''Coldplay Live 2012'' is the collective name for the official documentation of the
Mylo Xyloto Tour
The Mylo Xyloto Tour was the fifth concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. It was announced in support of their fifth album, ''Mylo Xyloto'' (2011), and became marked by two parts: from 31 May to 31 October 2011 they made a serie ...
, performed, recorded and released by British
alternative rock
Alternative rock, or alt-rock, is a category of rock music that emerged from the independent music underground of the 1970s and became widely popular in the 1990s. "Alternative" refers to the genre's distinction from Popular culture, mainstre ...
band
Coldplay
Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University Col ...
. The project consists of a worldwide theatrical and home media film release, Coldplay's third
live album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
, after ''
Coldplay Live 2003
''Coldplay Live 2003'' is the first live album by British rock band Coldplay. It was released in November 2003 and serves as the band's second live release, following '' Trouble – Norwegian Live EP'' (2001). Featuring the concerts filmed at Sy ...
'' and ''
LeftRightLeftRightLeft
''LeftRightLeftRightLeft'' is the second live album by British alternative rock band Coldplay. It was released on 15 May 2009 and given away for free at all of the remaining concerts on the Viva la Vida Tour, being also available as a free downlo ...
'', and a 183-page
e-book
An ebook (short for electronic book), also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Alt ...
depicting the tour. The film and album were recorded over many dates over the 2011 Festival Tour and the Mylo Xyloto Tour beginning in October 2011 and ending in September 2012. The film was opened for one night only on 13 November 2012, at select cinemas around the world. The DVD and Blu-ray release of the film and the live album release occurred on 14 November 2012.
Release and promotion
The film was first announced by
Phil Harvey in April 2012. It was first announced under the title "ColdplayFilm". The name was also inscribed on the
Xylobands
Xylobands are wristbands that contain light-emitting diodes and radio frequency receivers, they were launched by RB Concepts Ltd, a company set up by entrepreneur Clive Banks with inventor Jason Regler. The lights inside the wristband can be co ...
used on the Mylo Xyloto Tour between April and September 2012. The film/album was first officially announced on 25 September 2012. On the same day, two websites promoting ''Live 2012'' launched. One promoting the theatrical release of the film, and one promoting the project in general. A two-minute trailer accompanied the announcement, released online and shown in theaters attached to other films as well. In addition, an exclusive preview of "Us Against the World" was shown on the Live 2012 website, as well as another select track off the film of user's choice. A 183-page
e-book
An ebook (short for electronic book), also known as an e-book or eBook, is a book publication made available in digital form, consisting of text, images, or both, readable on the flat-panel display of computers or other electronic devices. Alt ...
documenting the tour was also announced.
''Live 2012'' was first released as an exclusive, one-night-only theatrical release, shown in cinemas across 57 countries around the world. The film opened at 7:00pm at respective time zones (7:30pm at some screenings), on 13 November 2012. The film was shown twice on the night, closing before midnight. A partnership deal between
Parlophone
Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a German–British record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 192 ...
and Studio 3 saw the screening of ''Live 2012'' on US premium cable television as well. The film aired exclusively on 14 November 2012 on
Epix
Epix (pronounced ''epics'' and stylized as P) is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by the Epix Entertainment LLC subsidiary of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), a subsidiary of Amazon's MGM Holdings, Inc. The channel's pr ...
, the night after the theatrical release and a week before its commercial release in the United States.
Reception
Critical reception
''Live 2012'' has received large critical acclaim. Adam Silverstein wrote an overwhelmingly positive review for ''
Digital Spy
Digital Spy (DS) is a British-based entertainment, television and film website and brand and is the largest digital property at Hearst UK. Since its launch in 1999, Digital Spy has focused on entertainment news related to television programmes, ...
'', saying that the film/album was pulled off well amidst mixed reputation, writing "One (thankfully first-class)
collab with a popstar and an appearance on The X Factor later, however, and they almost fucked their rep… Chris Martin bawling backing vocals to the Little Mix girls would have been uglier than
Javier Bardem
Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem (; born 1 March 1969) is a Spanish actor. Known for his roles in Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters and foreign films, he won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance as the psychopath, ...
toothless in ''
Skyfall
''Skyfall'' is a 2012 spy film and the twenty-third in the ''James Bond'' series produced by Eon Productions. The film is the third to star Daniel Craig as fictional MI6 agent James Bond and features Javier Bardem as Raoul Silva, the villai ...
'', yet that's all it would have taken." He also says it showcases well the "ridiculous effort that goes in to each and every concert." and that the film/album "skilfully showcases just how incredible an adventure it is to observe a world-beating band at the top of their game. And those still to be converted to the Coldplay cause even after watching this? Well, they can f*** off, then."
Drew Taylor of ''
IndieWire
IndieWire (sometimes stylized as indieWIRE or Indiewire) is a film industry and review website that was established in 1996. The site's focus was predominantly independent film, although its coverage has grown to "to include all aspects of Hollyw ...
'' wrote a similar very positive review, praising the Mylo Xyloto tour itself as well, and stating that "even a cursory understanding of what it's like to watch Coldplay live is better than nothing at all. Wristbands not included".
Sarah Milton of ''The Upcoming'' wrote a very positive review focusing on the band's ability to connect with their fans through ''Live 2012'', writing that "This release of their previous and current work defines their unstoppable prowess by taking tracks to a personal level with their fans. This is a skill not many achieve live, but with this album, Coldplay succeeds. It deserves immense recognition, and we can rest assured that Coldplay will keep raising the bar of stadium rock shows for years to come."
Cameron Adams of the Australian ''
Herald Sun
The ''Herald Sun'' is a conservative daily tabloid newspaper based in Melbourne, Australia, published by The Herald and Weekly Times, a subsidiary of News Corp Australia, itself a subsidiary of the Murdoch owned News Corp. The ''Herald S ...
'' gave the album a positive review, highlighting the emulation of the tour, stating "this is the exact show Coldplay are in the midst of charming our country with - wristbands, hits, banter, yoga moves and all!". He also complimented the tracklist choice, writing that "Their biggest hits (
Paradise
In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...
,
Viva La Vida
"Viva la Vida" (, ; ) is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'' (2008). The lyrics to the song contain historical and Christian refe ...
,
Fix You
"Fix You" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all four members of the band for their third studio album, '' X&Y'' (2005). It was released on 5 September 2005 as the second single from ''X&Y'' and reached number 4 on the ...
) sit nicely with their more subversive ones (
Violet Hill
"Violet Hill" is a song by British rock band Coldplay. It was written by all members of the band for their fourth album, ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends'' (2008). Built around a repeating guitar sound, it utilises a marching tempo ...
,
Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall
"Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" is a song by British rock band Coldplay, it was released as the lead single for their fifth studio album ''Mylo Xyloto'' on 3 June 2011. An exclusive digital EP version of it, with the B-sides "Major Minus" and "M ...
)". It was the album of the week in the ''Herald Sun''.
Jim Pusey wrote a positive review for
Contactmusic
Contactmusic.com is an online magazine of cultural criticism based in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It publishes reviews, interviews, and detailed essays on most cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, films, and ...
, praising the film for its visual effects and cinematography. He compared it to the band's ''Live 2003'', noticing "a band that's now less awkward and self-conscious." He also gave a positive note to the documentary itself, stating that the most interesting parts were the "behind the scenes interludes that punctuate the performances. Each band member has an opportunity to reveal not only their enthusiasm for playing live around the globe, but also their perspective on the different elements that have made up the tour
.. This peek behind the curtain is beneficial as it makes the gig footage from 3 different stops on the tour (including their most recent Glastonbury headline set) more engaging."
Kenji Lloyd of ''HeyUGuys!'' wrote that the film "goes above and beyond any ordinary concert film, which is just what you’d expect from a band that isn’t any ordinary band. They go the further mile, always looking to take things further, do things better, make the extra effort. As the band plays through the darkening night, we’re treated to the equally impressive artwork and handwritten lyrics that are a part of their live shows, appearing on the screen itself in a fantastic bleeding of creativity."
The album was nominated for Classic Pop/Rock Album of the Year at the
Hungarian Music Awards
The Hungarian Music Awards have been given to artists in the field of Hungarian music since 1992. The award categories are similar to Grammy Awards in the United States and Brit Awards in the United Kingdom.
The awards were known as the ''Golden ...
and the video got shortlisted for Best Music Film at the
56th Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid com ...
.
Track listing
All songs written and performed by
Guy Berryman
Guy Rupert Berryman (born 12 April 1978) is a Scottish musician, songwriter and producer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Coldplay and electronic supergroup Apparatjik. Raised in Kirkcaldy, he began to play bass from an early age, ...
,
Jonny Buckland
Jonathan Mark Buckland (born 11 September 1977) is an English-born Welsh musician and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Pantymwyn, he began to play guitar from an early age, being in ...
,
Will Champion
William Champion (born 31 July 1978) is an English musician and songwriter best known as the drummer and backing vocalist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned various instruments during his childhood, being influenced by ...
, and
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
.
;Sample credits
*"Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall" incorporates elements of "Ritmo De La Noche" written by
Alex Christensen
Alex Christensen (born 7 April 1967), also known by his stage names Jasper Forks or Alex C., is a German dance music producer, songwriter, and DJ generally known as the face and one of the founding members of U96. Since 2002, he has been coll ...
, Harry Castioni, Bela Lagonda and Jeff Wycombe, which incorporates elements of "
I Go to Rio
"I Go to Rio" is a song written by Peter Allen and Adrienne Anderson, and performed by Allen. It became a signature song of Allen, as well as being covered by Peggy Lee and Pablo Cruise, among others, in addition to being subject to multiple sou ...
" written by
Peter Allen and
Adrienne Anderson
Adrienne Anderson is an American songwriter, most notable for being the co-writer of "Could It Be Magic", among other Barry Manilow songs, as well as being the co-writer of signature songs for Dionne Warwick ("Déjà Vu") and Peter Allen ("I Go to ...
.
*"Princess of China" features a sample from "
Takk..." written by
Jón Þór Birgisson
Jón is an Old Norse common name still widely used in Iceland and the Faroes.
According to Icelandic custom, people named Jón are generally referred to by first and middle names and those without a middle name are referred to with both first nam ...
,
Orri Páll Dýrason
Orri Páll Dýrason (; born on 4 July 1977) is an Icelandic musician. He was previously the drummer for Sigur Rós. He joined the band in 1999, shortly after the recording of the studio album ''Ágætis byrjun'', when the previous drummer, Ágú ...
,
Georg Hólm
Georg "Goggi" Hólm (; born 6 April 1976) is the bassist of the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is the most prominent member of Sigur Rós in the English press, as he does significantly more press than the other members due to him being th ...
and
Kjartan Sveinsson
Kjartan "Kjarri" Sveinsson (; born 2 January 1978) is the keyboardist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He joined the band in 1998. A multi-instrumentalist, he has also played such instruments as the flute, tin whistle, oboe, guitar a ...
, performed by
Sigur Rós
Sigur Rós () is an Icelandic post-rock band from Reykjavík, active since 1994. The band comprises singer and guitarist Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson, bassist Georg Hólm, and keyboardist Kjartan Sveinsson. Known for their ethereal sound, fron ...
.
*"Up with the Birds" features a sample from "
Driven by You
"Driven by You" is a song by Queen lead guitarist Brian May from his 1992 solo album, ''Back to the Light''. It was released as a lead single in November 1991.
Promotion
Shortly before releasing it as single, May played it on the Guitar Legen ...
" by
Brian May
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Fredd ...
. It also includes a lyrical sample from "Anthem" by
Leonard Cohen
Leonard Norman Cohen (September 21, 1934November 7, 2016) was a Canadian singer-songwriter, poet and novelist. His work explored religion, politics, isolation, depression, sexuality, loss, death, and romantic relationships. He was inducted in ...
.
Personnel
;Coldplay
*
Guy Berryman
Guy Rupert Berryman (born 12 April 1978) is a Scottish musician, songwriter and producer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Coldplay and electronic supergroup Apparatjik. Raised in Kirkcaldy, he began to play bass from an early age, ...
- bass guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
*
Jonny Buckland
Jonathan Mark Buckland (born 11 September 1977) is an English-born Welsh musician and songwriter best known as the lead guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Pantymwyn, he began to play guitar from an early age, being in ...
- lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards
*
Will Champion
William Champion (born 31 July 1978) is an English musician and songwriter best known as the drummer and backing vocalist of the rock band Coldplay. Raised in Southampton, he learned various instruments during his childhood, being influenced by ...
- drums, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboard, electronic drums
*
Chris Martin
Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Univ ...
- lead vocals, acoustic guitar, piano, rhythm guitar on "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face" and "Don't Let It Break Your Heart"
;Additional musicians
*
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
- vocals (on "Princess of China")
;Technical
*
Rik Simpson
Rik Simpson (a.k.a. Rikademus) is a multi Grammy Award-winning British record producer, sound engineer, musician, and songwriter. He is most recently recognised for his production work with Coldplay on ''Viva la Vida or Death and All His Frien ...
- mixing
* Olga Fitzroy - additional mixing
* Christian Green - additional mixing assistant
*
Bob Ludwig
Robert C. Ludwig (born c. 1945) is an American mastering engineer. He has mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists including Led Zeppelin, Lou Reed, Qu ...
- mastering
* Jon Hopkins - additional film music
;Visual crew
* Paul Dugdale - director
* Jim Parsons - producer
* Dave Holmes, Phil Harvey, Juke Jakobek, Stefan Demetriou, Arlene Moon - executive producers
* Brett Turnball, James Tonkin - directors of photography
* Simon Bryant, Tim Thopsett, Tom Watson - editors
* Janet Fraser Crook - director (Glastonbury footage)
* Alison Howe - producer (Glastonbury footage)
* Ben Chadis, Mark Cooper - executive producers (Glastonbury footage)
;Art
* Tappin Gofton - artwork designer and director
* Paris, Misty Buckley, Reggie Matheson - front cover
* Matt Miller, Benjamin Etridge, Eric Schleicher, Xavi Menas, Wendy Marvel, Sarah Lee, Nick Pickles, Phil Harvey - photos
;Live crew
* Paul Narmandale - design
* Phil Harvey - director
* Misty Buckley - stage and prop design
* Paris, Gwen Liby, Misty Buckley, Reggie Matheson, Lynden Mallinson - painting
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications
Release history
References
External links
* Th
official websitefor the ''Live 2012'' project.
* Th
promotional websitefor the Theatrical release of ''Live 2012''.
*
Live 2012' on
Discogs
Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...
.
{{Coldplay
2012 films
2012 live albums
2012 video albums
Capitol Records live albums
Coldplay live albums
Coldplay video albums
Concert films
Parlophone live albums
Parlophone video albums
Capitol Records video albums
2010s English-language films