29 -- Coldplay -- Friday, October 31, 2008 -- Verizon Center – DC

I fell asleep. I bought my ticket, found my seat, settled into the first few songs, and fell asleep. Strangely, however, this was not a bad reflection on Coldplay. Coldplay actually put on a heckuva show, as I’ll describe in a minute. The problem was the concert was held on a Friday night during the school year. I sleep in Saturday mornings, so I’m good to go Saturday nights, but social events Friday…just don’t work. No matter what the activity or the venue – Gone Baby Gone at Tysons’ Corner, dinner and drinks at Adams’ Morgan, this concert at the Verizon Center – 5am catches up with me. A Metallica drummer could probably be standing in front of me pounding in both ears, and I’d still start to doze off.














All that being said, I was able to stay awake and enjoy most of the show. As you’d expect, “Viva La Vida” was the clear high point. From my upper deck seat, I could see the entire arena lift up and join in. There was head bobbing, thigh slapping, and actual rhythmic dancing – which was quite an accomplishment, given the sizable white male contingent. Other musical highlights included the “Clocks” laser light show, the twisty “Don’t Panic,” and the moody “Cemeteries of London.” Memorable non-musical moments included the unveiling of the giant disco ball Jack O’ Lantern, the mad dash band members made across half the arena into the crowd, and the fact that they pledged not to make any political statements two days before an election...right before implicitly sharing their support for Obama.









Grade: A-