Coldplay's Chris Martin sings at the Vector Arena in Auckland last night. Photo / Richard Robinson
Say what you like about Coldplay - the band knows how to control atmosphere. They have the rare and awe-inspiring ability to change how you feel, and change how an entire room feels.
It had been six long years - and two chart topping albums - since Coldplay last came
for a meet-and-greet in New Zealand so it was only fitting the band put on a proper show at the Vector Arena. From the hypnotic laser show that accompanied Clocks early in the night, to the pulsing, blaze of strobe lights that capped off Politik, the band treated us to all their best bells and whistles.
Martin pulled out his best dance moves - like the erratic jerking of a puppet in knots - and even drummer Will Champion gave a little something extra in the form of an original bluegrass ditty he wrote some years back. They played the new hits and the old favourites. But Coldplay's greatest skill is playing the crowd, which they did with such deft precision it left no doubt as to why this band are so big.
They even broke out their best Les Miserables costumes to accompany a French revolution backdrop.
As giant yellow confetti filled balloons rained from the ceiling during their early hit Yellow, all of Vector Arena delighted in the bouncing rubber spheres. As Chris Martin pulled a pew up to his piano and played the haunting, opening lines of 42, goosebumps prickled the necks of all those present.
As glowing spherical lamps descended from the ceiling, the crowd stood mesmerised by the twirling, psychedelic pools of multi-coloured light.
As the band ran from the main stage to the back of the arena and into the grand stand - where they played songs including a cover of The Monkees' I'm A Believer - the sell-out audience beamed as the band showed they weren't too cool to get among them.
"You can't come all the way to New Zealand without coming to the back of the room," said Martin.
"After a 97-hour flight, you want to meet everyone."
