andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Citing “artist-related medical reasons,” British band Coldplay postponed a concert at the Ford Ampitheatre in Tampa, Florida, scheduled for Sunday, reports Perez Hilton.

“We’re sorry to report that Coldplay has been forced to postpone their show at the Ford Ampitheatre in Tampa on Sunday, August 9th,” read a statement on the band’s web site. “This is due to medical reasons. The show is currently being rescheduled – we’ll give you the new details as soon as we have them. In the meantime, the band have asked us to apologize on their behalf for the inconvenience this causes.”

Having just hosted a Jazz and Comedy festival only a few weeks ago, Montreal was once again the pearl of Canada this past weekend with the undeniable success of the Osheaga Music and Arts festival- a two day event filled with performances beginning at 1:00pm all the way until 11:00pm.

As Saturday would feature notable acts such as Jason Mraz, The Roots, K’naan, The Stills, Girltalk and above all, the grandmaster Coldplay, andPOP decided to venture down to La Belle Province for day no. 1.

But something funny happened by the end of our trip. Not only did we go from being pale skinned to maple brown sunburned, but we also went from being a concert reviewer to a behind-the-scenes explorer.

With four different stages and acts scheduled at similar time slots, we had to pick and choose which musical path our day would lead towards.

This is our story.

2:30 pm- I begin my journey in Hell’s Kitchen. Beautiful sunny day in Montreal, but sweltering 30 degree Celsius heat. For some reason though, the crowd seems to want to stand through it for acoustic rock performer Donavon Frankenreiter at the Mountain Stage. The musician and also pro surfer gathers a trickling crowd with an immediate groovy set- reminiscent of longtime pal Jack Johnson.

Part of that next batch of sunshine tune-fellows like Johnson, Ben Harper, Matt Costa and G. Love,  Frankenreiter ignites the festival’s spirit with his variety of catchy soothing numbers- most notably It Don’t Matter, which leads fans into a massive chant. A laid-back Frankenreiter even lets a lucky fan help him belt out the chorus, sending the crowd into rave cheers.

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U2 frontman Bono appears to be getting a tad bit jealous of Coldplay’s new label as “the new U2 of our generation”. According to E! online, in a radio interview promoting U2’s new CD, No Line on the Horizon, which drops this week, Bono also “dropped a couple of verbal bombs on Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.”

The interview was held by BBC Radio 1 deejay Jo Whiley, who asked Bono if Martin was as talented as Paul McCartney. This question appeared to rub Bono the wrong way, as he replied “I think he’s a good melodist, but he’s a wanker”.

He went on to elaborate that Martin was “obviously a completely dysfunctional character and a cretin, but he happens to be a great melodist and up there with Ray Davies, Noel Gallagher and Paul McCartney.”

Whiley asked Bono for an apology, but Bono was insistent on his original opinion, E! online reports. He responded with “I’m a reformed character, I don’t any more.”

Bono must have realized the negative consequences his comment could have, as he tried to smooth over his earlier comment later in the interview. His version of an apology was, “I think [Coldplay] are a great band, and actually, it turns out [Martin’s] a great soul as well. Sorry about that. I was joking entirely.”

Yes it’s true, Coldplay has banned its vocalist Chris Martin from entering the recording studio, but don’t worry, it’s not for long.

“Chris has been banned from the studio for these first two weeks. Now, before the rumour mill cranks its way excitedly into life, this does not indicate any kind of split in the camp. This is an experiment of Brian’s, “ wrote Roadie #42 in a post on the band’s website.

The post says that producer Brian Eno wanted the rest of the band to construct “their own musical underpinning with little idea of what Chris had in mind.”

“The fact that this is such a crazy way of going about things seems to encourage them to go off in deliberately strange and adventurous directions, Roadie #42 continues. “Often, they come in first thing in the morning and listen to Chris’s idea once, before going out into the live room and working up something based purely on how the song “felt” to them on first listen, paying little heed to what chords he chose or how the melody sat”.

Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter Apple loves to play dress up with her younger brother Moses, reports People Magazine.

“She makes [Moses] cross-dress,” Paltrow, 35, told People Magazine. “But she doesn’t put makeup on him!”

But that does not stop Apple from keeping the makeup to herself.

“My daughter plays with anything that’s girly. … She loves makeup,” said the actress. “She puts on the eye shadow and my high heels. … She likes to take my tank tops and make them a dress. And then she asks me to tie a rubber band on the back so they stay up.”

Paltrow is married to Coldplay front man Chris Martin.

CHRIS MARTIN has praised TRAVIS for having such a big influence on young musicians, crediting the Scottish band for the creation of Martin’s own group, COLDPLAY.

Appearing as a guest presenter on the UK’s Radio 1 alongside SHAUN OF THE DEAD actor SIMON PEGG last night, Martin unveiled Travis’ new song, BIG CHAIR, to the delight of fans across the country.

Martin gushed, “We’re gonna finish with an incredible exclusive, we’re very privileged to play it, it’s a new song by the band Travis, the band that invented my band and lots of others.”

But while lead singer of Travis, FRAN HEALY, was delighted at the song’s debut, the airing was a little earlier than expected.

He says, “I thought it was going to get played (on Saturday). I checked the Radio 1 website a few days ago and I’m sure it said Chris was on (Saturday) but what a nice surprise.

“Thanks Chris, I must return the favour one day!”

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A one-song, exclusive performance from Coldplay front man Chris Martin has been auctioned off for ?5,000 (about $10,000 CAD). Martin will play the private gig in the living room of a child from the Canonbury Primary School in London, reports LAUNCH.

The child’s parent won the charity auction, which started off at ?400. Funds will go towards a new resource and IT centre for Canonbury Primary.

Martin reportedly agreed to the show because Paul Makin, Coldplay’s business manager, is a parent at the school.

Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin have welcomed a baby boy into the world and no, they did not name him Orange.

Spokeswoman Emily Yomtobian said the couple’s second child was born in New York at the weekend and was named Moses.

“Mum and baby are both doing well,” she said. “I’m sure they are ecstatic.”

Paltrow, 33, and Martin, 29, already have a daughter named Apple.

“It sounded so sweet and it conjured such a lovely picture for me,” Paltrow once told talk show host Oprah Winfrey of Apple’s name.

“You know, apples are so sweet and they’re wholesome and it’s biblical – and I just thought it sounded so lovely and clean.”

Rumours are running rampant that Gwyneth Paltrow is pregnant again after her mother, Blythe Danner, reportedly let the good news slip at a media awards ceremony.

“Are you going to be a grandmother again?” Danner was quizzed by a reporter. “Yes I am,” she is said to have replied.

Paltrow, 33, and her husband, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, are believed to have conceived backstage at a British music festival this summer ? possibly Glastonbury.

They already have one child: a 16-month-old daughter named Apple.

Paltrow?s publicist has refused to confirm or deny the pregnancy.