Watch Coldplay Perform ‘Higher Power’ For Radio 1’s Big Weekend
Coldplay performed a set this weekend, including recent single Higher Power, at a spectacular location for Radio 1‘s Big Weekend 2021.
Playing in front of a lit-up Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire – the monastic ruins that provided inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula – as the sun set in the background, Chris Martin and co.’s performance of the song also boasted a dramatic fireworks display. You can watch the performance below.
The band joined the likes of Wolf Alice, Ed Sheeran and Royal Blood on the Big Weekend 2021 bill, with each artist performing their set from a special location of their choosing.
This year’s Big Weekend festival is taking place online for the second consecutive year due to coronavirus-enforced restrictions. It’s being broadcast across BBC Radio 1, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds from Friday, 28 May to Bank Holiday Monday, 31 May.
Earlier this week (May 27), James Newman revealed that he received a call from Chris Martin following the former’s nil points defeat at the 2021 Eurovision. Newman represented the UK with his track Embers at last week’s (May 22) Eurovision Song Contest, which ultimately saw Italian band Måneskin take this year’s crown.
“[Chris Martin] told me to not take the result personally, said I was amazing and told me to keep my chin up,” Newman said, adding that he’d “grown up listening to him”.
“He’s an amazing songwriter so it made me feel so much better.”
Coldplay also performed their first-ever live TikTok set on Monday (24 May) to benefit Red Nose Day USA. The band livestreamed their performance from the Alexandra Palace Theatre in London to support the US charity, which is held its latest fundraising event on Thursday, 27 May.
While broadcasting live on their TikTok channel, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin told those watching live on the video-sharing platform about how the band “care deeply” about Red Nose Day USA, before adding that he wished that a live audience could be present for their performance.