A surprising reason has been revealed for why Coldplay only performed in Perth when they visited Australia last year, along with an unmentioned multimillion-dollar detail that has stirred public interest.
Here's ads banner inside a post
Currently, Coldplay is touring Australia as part of their Spheres World Tour, performing across four nights at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium and Sydney’s Olympic Park. This tour is eagerly awaited by Australian fans, especially as it has been a long time since Coldplay last took the stage on Australia’s east coast in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney during their A Head Full of Dreams tour in 2016.
On the Shameless podcast, the hosts discussed Coldplay and brought up the band’s most recent visit to Australia. Last year, Coldplay returned to Australia but limited their performances to two shows on the west coast at Perth’s Optus Stadium, leaving fans on the east coast wondering why.
One of the hosts recounted what Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, shared at one of their Melbourne concerts about why the band hadn’t performed in Melbourne, Sydney, or Brisbane when they were in Perth last year. Chris explained that he was apprehensive because of some negative reviews after their performance at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium in December 2016. “I made the mistake eight years ago; I looked at the press, and a gentleman wrote an article saying he lived next to the stadium and that we ruined his night,” Chris explained.
Here's ads banner inside a post
However, the Shameless podcast hosts were quick to point out that Coldplay’s Perth shows had been sponsored by the Western Australian government. “They were subsidized for two exclusive concerts to the tune of $8 million,” one of the hosts said. In July this year, The Guardian reported that the Western Australian government paid millions of dollars to Live Nation Entertainment, including $8 million to fund two exclusive live concerts by Coldplay.
Another host questioned whether this was the sole reason the band limited their tour to the west coast and suggested that Chris’s mention of the negative reviews could also have played a role. “I believe that, but I also think he could’ve just told the truth, which is that he got a bit of money for it, too.”
Aside from the sponsorship story, Coldplay’s Australian tour has seen some unexpected events. On the fourth night of their tour at Melbourne’s stadium, one band member experienced a sudden health emergency, nearly canceling the show. For the first time in their career, Chris Martin had to announce that the band would perform without bassist Guy Berryman, who had fallen ill just before the show.
Here's ads banner inside a post
During the performance, Chris told the audience, “We’ll have a slightly different show tonight, and we’ll do our best to make it amazing because we’re in Melbourne with all you beautiful people. If you see some mistakes or issues, it’s because we don’t have our bass player. You won’t see Guy tonight because he’s been unwell,” he added.
After the show, Coldplay took to Instagram to thank their fans for their understanding. “Tonight was the first time in our band’s history that we performed without all four members on stage. Guy fell unexpectedly ill just before the show. Thank you for helping us get through it.”
Coldplay’s performances are more than just musical experiences—they showcase a unique bond between the band and their fans. With the Western Australian government’s multimillion-dollar sponsorship for exclusive Perth shows, combined with Chris’s concerns over past negative reviews, this tour paints a complex picture of the band’s decisions during this Australian leg of their tour.
