Navigating Coldplay traffic
Coldplay will be rocking Rajamangala National Stadium tomorrow roughly from 8pm onwards. Over 60,000 people are expected to attend. This won’t be the first time they have played Bangkok. It was in 2003 when the British band first performed for the Thai crowd at Impact Arena Muang Thong Thani, three years after their breakout single Yellow catapulted them to global rock stardom.
“It was tough to resist monster melodies from both albums,
Parachutes and A Rush Of Blood To The Head,” wrote our reviewer then, “when they were coupled with Chris Martin’s yodelling and crystal clear waves of piano and sonically expensive acoustic guitar”.
Now 14 years later, Chris Martin, Jonny Buckland, Guy Berryman and Will Champion are making their way back to our shores — in a stadium setting this time.
Coldplay’s A Head Full Of Dreams Tour marks the band’s seventh concert tour, launched to support their namesake studio album. They were in Singapore last week and some fans have even posted the set list on Facebook! Anyway, we’re certain to hear new tunes like Everglow, Up & Up and Hymn For
The Weekend, while the crowd will be ready to sing along with favourites such as Yellow, The Scientist, Fix You and more.
The opening act for this Oceania leg of the tour is Australian artist Jess Kent, best known for her debut single Get Down.
As this is Bangkok, and it will be Friday evening, fans should examine how best they can wade through the traffic to get to Rajamangala stadium, next to Ramkhamhaeng University. Even without a concert, the road is notorious for traffic. Since the gig expects to attract up to 60,000 people, BEC Tero has made a video instruction listing all practical information, dos and don’ts, as well as a graphic showing different entrance doors. Bangkok has lately been familiar with concerts at Impact Arena, so a stadium gig like this is particularly exciting. (Visit BEC-Tero’s Facebook page)
According to thaiticketmajor.com, no private car is allowed inside the stadium area. Those who will be driving there can find parking at all the nearby malls and supermarkets (subject to parking fees), and then either walk or hail a ride to get to the stadium.
It is highly recommended that concert goers opt for public transportation. There are different buses that always go and up down Ramkhamhaeng Road. For those travelling on the Airport Rail Link, there will be free shuttle buses running from Hua Mark and Ramkhamhaeng station. The Grab application is offering a 50 baht discount for all rides to and from Rajamangala Stadium on the day (use code GRABYELLOW).
Another recommended mean of transportation is through our Bangkok boat. Get off at Mahat Thai pier, and then it’s just a short walk to the concert.
For those who won’t be joining in the fun at the stadium, do yourself a favour and avoid that entire area unless you want to get entangled in an even worse version of our notorious Friday traffic.
“Coldplay: A Head Full Of Dreams Tour”, tomorrow at Rajamangala National Stadium. Doors open at 5pm.
Tickets from 1,800-5,500 baht still available. Visit www.thaiticketmajor.com.