REVIEW: Coldplay at Sewell Group Craven Park, Hull

It was a big surprise last autumn when Coldplay announced a European ‘tour’ for 2025 that comprised a total of ten shows at Wembley Stadium along with two in Hull at Sewell Group Craven Park, home of Hull KR.

The band made 50 percent of the tickets for the two Hull shows available to those with local postcodes and ten percent of the show’s proceeds are being donated to support grassroots venues and upcoming artists.

There was no skimping from the band at their opening show on Monday when Coldplay delivered the same colourful, spectacular concert in Hull that they performed in North America earlier this year to packed stadiums.

The concert was a colourful spectacle (Image: Dave Lawrence) The performance included a stunningly colourful lighting show, plenty of confetti and fireworks, LED wristbands that synced with the music helping turn the stadium into a pulsating colourful beacon during certain songs, 3D goggles for the audience and the now infamous kiss-cam Jumbotron.

Opening the entertainment were Hull born hip-hop artist Chieda Oraka and Nigerian singer-songwriter Ayra Starr who collaborated with Coldplay on the Moon Music album.

Coldplay made their appearance via the B-stage strolling up to the main stage to a hero’s welcome to begin the show which was split into four “acts” – Planets, Moon, Stars and Home.

Singer Chris Martin received a ‘hero’s welcome’ (Image: Dave Lawrence) Opening with the addictive, upbeat Higher Power, singer Chris Martin skipped his way along the runway full of bouncy enthusiasm as the main stage lit up spectacularly behind him. The other band members – guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman and drummer Will Champion – were content to remain largely anonymous in comparison focusing on their instruments.

Adventure of a Lifetime – a song needing little in the way of garnish – nevertheless received it with the appearance of lots of giant colourful balls bouncing around among the audience.

Chris Martin performed Paradise while sitting cross legged on stage  (Image: Dave Lawrence) Such is the band’s wealth of material that Paradise was performed next with Martin sat cross-legged in front of his band mates. During the song the stadium lit up spectacularly as the wristbands came to life, changing colour in unison to the music as the audience waved their hands in the air. As the applause died down Martin moved to the piano for The Scientist bringing the first act to a close.

“This is the 212th show of the tour and the other 211 have been warm-ups for tonight so we can be at our very best for Hull,” Martin told the crowd. Throughout the show he was effusive in his praise for the crowd, taking time to interact with the audience to read their signs, and even invite some on stage to sing.

Chris Martin interacted with the audience during the concert (Image: Dave Lawrence) After moving to a smaller B Stage situated deep in the audience the band performed Viva la Vida followed by Hymn for the Weekend. During Gravity Martin invited four fans on stage to help on vocals before a glorious version of Speed of Sound and an emotional Yellow had the bracelets flashing once again as the crowd played their part in helping light up the performance.

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Stars, the third act, was arguably the least engrossing part of the show. Nothing wrong with the spectacle which was still entertaining but some of the songs from Moon Music and Music of the Spheres like We Pray and My Universe struggle to match classic older material like Clocks and A Sky Full of Stars.

For the start of the final act the band moved to a tiny C-Stage, even more deeply entrenched in the audience to perform Sparks and The Jumbotron Song (which passed without scandal) before returning to the main stage where a colourful and emotional Fix You and feelslikeimfallinginlove were the highlights.

As fireworks lit up the sky it was obvious from the smiles on fans young and old that they had witnessed something special – a band closing on a 30-year career who are still innovating and remain capable of putting on euphoric feel-good shows such as this one.