Ultimate Coldplay

Was who we saw on Friday night in Oxford. We went to the Oxford 02 Academy. Very straightforward journey and bit of a novelty driving to a gig rather than the train. Got parked directly opposite the venue, quite a result! Got to say what a friendly venue it was, all the staff we encountered were very helpful and jolly.
Only a small auditorium, there's a bigger one downstairs but for the proposes of this gig it was upstairs only. Got a drink (nothing of note ….or taste on draught so slummed it on cider) and T had Bacardi & Coke. Mooched about for a while and then the first band came on called by the vocalists name of Rhys Warriner. Took station down the front, it wasn't very crowded yet, they started very well and were quite good though they lost me abit when they went abit funky. They finished and I had a chat to the bloke next to us who, it turns out runs a blog called Market Square Heroes  all about music and tribute bands. He does interviews and generally promotes them, its very good, go to https://www.marketsquareheroes.net/  to find out more. He follows the bands on festivals etc, there are, it appears whole festivals devoted to tribute acts!
Time passed and then the next band came on. 'Port in a Storm' were really good. The vocalist had a brilliant voice and they rattled their way through there (mostly) own penned rocky songs, there're a local band formed in 2008.
Ultimate Coldplay came on about 9.30pm and played an very good hour and an half set from the original Coldplay album 'Live in Buenos Aries.'
They were absolutely brilliant! Really loud and very professional. I think the term 'tribute band' conjures up second rate because they are copying, but this is far from the truth. Any tribute band I've seen (now seen four) are consummate musicians, very proud of what they do and very good at it. Paul from Market Square Heroes told us that Ultimate Coldplay are regarded as one of the best Coldplay tribute acts, indeed they have the seal of approval from Chris Martin himself!
Really enjoyed the gig, bellowed out the words such as I knew and we had a bloody good time, they were definitely as good as the real thing, considerably cheaper & we could get near the front.
Ended all too soon and we were back in the car driving home before you knew it. It was a great night.

The venue

Rhys Warriner

Port in a Storm

Us!

Ultimate Coldplay