Coldplay fans in the UAE rejoiced when they heard the British band would be performing at Expo 2020 Dubai on February 15, but it soon became a battle for the tickets, as limited capacity regulations are in place.
While entry to Al Wasl Plaza, where the Higher Power stars will take the stage, is free with an Expo pass — the same rule for all past concerts — the event booked up fast, and it didn't take long before touts started posting adverts on Dubizzle, the online classifieds platform, to sell them for Dh400 to Dh600 ($108 to $163).
Expo 2020 Dubai quickly warned visitors against buying tickets from fraudsters who are taking advantage of the free event.
Each ticket has a unique QR code that can be used only once. Organisers said anyone who tried to enter the venue with a code that had already been used would be turned away.
While those in the country may be disappointed by not being able to attend in person, there are other ways to catch the on-stage action live.
Expo ticket holders, for example, can watch the show on the giant screens on-site. These are located at Jubilee Park, Festival Garden and Dubai Millennium Amphitheatre, where access is granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Screens have also been placed close to Al Wasl Plaza — which will be sealed off during the show — so fans can hear the action while watching it on screen.
"We're also putting up relay screens on the avenues leading into Al Wasl, so you'll be able to look towards Al Wasl, see all the light show and be able to hear it from there and watch it on a screen as well as be able to see up close what's going on on the stage," said Sconaid McGeachin, senior vice president of communications.
She advises those who don't have passes for the concert, which starts at 9pm, to come early.
Those at home can also watch a live stream on VirtualExpoDubai.com, Expo TV on YouTube, Expo 2020’s Facebook page and Oculus VR.
"Whenever we put it on [virtually] and on Expo TV, we augment it slightly, so you get a few hidden extras. So don't feel that you're missing out; it's actually a very nice way to watch the performance and enjoy and be part of it there," said McGeachin.
Most major events and performances at Expo are being broadcast to the world via livestream.
Expo's dazzling opening ceremony raked in the highest views at six million.
See photos of Expo 2020 Dubai's opening ceremony here:
More than three million viewed Alicia Keys' concert in December as she debuted her new double album, Keys, as part of the monthly Infinite Nights series, which the Coldplay gig is also a part of.
These performances focus on themes tied to the world’s fair, with other past acts including Kadim Al Sahir, Nancy Ajram and Ragheb Alama and Black Eyed Peas.
This is not the first time Coldplay have performed in the UAE. They played New Year's Eve concerts in Abu Dhabi in 2011 and 2016, and frontman Chris Martin returned to Dubai in October 2021 to perform at Armani's One Night Only in Dubai event.
At Expo, the band will showcase songs from their new album Music of the Spheres in a never-before-seen show ahead of the start of their world tour in March.
The concert also promises "special guests".
See photos of Alicia Keys' Expo Dubai 2020 concert here:
Coldplay is aligned with Expo's sub-theme of sustainability, after they pledged to make the Music of the Spheres Tour as eco-friendly and low carbon as possible.
The band's sustainability tour plan examines everything from power usage and materials sourced to build the stage, to the kind of food and beverages served.
In December, consultant Paul Schurink, the founder of Zap Concepts, who has co-designed the band's world tour in 2022, told The National they intend to cut their direct emissions by 50 per cent, compared to their previous 2016-2017 tour.
These measures are broadly outlined on Coldplay’s website.
Recently, Martin also told BBC Radio 2 that Coldplay will not record any more music as a band after 2025. The group's lead singer said they would release their last record that year and plan to "only tour" after that.
See photos of Black Eyed Peas's Expo 2020 Dubai concert here:
