Coldplay Delivers Roaring Performance In Malaysia Despite ‘Kill Switch’ Threat

 

Despite the rain, British rock band Coldplay delighted over 75,000 fans at a concert in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday night. The Malaysia concert, which was part of their Music of the Spheres World Tour, was the group’s first in the Southeast Asian country since 1997.

Coldplay performed a riveting two-hour set at the National Stadium Bukit Jalil. At 8 p.m., local artiste Bunga Isme performed for 30 minutes, singing songs such as Intan Payung and an unreleased single titled Jiwaraga.

At 9 p.m., Coldplay grabbed the stage. During the performance, the Grammy-winning band’s frontman, Chris Martin, asked a couple onstage to join him. The 46-year-old emphasized his wish to return to the country while playing A Sky Full of Stars.

He also enthralled the audience by reciting a pantun in Bahasa Malaysia and performing an impromptu “Kuala Lumpur Song” on his love for Malaysian rain. He thanked Malaysia’s authorities for allowing them to play, saying that “we have waited 27 years.”

Despite criticism from hardline Muslims in the country, Coldplay’s KL concert went off without a hitch. There was also a “kill switch” threat, which permits the organizer to cancel an event if artists violate established criteria. However, its use was superfluous.