Everything You Need To Know About Coldplay's 2023 Australian Shows

British music icons Coldplay are returning to Australia in November for two special, exclusive shows at Perth’s Optus Stadium – their first shows in the state since 2009.

“We're so happy to be returning to Perth for an extra special one-off show at Optus Stadium on November 18th this year,” Coldplay said in a statement.

“It’s a huge deal for us, and we’re massively looking forward to coming back to Western Australia. It’s been way too long.”

Since their formation in London in 1997, Coldplay have gone on to sell over 100 million albums across the globe. Their first three albums alone – 2000’s Parachutes, 2002’s A Rush Of Blood To The Head, and 2005’s X&Y, are three of the best-selling albums in the UK.

In 2008, they reached a record that was only previously held by the Spice Girls when their single Viva La Vida topped the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard 200, making them the first British outfit since Spice Girls’ Wannabe to achieve the feat.

In 2021, after being the only band to headline Glastonbury four times, Coldplay headlined the legendary Worthy Farm festival for a record-breaking fifth time. Coldplay have won nine Brit Awards, seven Grammy Awards, two American Music Awards, and many more. It’s fair to say that they’re the biggest band in the world right now, and Perth gets to showcase them this November.

Concerts – especially the big ones – have only gotten more stressful as multiple ticketing agencies and traffic take over our cities whenever the shows roll into town. To help with the overwhelming practice of seeing your favourite acts, The Music has rounded up the dates and venues you need to know, how to get to venues – public transport or driving included, reviews and setlists for the real dedicated fans, the support acts, and what albums acts are promoting.

Read on to learn everything you need to know about Coldplay’s upcoming Australian tour dates.

DATES & VENUES

Coldplay will headline Perth’s Optus Stadium on Saturday, 18, and Sunday, 19 November.

TICKETING INFO

Coldplay’s first show at Optus Stadium on 18 November was met with extraordinary demand, leading to a second show the following night. Tickets are presently sold out, but we will update this article if last-minute tickets are released closer to the shows. Until the Ticketmaster resale opens, you can try your luck at buying tickets through the safe buying and resale avenue, Tixel.

SUPPORT ACTS

On Saturday, 18 November, Coldplay will be joined by special guests Amy Shark and Thelma Plum. The next night, it’ll be Tash Sultana and Thelma Plum.

WHAT THEY’RE PROMOTING

Coldplay are promoting their ninth album, Music Of The Spheres. Released in 2021, the album followed 2019’s Everyday Life.

The Music called Music Of The Spheres, “an epic pop symphony,” and noted, “While not hitting the commercial highs of their previous albums, it spawned the massive hit My Universe with BTS as well as the ten-minute epic Coloratura. One of the first new albums to take full advantage of Apple Music's spatial audio mixing, the album is a sonic feast.”

SETLIST

The Music Of The Spheres tour began in March 2022 at Costa Rica’s San José, so there are plenty of setlists. Here’s the most recent one from Wednesday, 19 July, at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena per Setlist.fm:

Act .i. Planets

Music of the Spheres

Higher Power

Adventure of a Lifetime

Paradise (extended intro and outro)

The Scientist (with excerpts of “Oceans” in the intro and backward outro)

Act .ii. Moons

Viva la Vida

Hymn for the Weekend

Daddy

Charlie Brown

Yellow

Act .iii. Stars

Human Heart

People of the Pride

Clocks

Infinity Sign (shortened; with excerpts of Music of the Spheres II & Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall)

Something Just Like This (The Chainsmokers & Coldplay) (shortened; pre-recorded vocals with Chris performing in sign language)

Aeterna (on B-Stage; pre-recorded vocals; shortened)

My Universe (Coldplay x BTS)

A Sky Full of Stars

Act .iv. Home

Sunrise

Sparks

Magic

Humankind

Fix You

Biutyful (extended outro)

REVIEWS

The Music Of The Spheres tour has been named a “fantastical, feel-good bonanza”, per NME. When they were last in Australia in December 2016, The Music caught Coldplay in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.

For their show at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium, writer Deborah Jackson described the Coldplay concert as “magic” and “a night that the 45,000 people who had poured into Allianz Stadium are unlikely to forget anytime soon”. Jackson later concluded that “Martin delivered vocally perfect renditions of songs both old and new, but trying to pick a favourite moment would be like trying to pick a favourite child. It was all incredible.”

TRANSPORT

At the time of writing (25 July), here’s what we know. But, as with a lot of major events and venues, things will likely change in the lead-up. We will update with show-specific transport info when it comes to hand.

Optus Stadium is located in the Perth suburb of Burswood. According to the website, there is no dedicated parking lot on event days, so punters will need to plan accordingly. Your travel options include drop-off, public transport, walking and cycling, taxi/rideshare, and the Burswood Jetty.

ACCESSIBLE PARKING

While the stadium doesn’t offer public parking on event days, it does have a limited amount of accessible ACROD spots. You will need your event ticket, ACROD permit and a parking/drop-off pass to access the bays.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Train: You can get to Optus Stadium on the Joondalup, Fremantle and Armadale Lines. If you’re on the Midland and Airport Lines, you can walk over the Windan Bridge to East Perth Station.

Bus: Perth has a suburban event bus network and Perth CBD shuttle buses that stop at Perth Stadium Bus Station. You can find specific bus information closer to the dates.

WALK/CYCLE

Two paths lead directly to Optus Stadium for punters: venturing over the pedestrian Matagarup Bridge, which crosses Swan River from East Perth, and the Burswood Peninsula, which has pedestrian and cycle access to Stadium Park through multiple directions.

TAXI/RIDESHARE

Taxi: You can access the Optus Stadium primary taxi rank off Victoria Park Drive, adjacent to Eastern Train Station.

Rideshare: If you’re catching an Uber or Ola to Optus Stadium, you can be picked up and dropped off from Nelson Avenue in East Perth and walk across the Matagarup Bridge to arrive at the stadium.

BURSWOOD JETTY

You can also be dropped off directly outside the Stadium Park precinct on the Burswood Jetty, a viable option for pick up and drop off at Optus Stadium. You can book your jetty trip via Captain Cook Cruises.