Coldplay live in Dublin: A triumphant, ecstatic night in pictures

British band did ‘everything bar set fire to Croke Park to connect with audience’ in stadium lost in music

Chris Martin on stage with Coldplay in Croke Park. Photograph: Tom Honan
Chris Martin on stage with Coldplay in Croke Park. Photograph: Tom Honan

Coldplay took to the stage in Croke Park on Thursday night for the first of four concerts at Dublin’s field of dreams. The band, led by Chris Martin, have sold all 320,000 tickets for their shows on Thursday, Friday, Sunday and Monday, meaning the equivalent of almost one-in-20 people in Ireland will have seen the English band perform by the time they leave.

“It’s very hard to stay cynical when presented with the sights and sounds of a stadium lost in music, illuminated by those wristbands, and warmed by the unadulterated joy of thousands,” writes Pat Carty in our review of the first night extravaganza. “The Gallaghers [Oasis] and certain rock snobs might find Coldplay’s open-hearted approach gauche but Chris Martin does not waste time worrying about what’s ‘cool’. He’s far too busy putting on a show that does everything bar set fire to Croke Park to connect with the ecstatic audience.”

Coldplay in Croke Park review: Croker loses its collective mind to choruses purpose-built for this kind of night outOpens in new window ]

Coldplay at Croke Park, Dublin: setlist, stage times, weather and moreOpens in new window ]

‘We are travelling everywhere we can’: Coldplay superfans descend on DublinOpens in new window ]

Chris Martin and Coldplay performing at Croke Park during the first of four sold-out concerts in Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Chris Martin and Coldplay performing at Croke Park during the first of four sold-out concerts in Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan
Photograph: Tom Honan