Review of Coldplay A Head Full Of Dreams Tour In Singapore

“Dear, we should go to Coachella for our honeymoon. It will COMPLETE my life.”

“Didn’t we already go to South Africa for our honeymoon?”

“.. But Coachella is a music festival in the United States, so the feeling is different.”

“The last time I checked, the tickets were SOLD OUT.”

This conversation had repeated itself countless times since Heartland Boy got married. It got to the point that Heartland Boy needed no further reminder that there was still a duty that he had failed to fulfill as her husband. Therefore, when Heartland Boy learnt that Coldplay was finally coming to Singapore on 31 March and 1 April 2017 after 8 long years, he was determined to lay his hands on those tickets. Afterall, Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams Tour in the Singapore National Stadium is much more affordable than a week long concert at another corner of the world. The truth is that that was probably what Heartland Boy can ever afford. Nevertheless, Heartland Boy was increasingly worried that the wifey was losing her patience. So getting those tickets would score Heartland Boy many brownie points.

1. Fastest Concert To Be Sold Out In Singapore

It all made perfect sense until it was time to buy the tickets from the organiser, Live Nation Lushington.  First day of sales started at 10am and Heartland Boy went into the online system at 10.10am. He was very pleased at himself for remembering to go in relatively early. However, for the next 2 hours, he could only stare at a blank screen that was perpetually refreshing itself until the tickets were sold out.  The next day, Heartland Boy went online 30 minutes earlier but to no avail again. He began to wonder whether the troubling internet connection at his office in Indonesia was the problem.

Subsequently, the media soon reviewed that Coldplay Singapore concert was the fastest ever to sell out in Singapore. Those tickets were hot property because everyone in the region wanted to travel to Singapore to attend the concert. Even 2 colleagues from his office in Jakarta got tickets. One told him that tickets at the black market and forums in Jakarta were going for a cool Rp 10 million a pop. (~$1,050) Even at that price, there was no shortage of takers; except for Heartland Boy who refused to pay such an astronomical sum. He had to bite the bullet and inform Heartland Girl, “this time the tickets really sold out.”

By some stroke of good fortune, Heartland Girl managed to find front row standing tickets from an acquaintance in her gym. The Heartland Couple were going to Coldplay Head Full Of Dreams Tour in Singapore after all their efforts!

2. Growing Anticipation Amidst Soaring Air Ticket Prices

On the days leading to the Coldplay Singapore concert date, Heartland Boy began listening to Coldplay songs. He feared that Heartland Girl would complain that Heartland Boy couldn’t keep up at the concert. There might be some truth in that since this would be Heartland Boy’s first ever concert.

The anticipation began to build up as Heartland Boy overheard some passengers talking about the concert on his flight from Jakarta to Singapore. It was that crazy.

That anticipation reached fever pitch once they witnessed the snaking long queues outside the Singapore National Stadium.

3. A Head Full Of Dreams

The LED bands on our wrists started to light up at 8pm sharp. This signalled the start of the concert and the crowd began to holler like crazy. There were teenagers, adults and even seniors who were amongst the crowd! In those 2 hours, the audience put their different nationalities and sexual orientations aside. Yes, Chris Martin even took a LGBT flag from the audience and waved it around the stage. This seemed to please the crowd even more and they responded with greater energy. The allure of Coldplay is that its music continues to resonate amongst people from all walks of life.

Indeed, after so many years as a band, Coldplay definitely has an arsenal of crowd-pleasing ballads to choose from.  The audience was singing and rocking in unison to Coldplay’s classics such as “Fix You”, “Yellow” and “The Scientist”.  Ready after all those practices in the bathroom, Heartland Boy got into the act as well and totally looked like he belonged.

4. Mass Dance All Over Again

Coldplay certainly knew how to deliver a good show as pyrotechnics and laser beams complemented the fantastic aural experience. Halfway through the performance, Coldplay decided to temporarily move to a stage nearer to the other side of the stadium. This sparked a mad rush as standing ticket holders began to run enmasse to the other end.  Never would Heartland Boy imagine that he would be a groupie running after bands; but he did it that day.

Inflatable giant balls were released from mid-air, adding further to the carnival atmosphere. Somehow, Heartland Boy couldn’t help but think that this felt somewhat similar to Hwa Chong’s Mid-Autumn Festival celebration. The only difference was that this was done with a Western twist, conducted on a more professional scale and cost a million times more.

Confetti shaped in the form of stars rained down from the sky at the penultimate song, Sky Full Of Stars. It was also the song that the Heartland Couple had chosen as the entrance song for their wedding. Hence, it brought back many wonderful memories of their wedding last year.

Review of Coldplay A Head Full Of Dreams Tour In Singapore

Despite walking away with a tee-shirt drenched in sweat and a back sore from standing, Heartland Boy’s heart was full of love and warmth that night.

Until he heard this, “Dear, when are we going to Coachella?”