Coldplay in Abu Dhabi review: British group enchant with bombastic show at Zayed Sports City

Quartet’s first of four Music of the Spheres shows underscores their status as world’s biggest band and breathes musical life into cherished city landmark

Coldplay performing at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi. All photos: Pawan Singh / The National

The performance is the first of four shows in Abu Dhabi

Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin performs on stage

Projected visuals feature abstract animations, galactic landscapes and slogans drawn from song lyrics

Fans enjoy the show

The show is part of Coldplay's Music of the Spheres tour

A packed Zayed Sports City Stadium

Chris Martin conducts the audience from the stage

What does a billion-dollar rock tour look like? In the hands of Coldplay, it’s an intergalactic Narnia, complete with its own planets, sustainable energy sources, singing puppets and an unyielding message of love and care. Welcome to Music of the Spheres, hailed as the biggest band tour of all time.

For those in the UAE, welcome back to Zayed Sports City Stadium, a cherished Abu Dhabi landmark hosting its first full-scale concert since George Michael and Alicia Keys graced the stage in 2008. Situated off Airport Road near Al Mushrif, the venue appeared as revitalised as Coldplay sounded – finally providing a stage that matched the boundless ambition of their shows as they kick off a record-breaking run of four shows in the venue.

While all four previous visits to the UAE, beginning with 2009’s famous rain-soaked first show at Emirates Palace, presented slimmed-down versions of their respective tours, this time Abu Dhabi was given the real deal. This set-up includes a neon-lit circular main stage with an extended runway, as well as two satellite stages positioned deep in the arena.

Music of the Spheres is hailed as the biggest band tour of all time. Pawan Singh / The National

The visuals projected on to the stage and backdrops feature abstract animations, galactic landscapes and slogans drawn from song lyrics. There are the wristbands – known to Coldplay's faithful fans as Xylobands after their 2011 Mylo Xyloto album – that light up to create cascading waves of purples and blues in time with the music.

Which brings us to the music. Despite all the technical wizardry and well-meaning sustainability ambitions of the tour, none of it would work without Coldplay’s indomitable 25-year catalogue of hits.

While it’s easy – and, in some cases, justifiable – to label some of their songs as overly sentimental, given the full treatment, tracks like the opener Higher Power and Adventure of a Lifetime transform into undeniable, bombastic anthems that are hard to resist.

Coldplay fans excited before Abu Dhabi concert

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By the time Paradise arrived, with its swaying, singalong chorus, it became clear not only why Coldplay are arguably the biggest band in the world, but also why Zayed Sports City Stadium finally feels like a venue worthy of their pedigree.

The Xylobands, shifting from cherry red to soft tea green, created a cascading effect as the crowd waved their arms, making it seem as though singer Chris Martin was strolling through a dark, enchanted forest.

The set was interspersed with occasional quieter numbers, the first of which was The Scientist. Anchored by its plaintive piano line and a beautiful bridge ("nobody said it was easy"), it was stunningly sung by the crowd. The B-stage – an offshoot platform positioned near the middle of the stadium – became the backdrop for stripped-down renditions of Viva La Vida, Hymn for the Weekend and a particularly poignant version of Afterglow.

Back on the main stage, any potential lull in the atmosphere was swiftly averted by guitarist Johnny Buckland. His driving riffs raised the energy with an exhilarating performance of Charlie Brown and the evergreen Yellow.

Zayed Sports City Stadium is hosting Coldplay for four nights. Pawan Singh / The National

Meanwhile, People of the Pride, a deep cut from the Music of the Spheres album, is probably as dark as the perpetually upbeat Coldplay get, with its marching buzz-saw riffs and Martin railing against consumerism and revolution.

Such turbulent thoughts were swiftly cast aside as the band closed their set with what felt like an unending stream of emotive, giddy singles. From the spectacular pop-EDM fusion of A Sky Full of Stars to the soaring, U2-inspired anthem Fix You, and the relentlessly upbeat Good Feelings, the finale was a euphoric crescendo.

As I watched the rapturous crowd singing and dancing amid floating balls bobbing across the stadium, vibrant streamers and a kaleidoscopic production, it struck me: Coldplay’s childlike innocence and joyful approach to their stage shows are more than just a perception – they’re part of their charm. In many ways, they’re like The Wiggles (an Australian children's group formed in the 1990s) for an adult audience: relentlessly colourful, exuberant and unapologetically cheerful. And in these challenging times, that’s not a bad thing at all.

Aside from the main act, Elyanna proved once again why she is a star in the making. The Palestinian-Chilean singer has been making international waves since her breakthrough performance at the 2023 Coachella music festival. Her scintillating pop approach, marked by bilingual lyricism (Arabic and English), is as fluid and effortless as her seamless blend of styles – from modern and classic Arabic pop to contemporary RnB.

Palestinian-Chilean singer Elyanna opened for Coldplay. Pawan Singh / The National

It’s no wonder Martin has virtually taken Elyanna under his wing, inviting her to guest at numerous stops on Coldplay’s current tour, including the group's coming shows in India this month. Backed by a troupe of dancers, Elyanna seamlessly transitioned from the classic Arabic balladry of Abdel Halim Hafez’s Ahwak to scintillating dabke-pop tracks like Ya Waylak and Mamma Eh.

Her appearance with Coldplay to perform Arabic verses on We Pray and Good Feelings didn’t feel like a mere nod to the region. Instead, it felt natural and powerful. Sashaying effortlessly across the stage, Elyanna looked completely at home on the grand stage – a promising step forward on her road to stardom.

Coldplay perform at Zayed Sports City Stadium on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday. All tickets are sold out. Doors open at 5pm