Following a theatrical release across the globe last week, Coldplay’s highly anticipated Live 2012 arrives this week on all the formats you could possibly want – Blu-ray/CD, DVD/CD, and CD/DVD.
The band have toured across five continents for their latest record, Mylo Xyloto, and this tour has built even further upon all the hard work they’ve been doing to give their fans an unforgettable experience.
Directed by Paul Dugdale, who is responsible for shooting the best-selling concert films Adele: Live at the Royal Albert Hall and The Prodigy: World’s On Fire, the film sees the band take the stage at Paris’ Stade de France, Montreal’s Bell Centre, headlining Glastonbury last summer, and more, and is an absolute must for everyone – fans of the band or otherwise.
The art of making a strong concert film is a very difficult one to master, but Dugdale and the band have achieved it phenomenally well. The film is just the right length, clocking in at a little over ninety minutes; the performances are flawlessly performed and beautifully shot; and we’re treated to a number of fascinating interludes, interviewing the band about the album, the tour, where they are at in their lives and as a band, and how they’ve got there.
For anyone who’s seen them live (which, I’m lucky to say, includes me), you’ll know how much energy they bring to their live performances – from the songs, themselves, through to the balloons and butterflies they release into the audience, and most recently handing LED wristbands to everyone as they enter the stadium to light it up at various points through the show (with a particular favourite moment being the opening to Charlie Brown).
That energy is brilliantly captured, making the film every bit as memorable as the band’s performance, and giving that rare feeling of watching something on screen and simultaneously feeling as though you are watching it unfold in real life. And when it all boils down to it, that feeling is exactly what you look for in a concert film.
The sixteen-song set list is naturally weighted towards their latest record, but cuts a perfect balance with new and old songs alike, with fan-favourites like Clocks, In My Place, and God Put A Smile Upon Your Face appearing alongside recent singles, Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, Charlie Brown, Paradise, Princess of China, and their latest, released this week, Hurts Like Heaven.
Fans of the equally impressive superstar, Rihanna, will be pleased to see that she makes an appearance during Princess of China, with a powerful mini-narrative shot as she and Chris Martin come together for the final chorus and outro.
The film heads towards the finale first with the ever-beautiful Fix You, and closing finally with Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall, bringing to an end what has fast become my favourite concert film of all time. I watched it in its theatrical release, I’ve seen it twice on Blu-ray since, and listened to the CD still more, and really just can’t help but love it. You come away with an immensely euphoric feeling, with the end credits rolling beautifully as Up With The Birds plays over the top, leaving you with an insatiable craving to see Coldplay live.
[Rating:4.5/5]
Special Features:
Also included on the Blu-ray are two extra songs, The Scientist and Don’t Let It Break Your Heart.
Both are wonderfully shot, and after noticing their absence in the theatrical cut, it was definitely a welcome surprise to see them here on the Blu-ray’s Special Features.
And along with it is a neat little photo gallery, featuring some terrific photography from the band’s global tour.
The addition of the CD with the Blu-ray and DVD versions of the film is also very useful – the vast majority of live releases tend to be one or the other, and thankfully Live 2012 has given fans both, which makes listening to the performances on the go (on your MP3 player, for instance) much easier.
[Rating:4/5]
Coldplay Live 2012 was released on Monday, and is now available across all formats, including CD/DVD, DVD/CD, and Blu-ray/CD. Also released on Monday was the band’s latest single, Hurts Like Heaven.
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