Pemberton Day 3: Coldplay Joke Their Way Through Headlining Set

As co-producers of the inaugural Pemberton Festival, it was in Coldplay's best interests to see the fest off in style. Once they finally got down to it after Jay-Z's set, it was all smiles, jokes and parodied lyrics, even on the weightier songs (on "Fix You," Chris Martin crooned, "When the festival traffic moves at the slowest pace"). And the band was not content to simply sail through material, presenting a ghostly, dance-beat version of "God Put a Smile Upon Your Face," and even venturing out to a platform stage in the middle of the crowd for an acoustic shot at "The Scientist." Ending on Viva La Vida's "Death and All His Friends," Martin looked out, smiling, and said, "Good evening, ladies and gentlemen." And a good evening it was, whether anyone could be classified as ladies or gentlemen by then. Coldplay took a bow, and Pemberton prepared to shrink by 40,000 people.

For more Pemberton Festival coverage, visit rocknrolldiary.com.

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Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »

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