Coldplay’s concert tonight at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium is a first on several fronts.
The show represents the start of the legendary British pop-rock band’s latest stadium tour of Australia, and they kicked things off without bass player Guy Berryman, who was a late scratching due to illness.
In roughly a quarter century of playing live and touring, Coldplay has never before performed without one of their core four: Chris Martin, Berryman, Will Champion and Jonny Buckland.
“I have to say, thank you so much for coming to our show today,” frontman Martin said at the top. “It’s a shame but we waited for the last minute to tell you that our beautiful bass player Guy is very, very sick. And will not be (playing) for the first time. I’m sorry for you guys down here who are waiting to see Guy. He’s not going to be able to play today. We’ll have a slightly different show and we’ll do our best to make it amazing, and I know that it will be amazing because we’re in Melbourne with all of you beautiful people.”
Unfortunately, Guy is sick and won’t be able to play today. We hope you feel better soon Guy! We love you 🫶 pic.twitter.com/7GSQSu3mfI
— Coldplay Australia & NZ (@ColdplayAusNZ) October 30, 2024
He added, “If you see some mistakes, and some problems, it’s because we don’t have our bass player. And we only had about an hour to figure it out. And we have figured it out. We have a strange, alien, weird friend character playing bass, or looking like he’s playing bass. So you’ll hear Guy, but you just won’t see him. Because he’s vomiting.”
Coldplay will play eight total dates in Australia for their Music Of The Spheres World Tour, opening with four at Marvel Stadium, then moving to Sydney for four more at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. Next month, they cross the ditch for three dates at Auckland’s Eden Park, the last on Saturday, November 16th.
Martin and Co. will make history in New Zealand, by becoming the first act to play three nights at Eden Park, the nation’s home of rugby, and biggest stadium, whose history dates back 124 years.
The Australian leg of their world tour was boosted by a pair of concerts last year at Perth’s Optus Stadium – marking the group’s return to Western Australia for the first time since 2009. Coldplay last played Australia’s east coast and NZ back in 2016.
Coldplay’s 10th and latest studio album, Moon Music (Polydor/Warner), debuted at No. 2 on the ARIA Chart earlier this month. Starting with 2000’s Parachutes, Coldplay’s albums have all peaked at No. 1 or No. 2 in Australia, and has included seven leaders.
Live Nation is producing the current trek, while Ayra Starr, Shone and Emmanuel Kelly are on board as support.
