Coldplay concert in Singapore: Review and setlist of the band's first night at the National Stadium

It finally happened. After months of lamenting my inability to secure a ticket, I eventually snagged a seat at the first of Coldplay's six shows in Singapore this year. Suffice it to say, the months of agony paid off.

Music Of The Spheres marks the British rock band's return to Singapore – seven years after their A Head Full of Dreams tour – and they did not disappoint. In fact, one could say they've achieved a Higher Power.

The night started with a series of performances by opening acts Jinan Laetitia and Jasmine Sokko – both of whom captivated concert-goers with their respective charms.

Indonesian singer Jinan Laetitia soothed the crowd with her ethereal voice while Singaporean singer-songwriter Jasmine Sokko worked her magic with her masterful crowd work. The way these two artistes commanded the stage deserves praise and I'm sure they've succeeded in converting many new fans.

At 8.30pm, the National Stadium drowned in a sea of screams as the members of Coldplay emerged from under the stage and made their way up, before launching into the songs Music Of The Sphere and Higher Power.

The crowd, myself included, immediately got hyped up upon hearing Chris Martin's emotional vocals and the group's mesmerising instrument skills. Add the dazzling lights from our LED wristbands into the mix and it seemed like we were in for a smooth-sailing ride.

That is until it was time for Coldplay to perform The Scientist and Paradise.

Due to a technical fault with the screen, the group had to restart Paradise which admittedly dampened the vibe slightly. But hey, it was a minor inconvenience and Coldplay bounced back quickly.

What was weird, however, was when Chris Martin's piano stopped working as he was singing The Scientist. This prompted him to stop the performance and ask the stage crew to get it fixed.

At this point, the show could have easily stopped dead in its tracks and I wouldn't have blamed Coldplay. However, Martin – being the consummate professional that he is – immediately joked with the audience to diffuse the tension.

Without missing a beat, he then partnered with Jonny Buckland to perform an acoustic version of The Scientist, with Buckland's guitar replacing the piano – giving birth to one of the best renditions of the song I've heard.

It takes a special kind of group to turn a potential disaster into a stellar highlight, and this incident proved that Coldplay deserves all the accolades. I'm happy to report that after overcoming these obstacles, the band was in full force for the rest of the night – locking the audience in with hits such as Hymn For The Weekend, Yellow and My Universe.

The full set list of Coldplay's first Singapore show is as follows:

• Music Of The Spheres
• Higher Power
• Adventure Of A Lifetime
• Paradise
• The Scientist
• Viva La Vida
• Hymn For The Weekend
• Everglow
• Charlie Brown
• Yellow
• Human Heart
• People Of The Pride
• Clocks
• Infinity Sign
• Something Just Like This
• Midnight
• My Universe
• A Sky Full Of Stars
• Sunrise
• Sparks
• Don't Panic
• Fix You
• Biutyful
• A Wave

Despite being a longtime fan of Coldplay, I ended up learning something new about the band after this concert: The depth of their sincerity. Both in connecting with their fans and making the world a better place.

There were many instances during the concert (and tour) where this sincerity was highlighted – from the kinetic dance floor and electric bikes that powered the show to the green transport options for fans heading home.

The one that spoke the most to me was when he brought two audience members onstage in the middle of the show. Just like the mother-son pair at Coldplay's Tokyo Dome concert, these two fans had also recently lost someone close to them and requested the band to play Everglow – which Martin, of course, obliged.

However, before Martin could start singing, one of the fans onstage whipped out his phone – presumably to record the performance – leading the 46-year-old singer to stop him and impart some wisdom.

"You don't need to film this now, my brother. I'm right here. We're having a real connection," he said as the audience laughed.

Sure, it was a light-hearted incident but it underscored Coldplay's commitment to being in the moment with their fans, which I would argue has led to some of their most powerful performances.

With five more shows to go, Coldplay is poised to deliver one of Singapore's most memorable concert experiences. From its sustainability initiatives to production values, almost every aspect of the show ranked highly in my opinion, save for a few hiccups here and there.

But hey, nobody said it was easy.