For the penultimate date of their six-show Wembley Stadium residency, Coldplay performed their nightly duology of covers with the unique trio of Steve Coogan (in character as Alan Partridge), Jacob Collier and Nicole Lawrence.
As all shows on the run have been thus far, Coldplay’s show on Saturday (August 20) was split into seven segments, which saw the band perform across three different stages. They welcomed out the impromptu supergroup for the second-to-last of those segments, taking to the “C-Stage” in the middle of the dancefloor.
Clad in a gaudy red tracksuit, Partridge took the reins from Chris Martin on lead vocals, while the Coldplay frontman played acoustic guitar and sung backup. Lawrence added depth to Martin’s strumming with her performance on a pedal steel guitar, while Collier fleshed out the soundscape on piano.
For their two-song micro-set, the group covered ABBA’s 1976 hit ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ and Kate Bush’s newly-made-cool-again ‘Running Up That Hill’. Check out some fan-shot footage of the songs below, then see the full setlist from last night’s show:
At the fifth of their six Wembley Stadium shows, Coldplay performed:
1. ‘Higher Power’ 2. ‘Adventure Of A Lifetime’ 3. ‘Paradise’ 4. ‘Charlie Brown’ 5. ‘The Scientists’ (included excerpts of ‘Oceans’) 6. ‘Viva La Vida’ 7. ‘Hymn For The Weekend’ 8. ‘Don’t Panic’ (piano version) 9. ‘Politik’ 10. ‘In My Place’ 11. ‘Yellow’ 12. ‘Human Heart’ 13. ‘People Of The Pride’ 14. ‘Clocks’ 15. ‘Infinity Sign’ (included excerpts of ‘Music Of The Spheres II’ and ‘Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall’) 16. ‘Something Just Like This’ (pre-recorded vocals with Chris Martin performing in sign language) 17. ‘Midnight’ (remix, included excerpts of ‘Blue Moon Tree’ by Lone) 18. ‘My Universe’ 19. ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’ (with Simon Pegg) 20. ‘Sparks’ 21. ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’ (ABBA cover, with Steve Coogan [as Alan Partridge], Jacob Collier and Nicole Lawrence) 22. ‘Running Up That Hill’ (Kate Bush cover, with Steve Coogan [as Alan Partridge], Jacob Collier and Nicole Lawrence) 23. ‘Humankind’ 24. ‘Fix You’ (included excerpts of ‘Midnight’) 25. ‘Biutyful’
As noted above, Coldplay also welcomed Simon Pegg out to join them in performing ‘A Sky Full Of Stars’, for which Martin asked the crowd to put away their phones. They performed the first minute of the song without Pegg, before Martin stopped his band to welcome the actor out as “the world’s Number One tambourine player”. Of course, some concertgoers ignored the singer’s “no phones” request, and as a result, you can watch the moment below:
For their first two shows at Wembley Stadium, Coldplay enlisted the help of Craig David to cover his songs ‘Live In The Moment’, ‘Fill Me In’ and ‘7 Days’. At the third, Martin and co. were joined onstage by Natalie Imbruglia, with whom they performed Imbruglia’s 1997 hit ‘Torn’, and paid tribute to the late Olivia Newton-John by covering the Grease favourite ‘Summer Nights’.
Then, at the fourth show, Coldplay welcomed out All Saints‘ Shaznay Lewis to join them in performing the local girl group’s songs ‘Pure Shores’ and ‘Never Ever’. Prior to that show’s starting, Martin linked up with pianist Victoria Canal – who happens to have been born without her right forearm – for a private duet of her original track ‘Swan Song’.
In a five-star review of Wednesday’s show, NME’s Hannah Mylrea dubbed Coldplay’s performance “a joyful spectacle” and “a masterclass in how a massive pop show can be done”. The last of their six Wembley shows will go down tonight night (August 21) – it was initially due to be held on Friday (August 19), but was rescheduled in the wake of planned tube strikes. Find remaining tickets for the gig here.
Elsewhere on their ‘Music Of The Spheres’ tour, Coldplay have treated fans to cameos from the likes of Kelly Rowland, Bruce Springsteen, Kylie Minogue and London Grammar’s Hannah Reid.
Sam Ryder has told NME of his past fronting a Texan hardcore band called Close Your Eyes.
The pop star and UK Eurovision entrant is NME‘s Big Read cover star for Christmas 2022, and talked about his Number One album ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ as well as his journey to get there.
Ryder began playing in the band The Morning After as a teenager – he described their music as “Iron Maiden wannabe… not as good” – saying: “It was really fun. I have such fond memories of, like, thinking I was writing these songs that were going to change the world but [which] really weren’t.
“But that’s an important part of being in a band. I think when you’re that young, you’ve got to have that belief that you’re doing something good.”
After that, the singer linked up with Texas hardcore band Close Your Eyes as their frontman. He explained: “I was a singer, songwriter [and] really part of those guys. And it was a hardcore punk band, which was something totally new for me.”
Of how he joined the band, Ryder went on: “I heard they needed a singer so I sent them a clip of me singing. In that scene, there are so many singers who are really great at screaming – you know, the hardcore punk vocals. I wasn’t necessarily great at that, but I was good at clean singing.”
He said he stood out as a candidate because “there weren’t as many strong clean singers on the scene. And I just thought, ‘I’ll deal with the screaming thing as and when it comes!’”
Discussing his stint on 2014’s Warped Tour with the band, Ryder told NME: “I was the only person on that tour who managed to shower every single day.
“The showers on that tour – they’re the grossest thing on earth, you don’t want to go near them,” he says. “So instead, I’d walk the perimeter of the stadium [we were playing at] and try to find a little faucet or a tap. I’d be rooting up the sprinkler system if I had to!”
This month (December 9), Ryder released his debut album, ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’. Reviewing the album, NME wrote: “The odd well-intentioned platitude hardly spoils an album of killer choruses on which Ryder’s infectious likeability shines through at all times.
“Next time he might want to chuck in a few more curveballs, but for now, ‘There’s Nothing But Space, Man!’ sounds like the beginning of what could be a really stellar career.”
Ryder has also revealed the impact a surfing accident had on his life. The accident happened when the Eurovision runner-up was on holiday in Hawaii four years ago, and led him to re-evaluate his life, pushing him to put more effort into his music career.
Little Mix‘s Leigh-Anne Pinnock has shared an update on the progress of her first music as a solo artist.
The girl group went on indefinite hiatus earlier this year after their tour in support of their most recent album ‘Confetti’. Pinnock has since been preparing to embark on a solo career and has been working with the producer Hit-Boy, who has previously worked with Beyonce and Rihanna.
Now, Pinnock has said in a newsletter that she will give fans “as much music as I can” when it’s ready. “I’ve been working really hard on music that’s coming together slowly but surely. I’m so happy with what we’ve made so far but I know there’s much more to do,” she wrote.
“I’ve been so lucky to work with some incredible songwriters, producers and creatives so far and I can’t wait for you to hear what we’ve made.”
She added: “I’ve got some exciting projects I can’t wait to share with you all, and of course, I’ll be giving you as much music as I can as soon as it’s ready.”
Pinnock has also taken a step into the acting world. She appeared in the Christmas rom-com Boxing Day last year, which was the first UK Christmas film to feature an all-Black cast.
Speaking to NME about how Little Mix bandmates Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards reacted to the news, Pinnock said: “They were so happy for me. They’re going to be at the premiere. Honestly, they’re just so proud.
“We’re very supportive of what we all do individually and we all just want each other to win, because then we all win. It’s lovely and it’s going to be amazing having them there next to me supporting me. It’s going to be a very emotional night.”
Pinnock’s bandmate Jade Thirlwall is also going solo, having signed a global deal with RCA earlier this year.
The Strokes have discussed the “magical” experience of working with Rick Rubin on their upcoming new album.
READ MORE:The Strokes’ world-changing ‘Is This It’ at 20: “They had a ‘last gang in town’ mentality”
The band recently completed a recording session with the legendary producer in the mountains of Costa Rica. “We rented this house up on the top of a mountain and set the band up outside,” Rubin explained while appearing on The Joe Rogan Experience.
“So they’re playing… It’s like they’re doing a concert for the ocean, on the top of a mountain,” he added. “It was incredible. And we did that every day, playing out in the [open], and they didn’t want to leave. It was, like, the best experience.”
Discussing the experience further in a new chat with Maxim, guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. said: “I don’t think if I told you what it looked like and what it was, you’d fully understand the ‘magical-ness’ of where we were and how it was to record like that.
“It felt really touching that one of his favourite recording experiences was this one he just had right now.”
Of the band’s future, Hammond added: “I really think what excites me about wanting to play music and continue doing it is, I don’t think we’ve written our best songs yet. I really feel that in my gut.”
Rubin and The Strokes first joined forces in 2017, when they began working on ‘The New Abnormal’. The album was released in April of 2020 as their sixth full-length effort, supported by singles like ‘At The Door’, ‘Bad Decisions’, ‘Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus’ and ‘The Adults Are Talking’.
Elsewhere, the band recently announced plans to release a special vinyl box set featuring singles from their first three albums, B-sides and rarities.
‘The Singles – Volume 01’, which is released on February 24, 2023 via RCA Records/Legacy Recordings, features every 7 inch single from their 2001 debut ‘Is This It’, 2003 follow-up ‘Room On Fire’ and 2006’s ‘First Impressions of Earth’ as well as rare B-sides from the original single releases.
All ten singles will be pressed on black vinyl, with the artwork from each original release replicated in the package. It is available to pre-order here now.
