Coldplay Brisbane review: Real band emerges away from the fireworks

It's this band, pared back to the basics, that makes one wonder how they turned into the powerhouse they are today – perhaps the last true stadium band to emerge before the increasing fragmentation of the music industry.

For it's when Coldplay strip away the bells and whistles, the fireworks and lasers, the flashing wristbands and confetti, that one can appreciate they're a solid band with well-crafted songs.

Here, on the small stage well away from the monolithic set that dominates tonight's concert, they were the same band that, wide-eyed at their emerging fame, humbly performed at the relatively tiny Festival Hall 15 years ago.

Then, they opened with Shiver – the very song they're playing now. The change of scenery from Festival Hall to Suncorp Stadium is testament to how far this band has come, while the performance of Shiver shows that, perhaps, they didn't need to go so far.

It shows that the rest - these fireworks, those wristbands - are just distractions.

But try telling that to the 50,000-plus Brisbaneites at Suncorp Stadium on Tuesday night.

They lapped up every second of the in-your-face, over-the-top kaleidoscopic spectacle that had the Lang Park crowd making as much noise as you'd ever be likely to hear at a State of Origin match.

Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and would-be Wiggle Will Champion act as if this is they were born for spectacles like this, although the Englishmen (and Scotsman) certainly weren't born for nights like this.

By Yellow, the band's breakout hit and second song of the night, Martin is already bathed in a lather of sweat befitting the hot, balmy Brisbane summer evening.

"This is our 70th show of the tour," he says, to the requisite applause.

"But, as far as we're concerned, that's 69 rehearsals for Brisbane."

We suspect he says that to all the cities, but regardless – in your face, Buenos Aires!

The Scientist provides the first of several sing-alongs and a brief sojourn to the secondary stage – pretty much on the centre circle of the football pitch – provides Martin the opportunity to come as close to political commentary as we'll hear tonight.

Despite the Trump win, despite all the conflict in the world, here are 50,000 people in a Coldplay love-bubble.

"That's the kind of world we want to live in," he says as they launch into Everglow.

David Bowie's "Heroes" is a nice gesture for 2016, if a little underwhelming, but its Coldplay's own hits that – unsurprisingly – hit the right notes.

Clocks? Check. Fix You? You bet. Paradise? Catchy as hell.

Martin is an energetic chap, running up and down the finger that juts out from the stage with enthusiasm that never wanes, despite the toll the heat must surely be taking.

He's clearly loving life in a stadium, as is his mum who, Martin informs us, has made the trip to Brisbane.

This is a band that broke out of the indie middle-of-the-road scene to become a fully fledged stadium band.

And while they're clearly comfortable with that status, the self-deprecation shows it hasn't all gone to Martin's head.

"Thanks for coming," he says as the night comes to a close.

"And thank you for taking all the shit you get for liking Coldplay."

While Coldplay are an easy target for some of the conceited of music snobs, on nights like this, it's them who are having the last laugh.

Head Full of Dreams Tour – Brisbane Setlist

• A Head Full of Dreams
• Yellow
• Every Teardrop is a Waterfall
• The Scientist
• Birds
• Paradise
• Always In My Head
• Magic
• Everglow
• Clocks
• Charlie Brown
• Hymn for the Weekend
• Fix You
• "Heroes"
• Viva La Vida
• Adventure of a Lifetime
• Don't Panic
• Shiver
• Til Kingdom Come
• Amazing Day
• A Sky Full of Stars
• Up&Up

Remaining Australian shows

Melbourne - Etihad Stadium - Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10.

Sydney - Allianz Stadium - Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14.

Tickets available through livenation.com.au