Coldplay are pressing ahead with their giant onstage jumbotron despite the scandal it sparked last month, and Chris Martin is not shying away from the subject.
The band brought their Music of the Spheres world tour to Sewell Group Craven Park in Hull this week, just over a month after an awkward “kiss cam” moment in the US went viral.
On July 16, during their show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, the camera panned to Andy Byron, then CEO of New York tech firm Astronomer, and his colleague Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer.
The footage showed Cabot leaning back into Byron while holding his hands, before the pair quickly ducked out of view when they realised they were being beamed onto the stadium’s big screen.
Martin was spot on when joked at the time: "Either they're having an affair or they're just really shy."
Clips of the moment spread rapidly online. Days later, Astronomer announced via LinkedIn that Byron had “tendered his resignation,” with the board “accepting” his decision. Cabot also quit her role.
Back on stage in Hull this week, Martin referenced the incident, telling the crowd: “We are going to do our f***ing kiss cam… so if you are not prepared to be on international news, please duck.
“Life throws you lemons and you have got to make lemonade. We are going to keep doing it because we are going to meet some of you.”
Coldplay, who formed in London in the late Nineties, are now preparing for a run of 10 shows at Wembley Stadium between August 22 and September 8 2025.
Fans heading to the north west London venue will also be able to experience Yellow 25, a large scale art installation celebrating the 25th anniversary of the band’s breakthrough single Yellow.
Created by Wembley Park in collaboration with the Pantone Color Institute, the installation transforms the Spanish Steps into a sweeping “colour journey” inspired by the emotional arc of the 2000 track.
Each of the 58 steps has been matched to a different shade of yellow from Pantone’s global colour system, beginning with pale, muted tones and progressing to rich golds.
The piece is finished with Pantone’s iconic chip framing, designed to reflect both the visual and emotional power of one of Coldplay’s most enduring anthems.
