A_Rush_of_Blood_to_the_Head_Tour

A Rush of Blood to the Head Tour

A Rush of Blood to the Head Tour

2002–2003 concert tour by Coldplay

The A Rush of Blood to the Head Tour was the second concert tour undertaken by British rock band Coldplay. It was launched in support of their second studio album A Rush of Blood to the Head. They performed a total of 151 shows across Europe, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Between 21 and 23 July 2003, the band filmed Live 2003 at the Hordern Pavilion, Sydney.

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Background

Overall, Coldplay's concerts during this period showcased its progression as a bona fide live act. The band began playing more shows in arenas and amphitheatres, moving away from the club venues that dominated earlier tours. Shows also had more elaborate stage and lighting effects. For example, strobe lighting for the song "Daylight" featured the image of a rotating sun superimposed over the stage. Taking a cue from U2's Elevation Tour and Nine Inch Nails' Fragility Tour, Coldplay also adopted a series of back screens that displayed video footage of each band member simultaneously.[2]

Other highlights included:

  • Lead singer Chris Martin sang with Ron Sexsmith on the track, "Gold in Them Hills" during the headline set.
  • An ambient, instrumental introduction before the start of "Politik" for every show. This can particularly be heard on the Live 2003 DVD. Note: Not the same as the Brian Eno introduction sometimes used before this intro.
  • Guitarist Jonny Buckland regularly played a harmonica solo on the track "Don't Panic". He tossed the harmonica into the crowd after the solo's completion. Buckland also performed an original electric guitar introduction for the track.
  • The aforementioned back screens were unfurled mid-concert, usually during the beginning of "One I Love".
  • At some shows, Martin sang lyrics after inhaling from a helium balloon.[3]
  • Martin usually wore a Make Trade Fair T-shirt during 2002 shows to promote the Oxfam campaign. Make Trade Fair booths were present at venues, where concert-goers could sign petitions and learn about the campaign's objectives.
  • An specially created, ambient introduction for "Yellow", featuring a dark and gloomy tone. Martin sings the lyrics, "Your skin... Oh-oh-oh..." during the introduction, which afterwards leads to the regular start of the song.

Opening acts

Most of the tour included at least one supporting act on each concert, with English singer Richard Hawley opening all performances held between 19 and 28 June 2002.[4] Except for the show at Rome's Valle Giulia (which had the Music), all dates from 30 June to 12 July included 1 Giant Leap.[4] For the second North American leg, Coldplay invited Northern Irish band Ash,[5] while the third European run featured Idlewild.[6] In 2003, Ron Sexsmith opened for the band from 21 January to 9 February.[7] He was succeeded by the Music starting from 24 February.[8] As Coldplay returned to Europe for a fourth leg, Feeder was chosen as their support and Ian McCulloch additionally guested in the United Kingdom.[9] The last North American run counted with Eisley, who were joined by Damien Rice on 25 May,[10] and Sexsmith between 27 May and 13 June.[11] During the tour's final months, Coldplay went to Asia, Oceania and Latin America: the first two continents had Betchadupa,[12] while Mexico featured Jumbo.[13]

Concert synopsis

The tour's concerts were noted for its use of strobe lighting.

The 2002 shows contained a rough 50/50 split in material from Parachutes and A Rush of Blood to the Head. The official tour in 2003 focused on songs from the second album, as well as many unreleased tracks. For example, the future Live 2003 song "Moses" and "Fix You" B-side "Pour Me" were introduced during the tour. Other new songs included future X&Y b-sides, "Gravity" & "Proof", "Your World Turns Upside Down", which would later become a completely different song called "The World Turned Upside Down" as another b-side to "Fix You", and an unreleased piano ballad called "A Ladder to the Sun".

Coldplay also made a habit of covering other artists on the tour, often as outros to their own songs. Covers ranged from a tongue-in-cheek excerpt of Avril Lavigne's "Sk8er Boi" to the Louis Armstrong classic "What a Wonderful World". Coldplay also regularly covered Echo & the Bunnymen's "Lips Like Sugar" in its entirety, in homage to Ian McCulloch's role as a mentor during the recording of A Rush of Blood to the Head.

The musical introduction to the concert featured selections from Brian Eno's Apollo: Atmospheres and Soundtracks.[14]

Reception

In total, the tour grossed $27,152,888 from 854,424 tickets sold.[15] Pollstar also reported that Coldplay sold 341,201 admissions in 2003, which placed them at number 42 on the list of most attended tours of the year.[16] Rolling Stone Australia ranked the shows at Sydney's Hordern Pavilion among the best in the venue's history in 2024.[17]

Set list

This set list was taken from the 22 July 2003 concert in Sydney, Australia. It does not represent all shows throughout the tour.[18]

  1. "Politik"
  2. "God Put a Smile upon Your Face"
  3. "A Rush of Blood to the Head"
  4. "Daylight"
  5. "Trouble"
  6. "One I Love"
  7. "Don't Panic"
  8. "Shiver"
  9. "See You Soon"
  10. "Everything's Not Lost"
  11. "Moses"
  12. "Yellow"
  13. "The Scientist"
  14. "What a Wonderful World" (Louis Armstrong cover)
  15. "Clocks"
  16. "In My Place"
  17. "Amsterdam"
  18. "Life Is for Living"

Tour dates

More information Date (2002), City ...
More information Date (2003), City ...

Cancelled shows

More information Date (2002), City ...
More information Date (2003), City ...

Boxscores

More information City, Venue ...

Personnel

Credits taken from the band's official tour book, which was sold exclusively on merchandise booths and their online store.[19]

Performing members
Main crew
  • Brian Leitch – lighting designer
  • Chris Woods – monitor engineer
  • Craig Hope – backline technician
  • Dan Green – FoH engineer
  • Derek Fudge – production manager
  • Dave Holmes – US band manager
  • Jeff Dray – tour manager
  • Dana White – Dave Holmes assistant
  • Miller – gadget technician
  • Nick Whitehouse – visual technician
  • Sean Buttery – backline technician
  • Shari Webber – production assistant
  • Thomas Golseth – tour accountant
  • Tony Smith – VDOSC technician
  • Vicki Taylor – band assistant
  • Rocky Hudson – security
  • Matt McGinn – backline technician
  • Holly Tickett – Estelle Wilkinson assistant
  • Estelle Wilkinson – band manager
  • Steve Strange – Europe/World agent
  • Marty Diamond – US agent
Additional US crew
  • Chris Conti
  • David Favoritta
  • Pat Thompson
  • Bryan Kiger
  • John Taylor
  • Jim Lee
  • Steve Capozza
  • Glen Jones
  • Sam Philips
  • Eric Wagner
  • Scotty Daum
  • Jerry Martin
  • Dave Cheek
Additional European crew
  • Ben Holdsworth
  • Ivan Ellison
  • Jim Allison
  • Tom James
  • Alan Yates
  • Stewart Kennet
  • Aaron Hopkins
  • Nick Davids
  • Al McCauly
  • Jerry Milichip
  • Eddie Monk
  • Jim Thompson
  • Ian Heath
  • Graham Dietricht
  • John Burgess
  • Matt Clarke
  • Steven Connelly
  • Ken Needham
Suppliers
  • Andy Lovell, Mike Llewellyn – EFM Management
  • Tour Tech – PA
  • Siyan – lights
  • Fly by Nite – trucks
  • SilverGrey – buses
  • Alistage – stage
  • Pitstop – barrier
  • XL Video – video
  • Lasergrafix – laser
  • Depot – rehearsals
  • John Henry's – storage
  • Matt Snowball Music – anything at any time
  • Heidi Varah, Pauline Austin, Ben Albertson – catering
  • Merchandising for Life – merchandise
Tour book
  • Giles Greenwood, Joe Hosp – design
  • Kevin Westenberg – photography
  • Edwin Ingram – photographic printing
  • Matt Wilson Labs – B&W

See also

Notes

Cities
  1. Labelled as Las Vegas in promotional material.
  2. Labelled as New York City in promotional material.
  3. Labelled as Milan in promotional material.
  4. Labelled as Miami in promotional material.
  5. Labelled as Dallas in promotional material.
  6. Labelled as Hartford in promotional material.
  7. Labelled as Philadelphia in promotional material.
  8. Labelled as Atlanta in promotional material.
  9. Labelled as Barcelona in promotional material.
  10. Labelled as Sacramento in promotional material.
  11. Labelled as San Francisco in promotional material.
  12. Labelled as Denver in promotional material.
  13. Labelled as Staffordshire in promotional material.
Others
  1. $44.89 million in 2023 dollars.[1]
  2. The concert in London on 22 June 2002 was part of the Meltdown festival.[20]
  3. The concert in Pilton on 28 June 2002 was part of the Glastonbury Festival.[21]
  4. The concert in Werchter on 30 June 2002 was part of the Rock Werchter festival.[22]
  5. The concert in Ringe on 3 July 2002 was part of the Midtfyns Festival.[23]
  6. The concert in Cologne on 10 July 2002 was part of 1Live Radiokonzert.[24]
  7. The concert in Chicago on 2 August 2002 was part of the $2 Bill Show.[25]
  8. The concert in Boulder on 16 August 2002 was part of R&R's Triple A Convention.[26]
  9. The concert in Paris on 27 August 2002 was broadcast on television by MCM.[27]
  10. The concert in Paris on 6 November 2002 was part of the Les Inrockuptibles Festival.[28]
  11. The concert in Tokyo on 6 December 2002 was an exclusive performance for the winners of a contest launched by J-Wave.[29]
  12. The concert in Los Angeles on 8 December 2002 was part of the KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas festival.[30]
  13. The concert in San Francisco on 9 December 2002 was part of the KLLC Alice in Winterland festival.[30]
  14. The concert in Boston on 11 December 2002 was part of the WBCN Christmas Rave festival.[30]
  15. The concert in Uniondale on 12 December 2002 was part of the K-Rock Claus Fest.[30]
  16. The concert in Washington, D.C. on 13 December 2002 was part of the WHFS HFSmas Nutcracker festival.[30]
  17. The concert in Philadelphia on 15 December 2002 was part of the WRNB Y100 Feastival.[30]
  18. The concert in London on 24 March 2003 was a one-off charity performance for Teenage Cancer Trust.[31]
  19. The concert in George on 24 May 2003 was part of the Sasquatch! Music Festival.[32]
  20. The concert in Scheeßel on 20 June 2003 was part of the Hurricane Festival.[9]
  21. The concert in Neuhausen ob Eck on 21 June 2003 was part of the Southside Festival.[9]
  22. The concert in Rome on 23 June 2003 was part of the Cornetto Free Music Festival.[33]
  23. The concert in Fano on 24 June 2003 was part of the Il Violino e la Selce festival.[34]
  24. The concert in Roskilde on 27 June 2003 was part of the Roskilde Festival.[9]
  25. The concert in Werchter on 29 June 2003 was part of the Rock Werchter festival.[9]
  26. The concert in Nijmegen on 1 July 2003 was part of the Nijmegen Festival.[19]
  27. The concert in Kristiansand on 3 July 2003 was part of the Quart Festival.[35]
  28. The concert in County Kildare on 12 July 2003 was part of the Witnness festival.[9]
  29. The concert in Kinross on 13 July 2003 was part of the T in the Park festival.[9]
  30. The concert in Byron Bay on 20 July 2003 was part of the Splendour in the Grass festival.[36]
  31. The concert in Yuzawa on 26 July 2003 was part of the Fuji Rock Festival.[36]
  32. The concerts in Chelmsford and Weston-under-Lizard on 16 and 17 August 2003 were part of the V Festival.[37]
  33. Report based on two shows instead of one.[41]

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