Coldplay Launches New North American Tour at Wachovia Center June 29

Coldplay launches their new anticipated “Viva La Vida” North American Tour in Philadelphia at the Wachovia Center on Sunday, June 29 at 8 p.m. Tickets ranging at $49.50, $77.50, and $97.50 will go on sale on Friday, May 16 at 10 a.m. exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, 1-800-298-4200, the Wachovia Complex Box Office, or select ACME locations.

Coldplay joins Barry Manilow, Barbara Streisand, and The Who as acts that have launched their tour at the Wachovia Center within the last two years.

Before kicking off the tour in Philadelphia, Coldplay will play free concerts in London (Monday, June 16 at the Brixton Academy) and New York (Monday, June 23 at Madison Square Garden). Information on how to win tickets to these shows is now available at Coldplay.com. The contest will run starting Friday, May 9 through Sunday, June 1. Winners will receive notification on Thursday, June 5.

Viva La Vida, Coldplay’s upcoming album, will be released by Capitol Music Group on Tuesday, June 17. Produced by Brian Eno and Markus Dravs, the record is the follow-up to 2005’s X&Y, which debuted at number one in 32 countries and has sold ten million copies worldwide to date.

The album’s lead single “Violet Hill” was downloaded by two million people during the recent one-week period in which the band made the song available to fans for free. It is now for sale at all digital retailers and is quickly rising to the top of the charts at Modern Rock and AAA radio. Coldplay will perform “Violet Hill” on the “TODAY” show on NBC on Friday, June 27. Fans are encouraged to check out the performance in person. Viewing is on a first-come, first-served basis outside the show’s Window on the World Studio, located at 49th Street and Rockefeller Plaza in New York City. The band will also perform on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” on Thursday, June 26.

“[Lead singer Chris] Martin broods over a lost lover with a snarling acidity that makes him sound more human than ever - miles away from the dreamy romantic he was on soaring ballads like ‘Speed of Sound,’” said Rolling Stone, naming “Violet Hill” a must-have in a recent “Downloads” column. “Jonny Buckland rips jagged, bluesy riffs that match Martin’s mood while drummer Will Champion and bassist Guy Berryman maintain a stalking beat…primal rock & roll.” The Los Angeles Times pronounced the single a “promising return,” also marveling at its harder edge.

Tickets for all Wachovia Center and Wachovia Spectrum events are available exclusively through ComcastTIX at ComcastTIX.com, 1-800-298-4200, the Wachovia Complex Box Office, select ACME locations, the Virtua Health Flyers Skate Zone at Voorhees, and the Polonia Bank Flyers Skate Zone at N.E. Philly. Join the free Wachovia Complex CyberClub and receive advance notice and special offers to future events at Comcast-Spectacor.com.

Monday, May 12, 2008