my hands, I found myself standing outside the Stadium’s MRT Station, waiting for my friend – we’ll call her G – to arrive.

We had every intention of sitting outside the stadium and enjoying the music, yet we clinged onto the hope of being lucky, constantly refreshing Ticketmaster, waiting for the last few releases of affordable tickets a few hours prior, along with negotiating a lower price for tickets on Carousel (not my best moment). Before we knew it, Ticketmaster's sale had ended, and so the 88 dollars steal was a bust.

A can of beer and sandwich later, G and I's lower bodies were numb from seating (outside the convenience store no less), and we were close to admitting defeat. Distant sounds of screams and cheers could be heard from the outside, and chances of getting into the concert were dimmer than ever.

Did we manage to enter the venue? Short answer was yes, yes we did. But, we did spend the initial hour of the concert outside of the venue (we didn’t have tickets then.)

Listening to Higher Power outside of the stadium was an electrifying experience. Catching glimpses of the initial lights emitted by the wristbands from outside sent tingles down my skin, with cheers and screams resonating from within the stadium. Each passing moment I fueled my eagerness to join the audience inside. When the collective voices of the audience sang along with Chris Martin belting out ‘You’ve got a higher power’, it was a moment of awe. Their unified voices left me completely captivated and stunned.

Adventure of a Lifetime took my breath away. As the guitar solo resonated, the crowd – both inside and out of the stadium – intensified. G and I were sitting outside the barricades of the stadium, along with the rest of the crowds who found their way there, nodding our heads to the rhythm. The refreshing hit was like a breath of fresh air, feeling as if I’ve embarked on a journey towards freedom and properly embracing life. When The Scientist was playing on the piano, I found myself swaying to Chris Martin’s voice, occasionally mouthing along to the lyrics, while the crowds sang along as backing vocals.

Hearing Viva La Vida outside the stadium gave me chills. A blended harmony of voices passionately singing along echoed so loudly, sending tingles down my spine. The crowd’s enthusiasm persisted, as Hymn for the Weekend was performed, with us screaming ‘Got me feeling drunk and high, so high, so high’ into the atmosphere.

With Up&Up initially and Paradise after playing inside the stadium, our desperation threw us reckless. Our aim of securing a ticket for a maximum of $100 quickly became $300. While conversing and negotiating for a lower price of the tickets, G managed to make a deal of buying Cat 1 tickets, at the cost of S$280 on Carousel. (Original prices were sold at $295, which meant we would spend less on seating. Either way, I see it as a win). 

Image taken when Yellow was performed.

Was there a high risk of it being a scam as the tickets sold were E-tickets? Yes. Were we still reckless and went ahead with the deal anyways? Absolutely. The moment the e-tickets were sent to us, we took off. Dashing down the stairs, and up the stairs again (there were barricades all over, and security prohibited us from cutting through the gates), we made it through the security bag checks, sprinting up another round of stairs before making it outside the entrance of the stadium.

By the time we even made it up the stairs, Yellow had started playing. Well fuck. You should know what the entrances to stadiums were like. There were way too many barricades, and the gates to our seats were so far. G and I sprinted towards Gate 12, a seemingly endless distance away as we were only at Gate 23 (We ran from the further side because we were too dumb to think otherwise). 

Adrenaline was surging through my veins, my knees were threatening to give way, and my chest felt like it could burst. Yet the not-so-distant echoes of the band’s instrumentals played in the background, serving as a soundtrack and a beacon of encouragement to propel us forward.

With each step I took, my pace matched to the beat of the music, making a mad dash to the location. It was one of the most exhilarating workouts I’ve had in a year, a heart-pounding run towards the gates, where it seriously felt like a moment that belonged to a coming-of-age scene.

You should’ve been there when we got to our seats. The view was utterly breath-taking, bathed in soft warm yellow lights glowing from the audience’s wristbands. (I was surprised when my wristband automatically started lighting up as well, it was super cool). 

When the synths of ❤ (Human Heart) started playing, it was as if the synths threw a warm blanket around my shoulders, instantly soothing my adrenaline-high heart. It created such a serene atmosphere, with the audience humming along the voices of the band.

Lights display when Human Heart was playing.

As the last tune sounded into the crowd, it made a quick transition to People of The Pride. The initial start of trumpets was an introductory equivalent to a marching band, the leader commanding the stage as the strums of a guitar rang in the audience. With an upbeat tune with rock undertones, pyro and lights were flashing across the stadium. It was a tune that could instil confidence, Chris Martin rocking the stage with his band, encouraging the crowd to clap to the beat and dance to the music. It was a sharp contrast to his previous song, yet he managed to bring out the sudden outburst of energy out of everyone, snapping them out of the calm therapeutic performance they put out earlier. 

Picture of Chris Martin raising a rainbow flag.

At a certain moment, a rainbow flag was landed on stage, later waved and hoisted up high and proud by Chris Martin himself. This was a significant moment as it showed their acknowledgement and support for the LGBT+ community, which was a gesture that’s uncommon in Singapore. 

Chris Martin wearing a rubber alien mask and signing SgSL.

After Clocks had played, Chris Martin and the band popped back up on stage sporting rubber alien masks which completely threw me off guard. As it was the first Coldplay concert I’ve been to, this whole experience took me by surprise, especially when Chris Martin started signing SgSL to Something Just Like This while the audience watched with mixed reactions (I was certainly amazed by the act). 

The area where I sat anticipated for the next song after Midnights, and everyone, and I mean everyone went wild when My Universe started playing. BTS joined Coldplay as holograms being projected on the screens instead. And then came the iconic A Sky Full of Stars performance that gained popularity after it was trending on TikTok. Let’s admit - it was one of the many reasons why people were intrigued by the concert. With Chris Martin’s special request of ‘No phones, no recording’ during the song, a special and intimate moment was shared amongst the 60,000 people in attendance.

Multiple floating planet balloons gracefully orbited around the space, illuminating the crowd beautifully, dancing around them. Fix You proved to be a fan-favourite, with warm yellow lights shining brighter as when he got to harmonise the chorus with the crowd. Of course, who could forget one of the final songs? Sparks resonated from the guitar, the lights on our wristbands shining one last time, flickering away like stars in the sky.

Before we knew it, the stadium lights were up and the band had disappeared backstage. Crowds were gradually dispersing and flowing out of the area as G and I settled back into our seats to soak up the entire experience. Leftover paper confetti strewn all over the floor, tiny bits and pieces blown far to where we sat, remnants of one of the best performances ever experienced as a wave of satisfaction washed over our faces.

This concert stands out as one of the most beautiful ones that I’ve attended,, and in terms of the view, to say it was amazing would be a complete understatement. Despite spending nearly $300 to be a part of the experience, I never regretted it for a second. After all, they do hold the record of having the fastest number of sold out shows for a reason. Even though you might be a stranger to their songs, I wholeheartedly recommend people to experience their concerts at least once. I do appreciate their efforts in integrating environmentalism into their shows, along with their advocacy of peace and love, their songs providing comfort and courage to fans and casual listeners alike.

Image credits taken belongs to A Dose Of Vivyan (me) except for:

- Coldplay: Music Of The Spheres digital banner

Written by: Vivyan or A Dose Of Vivyan.