If ever there were a demonstration of how important the audience is to a Coldplay show, it’s in the long days of production rehearsals. In so many ways, these are some of the hardest and certainly the most stressful days of a tour. The album is generally not out at that point, so there’s no indication of how people feel about it. The show itself hasn’t been fully built – so everything exists in a limbo of wondering whether things are actually going to work at all.
More than any of this, though, is the fact that every song ends (whether by grinding to an unexpected halt, or actually making it all the way through) with just the echo of the empty arena. Even during the songs, when a production element or a performance flourish hits its right mark, there is no cheering or applause to confirm that things are really working.
There’s also the ever present siren song of catering, or the cab home. If things aren’t working, taking a break or calling it a day are sorely tempting. There’s always tomorrow – and after that, there’s always the first soundcheck!
So what’s required is an audience. Firstly, as a deadline. If you’ve got to do all of this in front of your mates, you don’t want to screw it up. Secondly, these folks will (hopefully) be honest and let you know what was good and what perhaps fell flat. There’s also the unexplainable effect of being able to hear and see things differently when you’re presenting them to another.
There was certainly plenty at Wembley Arena that was and wasn’t working. I remember the B-stage originally having a full drum kit. Most people who came to the friends and family were confused by the fact that the drums could be heard coming from the stage, the PA and bouncing off the walls – all arriving at the ears at slightly different times making for a confusing clattery mess.
Meanwhile, genius show designer Paul Normandale had also created something quite unique on the main stage that I’ll refrain from explaining in full in case he wishes to keep it up his sleeve. Unfortunately, though, teething troubles plagued it until the plug was finally pulled.
Refinements always continue into the first shows (and indeed throughout the tour). This, though, marked version one of the Viva live show.
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