Friday, July 6, 2012 12:50pm ET by  
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Coldplay use front row seats as treats for unsuspecting gig-goers

British rockers Coldplay have revealed that the front row seats at many of their concerts are reserved for "giddy" fans and are given to them as a reward for their support.

The 'Paradise' superstars' roadie, known as Roadie 42, recently posted a message on their official blog about the dynamic of different audiences and explained that a lot of the time Coldplay don't sell tickets for the best seats in the house because they give them away to people sat further away from the stage on the night:

"It came about after struggling with shows where the seats closest to the stage were often full of just 'the highest bidders' and not necessarily the most enthusiastic fans. In European standing shows, the front rows are the kids who've been outside the venue since daybreak and who've sprinted in to get the pole position. Usually by the time the opening acts have finished they're at fever pitch with excitement."

"In contrast, folks who'd paid astronomical sums for the tickets could often just sit with an arms folded sense of entitlement, emoting 'Come on then, entertain me, have you any idea how much I paid for this?' So the band don't sell the tickets to the front few rows anymore."

"Instead, various crew members are sent out to scan the highest, furthest seats to find folks who look genuinely excited and giddy to be seeing the band. They're then given tickets to the front row."

 

 

 

He added that sitting in the very front row really is an unforgettable experience and being given access to the band at such close range is a fantastic treat for a sincere fan:

"For them, it's a Willy Wonka golden ticket. For the band, it's guaranteed energy from the folks closest to them. It genuinely does make the shows better. We've all said it many times. How good a show is, is largely to do with how good the audience are. It's what fuels the whole thing.”  

Watch footage of Chris Martin surprising his wife, Gwyneth Paltrow, with a kiss at a recent concert below: