Coldplay’s Chris Martin Jabs at New Toronto Stadium Amidst Record-Breaking Tour
Coldplay performed the second of four concerts at Toronto’s new Rogers Stadium on Tuesday, with frontman Chris Martin offering some tongue-in-cheek criticism of the brand-new venue. The show was only the third event held at the 50,000-capacity stadium located in the city’s north end.
Ironically, Live Nation Canada’s president of music, Erik Hoffman, has cited Coldplay as a major reason the stadium was built. Over two nights, however, Martin jokingly referred to the venue as a “weird stadium in the middle of nowhere” and later, a “very bizarre stadium a million miles from Earth.” During his piano intro to “The Scientist,” he quipped, “We are solely testing the premise, ‘If you build it, they will come.'”
Martin’s comments come as the venue addresses early fan complaints regarding relocated seats, a lack of water stations, and long waits to leave. While improvements have been made, including increased staff and traffic signals to manage crowds at the nearby transit station, exiting remains an ordeal.
Conversely, the stadium’s somewhat secluded location arguably enhances the celestial theme of Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres World Tour, making the 45-minute trip from downtown feel like a journey to another world. The production itself was impeccable, contributing to a majestic experience.
Marking the 203rd show of their record-breaking tour, Martin told the audience the previous 202 performances were “just rehearsals for you.” Following a delay on the first night to fix a lighting tower, the second show ran smoothly.
Throughout the concert, Martin championed a message of unity, welcoming fans with flags from countries including Brazil, Sri Lanka, and Colombia, as well as an LGBTQ+ Pride flag. Acknowledging both Palestinian and Israeli flags in the crowd over the two nights, he celebrated the gathering of diverse nationalities and religions as proof that “all these conflicts… are really overcomeable by the power of love and togetherness.”
TikTok Canada Halts Arts Sponsorships Ahead of Mandated Shutdown
TikTok is withdrawing its sponsorship from major Canadian arts and culture institutions, including the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Juno Awards, as it prepares to comply with a federal order to cease its operations in the country.
The move follows a directive from the Canadian government issued last November, which ordered the company to wind down its Canadian business over national security concerns. While TikTok has vowed to fight the order in court, it is now halting its local initiatives.
Steve de Eyre, TikTok Canada’s director of public policy and government affairs, told The Canadian Press that the company is being forced to cancel these programs as it cannot commit to renewals without a local team. “The reality is, you need to have local staff to develop those things and to run those things,” he said.
The withdrawal will impact several significant partnerships. Since 2020, TikTok has been a key partner for the Junos, serving as the title sponsor for the Juno Fan Choice Award and contributing $500,000 to the music education charity MusiCounts. The company has also sponsored programs at TIFF since 2022 and funded the National Screen Institute’s TikTok Accelerator for Indigenous Creators, which has supported nearly 400 participants.
Despite the government’s order to close its offices, a timeline has not been set, and the app itself is not currently banned for users in Canada.
Indie Label Arts & Crafts Launches Country Division, Signs The Washboard Union
Renowned Canadian independent label Arts & Crafts, celebrated for its work with artists like Feist and Broken Social Scene, is expanding into country music with its new imprint, Arts & Crafts Country. The label has announced Juno-winning, platinum-selling group The Washboard Union as its first signing.
“Arts & Crafts prides itself on a diverse universe of music built on the label’s core pillars of creativity and community,” said Kieran Roy, president of Arts & Crafts, in a statement. “We have always been driven by inventiveness, without regard for the limits of genre. It is on that note that we are thrilled to announce our partnership with The Washboard Union.”
The B.C.-based trio, consisting of Aaron Grain, Chris Duncombe, and David Roberts, has been a force in Canadian country for over a decade. After partnerships with Warner Music Canada and Universal Music Canada, the band has earned nine CCMA Awards and became the first country group to win a Juno for Breakthrough Group of the Year. They have amassed over 85 million streams and multiple gold and platinum-certified singles.
“The Arts & Crafts team are, above all, music fans and innovators,” said Duncombe. “We’ve always believed in making music that’s truly authentic, so to partner with a label that values artistry and creativity is energizing.”
The Washboard Union is currently recording new material, with a single slated for release this fall. The band will also tour Australia for the first time in October under a new partnership with ABC Music.
