ON the same day Coldplay complained that corporate shareholders “are the great evil of the modern world,” the British rockers took the Beacon stage Tuesday night in league with America Online, the digital arm of the Time Warner media empire.
Although Coldplay could easily sell out Madison Square Garden, the group played the more intimate Beacon Theatre to promote its third album, “X & Y.” The record’s due in stores June 7, the day AOL will Webcast the concert.
Like U2, which happened to be playing at the Meadowlands Tuesday, Coldplay has found the rare nexus in which sincerity and tenderness mingle with arena-worthy rock power. Rarer still, hits such as “Yellow” and “Politik” have made the band a commercial favorite selling 20 million albums worldwide.
Despite a well-earned reputation as a stellar live act, the quartet seemed unnerved by the hubbub surrounding this promotional show. Frontman Chris Martin – a k a Mr. Gwyneth Paltrow – poured his heart into the first half of the 75-minute set, but he couldn’t seem to move the industry-heavy audience.
“We personally feel like it’s going very badly,” Martin said just after the show’s midpoint. “With all these cameras and bull – – – – , it makes us feel like we’re on ‘The Apprentice.’ So from here on out, it’s going to be a completely different concert.”
With a charming, acoustic campfire version of “Til Kingdom Come,” the band began to deliver on its promise. Then “Clocks” unleashed the group’s full potential.
At the piano, Martin spun around on his stool with his arms outstretched and his fingers crooked in a joyous gesture. With a chorus that was literally nothing more than a crooned howl, he finally captured the crowd’s heart, inspiring a clap-along during the song’s coda.
Then the new “What If” arrived with the band’s trademark blend of piano ballad and guitar-rock anthem. An encore of “In Place” and two songs from “X & Y” followed: “A Message” was typical in its earnest “You don’t have to be alone” chorus, while “Fix You” borrowed a melody from the Pixies’ “Caribou” to pledge help for a friend in need.
Martin, however, was still mired in his own perceived failings. “Come see us again,” he said. “Next time, we’ll be so much better – I swear!”
While the show wouldn’t rank among Coldplay’s top New York City performances, there wasn’t much to apologize for. The band is so good live that even a half-baked performance is better than just about everyone else’s all-out best.
If Martin hadn’t kept pointing it out, few would have noticed that the group was half-a-step off its best game.