It was October 20. Ottawa, Ontario. It was a dark, windy night. And a little chilly. The kind of weather best suited for a nice cashmere sweater and a scarf, perhaps a late-afternoon hot chocolate. Not a star was in sight, unless of course you count music act Stars at the Scotiabank Place arena.
Having released the Sad Robots EP back in September, Stars were clearly excited to be performing live again. This show would mark their first of a 12-date tour of their home country Canada.
But, as excited as they were to perform, Stars were in fact more excited to be sharing the stage with the Best Band in the World, Coldplay. The show was a one-off before both bands would say their goodbyes and head on their respective Canadian tours, so Stars knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Eager to watch Coldplay perform, Stars quickly ran through their set, playing most of their songs at least 25% faster than normal. Coldplay's fans cheered loudly, but it was clear to everyone -- including Stars -- that the Real Deal was about to perform and that any warm-up act is but a slight breath of fleeting hot air.
After their set, Stars quickly found a comfortable spot from which to watch Coldplay's set.
At 8:30 PM, Coldplay finally hit the stage. Like Gods. One minute into their opening song "Yellow," the members of Stars fell to their knees and started weeping. "This is the best thing that's ever happened to me!" yelled vocalist Torquil Campbell, in between weeps. "Yeah I know. I will never forget this moment for as long as I live," replied keyboardist Chris Seligman, hands pointed toward the ceiling, as if reaching for the heavens. Judging by how things were going so far, it wouldn't have surprised anyone if he did find himself in heaven by the end of the night.
Two hours later, Coldplay finished their third encore and were preparing their goodbyes. The audience, exhausted from crying throughout the set due to the ineffable beauty of Coldplay's music, started cheering so loudly, in such a deafening manner, that Coldplay began to cry too. The members of Stars looked at each other in excited approval. They knew too that this was The Moment, the kind of experience that would forever shape their lives.
When everyone thought things couldn't get any better, Coldplay did what everyone knew had to happen: they launched into "Yellow" again. The crowd went nuts; Coldplay looked as energetic as ever; and each member of Stars closed their eyes and sang along: "Look at the stars/ Look how they shine for you!" The night felt like it could last forever.
It's a shame these dates are without Coldplay:
