Coldplay to Take Song Requests on Upcoming Tour
Coldplay embarks on their world tour in support of their A Head Full of Dreams in March, and the band is planning on employing something to reward longtime fans when they return to the stage: A request segment in the set list, where fans could dedicate tracks to loved ones or express why the song is important to them.
“What we will do on this tour is almost like a request segment,” Chris Martin told The Sun (via NME). “We’d ask people to give us a reason why they want us to play that song so there is a purpose behind why we play it. I think we want to make it like a passport photobooth, so you go in and say, ‘I am Derek, I would like you to play ‘The Hardest Part.'”
In addition to highlighting their new album material, the request segment would also force Coldplay to dig a little deeper into their catalog, something they’re already preparing for. “We’re enjoying playing really old songs,” Martin said. “This tour will finally have a set list where we feel good about it from start to finish. So for example, if we are going to play a song like ‘Spies’ off Parachutes, it will be lovely to play it and say, ‘This is for Helen from Bolton as this reminds her of her dad.’ That is a bad example and not a real one.”
Before Coldplay heads out on tour March 31st with the South American leg of their tour, the band will first serve as headliner of the Super Bowl 50 halftime show, taking place February 7th at Santa Clara, California’s Levi’s Stadium.