An Intimate Evening with COLDPLAY at The Theatre @ The Ace Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

KROQ and Beats Music teamed up to present fans a special evening with Coldplay at The Theatre at Ace Hotel in downtown Los Angeles on Wednesday, Sept. 17th. I was so happy to hear about the show as I have been wanting to see the band perform live for years. That moment finally presented itself to me when I was surprised with tickets on the day of the show. Live, they were breathtaking…or dare I say, euphoric. The intimacy of the setting was a super-fan’s dream come true.

The band, led by Chris Martin, performed songs from their latest album Ghost Stories, along with a selection of hits from their previous five albums, from 2011’s Mylo Xyloto, Viva la Vida (2008),  X&Y (2005), A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002), back to their massive debut album from 2000, Parachutes.

The concert was mainly a private affair, with few public tickets available. The band took the stage at the intimate theater upon a standing ovation, with their beautiful opening from Ghost Stories, “Always In My Head“ bringing the stage to life followed by the uplifting and riff-laden “Charlie Brown“. Within seconds into the first song, the atmosphere in the room became electric.

Photo by: Nicole DeRosa

Chris Martin has long since learned to play the part of the rock star. He has SO much fun, dancing around stage, swirling his arms in circles like a windmill, punches the air and drops to his knees like an excited kid at a party. Speaking of parties, there was even confetti cannons during “A Sky Full Of Stars“! Throughout the night, Martin was all smiles, sprinting up and down the stage, joking and engaging with the audience between songs. Jonny Buckland and Guy Berryman are the perfect balance for the singer, filling in Martin’s harmonies with their guitar and bass heroics. And then there is Will Champion who drives it all home behind the drums. The band had the audience on their feet the entire time, shaking the rafters as they echoed out the words. By the time the band launched into the infectious “Paradise“, every single hair on my body pretty much stood on end. Chris’ voice – that instantly recognizable mix of powerful vulnerability – never once faltered and left me with goosebumps all night.

Photo by: Nicole DeRosa

Coldplay knows how to make a connection with their audience and does so with such an effortless ease. Their recent single, “Magic” is a simple looping beat and vocals, but it has a hook that is simple, pure and beautiful. The rest of their set was filled with other new songs from Ghost Stories, including,  “Another’s Arms” and the equally understated opener, “Always in My Head“, had me swooning with delight.

After an extended sing-a-long during “Magic“, Chris, in a Muse inspired mood, covered a bit of their song, “Madness”  while rocking out to “Clocks“. He dedicated the song to the Muse frontman, Matt Bellamy who was in attendance. Speaking of  a “magic” moment, Chris humorously told a fan in the audience “You can twerk if you want!” Another highlight of the night was Jonny Buckland’s skills on the guitar, during the bands latest single, “True Love“.

Photo by: Nicole DeRosa

As the show came to a close, the lights were turned up so we could see everyone singing  along to “Fix You“. It was a truly special moment and one I doubt any of us who were lucky enough to attend will ever forget.

To find out upcoming tour dates for Coldplay and more, visit their website here

MASSIVE thanks to Atlantic Records + CBS Radio