Coldplay - East Troy, WI

Coldplay's arrival in East Troy, WI coincided with the end of nearly two months of torturous heat for the area as if by more than mere chance. The UK band entranced a sold-out crowd with one gorgeously airy song after the next. Lead singer Chris Martin was in particularly good spirits as he jokingly asked during "Politik" to be made "an honorary cheesehead."

The band has come a long way from their first tour of the US. Nerves or lack of experience accounted for what many dubbed as less than engaging performances and fan interaction. Without a doubt the band, in particular Martin has taken note of these criticisms and blossomed as a result.

Dancing around the stage as if he alone was enthralled by the music his band performed, Martin's relaxed energy was both transfixing and endearing. Though he may have looked a tad goofy reaching towards the sky in an effort to grab the stars, his boyish charm and unbridled enthusiasm never strayed towards corny.

Effortlessly enchanting the crowd with one charming nugget after the next, Coldplay showed a great deal of maturity for such a young band. Whether it was the heartbreakingly sweet "Everything's Not Lost" or the propulsive "Talk" from their latest release, X&Y, the band balanced delicateness with strength througout.

Particularly effective was the inclusion of a set of stripped down and intimate songs. Drummer Will Champion came out from behind the drum kit to play piano during "Til Kingdom Come," a song the band wrote specifically for Johnny Cash. Sequeing into Cash's own "Ring Of Fire," the members appeared taken aback by the crowd's very vocal participation.

Besides performing to an extraordinarily high level (with assistance from the stellar acoustics at Alpine Valley), Coldplay also utilized a giant backdrop screen to fantastic effect. Images of a bear pacing in a zoo and of-the-moment projections of their performance, along with an understated, though impressive light design, helped underline but never over power the band's performance.

This careful balancing act of style and substance helps to drive home what their current astronomical album sales and sold-out arena shows already show. That Coldplay is on their way to usurping U2, a band they opened for barely two years ago, as the biggest rock band in the world. Judging by their Alpine Valley performance they are more than up to the task.