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Coldplay in Perth: Chris Martin and band leave WA after spectacular double show extravaganza at Optus Stadium

Headshot of Caleb Runciman
Caleb RuncimanThe West Australian
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Coldplay frontman Chris Martin fist pumps a member of the Perth Airport staff as he farewells WA.
Camera IconColdplay frontman Chris Martin fist pumps a member of the Perth Airport staff as he farewells WA. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

British rockers Coldplay have left Perth Airport destined for Malaysia after a sensational double show spectacle at Optus Stadium.

Diehard fans tried to catch a glimpse of frontman Chris Martin on Tuesday afternoon outside Perth’s international terminal.

“Thanks for coming,” said one supporter, who was wearing an elephant costume similar to the outfit worn in Coldplay’s music video Paradise.

The group of fans was heard chanting Martin’s name as airport security covered the musicians with umbrellas as they exited a blacked-out van.

Band members were seen walking across the tarmac just before 3pm onto a private jet — with Martin and drummer Will Champion spotted by The West.

Martin was wearing a white shirt, cap and headphones as he made one final glance across the hot tarmac before entering the plane. The singer even made the effort to wish one lucky airport staffer a fist bump.

Champion was seen sporting a blue denim overcoat, hat and sunglasses — a toasty outfit considering WA is in the middle of a heat wave.

The band’s pilot gave a cheeky wave to the camera before the British superstars took to the air - a flight about six hours in length before the band performs in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

The band is then set to continue the Asian leg of their Music of The Spheres world tour in the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand before they return to Sydney, Melbourne and Auckland late next year.

The band thanked WA for the love shown to them at their two sold-out shows.

In a simple post to X, formerly Twitter, Coldplay posted a photo of a packed Optus Stadium as fireworks lit up the sky to end the first of two blockbuster shows at the weekend.

The band members board their flight bound for Malaysia.
Camera IconThe band members board their flight bound for Malaysia. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian

“Thank you Perth — that was off the charts,” the post said, accompanied by green and gold hearts and lightning emojis.

After Sunday’s show a follow-up post said: “Thank you Perth. You truly made us feel on top of the world.”

Two WA-themed songs were performed across the weekend, with one tune paying tribute to late Aussie cricketer Shane Warne.

Before Coldplay’s first show wrapped up on Saturday night, Martin paid tribute to Western Australia with a short song about the State, referencing fellow music icons Tame Impala and cricket great and columnist for The West Justin Langer.

“We’ve been around the world, we’ve been everywhere You think of a place and ... probably been there,” Martin sang on Saturday

“My life would have been a total failure if I hadn’t seen Western Australia”

More than 130,000 people flocked to Optus to watch the British superstars across the weekend — with an estimated “tens of millions” of dollars expected to boost the economy as a result of the added foot traffic.

About 30 per cent of concertgoers are estimated to have visited from outside of WA for the double-header and the figure spent by the State Government to lure the band to Perth remains unknown.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin smiles as he travels the Perth Airport tarmac.
Camera IconColdplay frontman Chris Martin smiles as he travels the Perth Airport tarmac. Credit: Jackson Flindell/The West Australian
Fans wait at Perth Airport to catch a glimpse of Coldplay members before they leave WA.
Camera IconFans wait at Perth Airport to catch a glimpse of Coldplay members before they leave WA. Credit: Caleb Runciman/The West Australian

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