Coldplay — Tiny Desk Concert, 2020

Filmed at Bob Boilen’s desk in NPR’s Washington headquarters, this Coldplay live session was recorded on January 23, 2020 and published on March 9, 2020 as part of the Tiny Desk Concerts. The Tiny Desk format demands an intimate, stripped-down performance: no PA system, a cramped nook lined with record shelves, and an acoustic sound that exposes voices and arrangements. Pared down to a duo here, Chris Martin on vocals and piano and Jonny Buckland on guitar, the British band arrived on the strength of Everyday Life, their eighth album released in late 2019. Backed by the For Love Choir, a nine-voice ensemble, Coldplay revisits recent tracks such as “Cry Cry Cry,” “Broken” and “Champion of the World,” delivers a bare version of their classic “Viva La Vida,” and slips in a cover of Prince’s “1999.” This 2020 NPR live session shows the band’s ability to transpose stadium anthems into a minimalist setting, where songwriting and vocal harmony matter more than production. It is a valuable document for hearing Coldplay away from their usual scale, close up and unadorned.