I couldn't get tickets to any of Coldplay's Singapore shows. Here's why I think they kept selling out

Like many Singaporeans, I spent the past few days trying to snag tickets for Coldplay’s Singapore concert. The key word here being "trying". 

Despite the multiple presales and additional shows, my queue number was simply too high. Heck, I was still queuing up at Ticketmaster’s site when Coldplay announced their sixth and final Singapore show.

Over an hour after writing up the article above, I finally reached the promised land which was the seat selection page, only to be greeted by this humbling message:

As I stared at those words, which I swear were specifically there to mock me, I couldn’t help but wonder: How did we get here?

How did Singapore – a country roasted for not being on the list of Coldplay’s initial Asia stops – end up with six shows?

And more importantly, why couldn’t I get a seat to watch one of my favourite bands despite them playing six shows?

Here’s my attempt to rationalise the whole situation. A coping mechanism, if you will.

1. COLDPLAY’S SG TICKETS ARE MUCH CHEAPER  

Let’s ignore Coldplay’s VIP packages for a second and just focus on the prices of general standing tickets – the spots closest to the stage – across the board in Southeast Asia.

Indonesia’s standing tickets = IDR 3,500,000 (S$313)
The Philippines’ standing tickets = P11,000 (S$266)
Thailand’s standing tickets = 5,800 baht (S$224)
Malaysia’s standing tickets  = RM658 (S$190)

In comparison, here’s how much our standing tickets cost: S$168.

With that price tag, coupled with us having more shows, it makes a lot more sense for Coldplay fans in other parts of the region to come to our sunny island to Viva la Vida (and make it a full-blown vacation while they're at it).

That, in turn, probably explains why queues for Coldplay’s Singapore concerts exceeded a million people. Because judging from past shows by the likes of U2 and Blackpink, Singaporeans are obviously not the only ones watching these acts.

2. THE NATIONAL STADIUM IS AN OBJECTIVELY GOOD VENUE

A question that has been popping up throughout this entire Coldplay discourse is: Why would they play six shows here and not more shows in other countries? Heck, some of the other venues they’re playing at have bigger seating capacities than ours.

The band and their management have not given an official reason (and we've also reached out to organisers LiveNation) but personally, I could think of a few.

One of the main ones – and bear with me on this – is that the National Stadium is objectively a good place to hold a concert with this much hype.

We’ve already established that loads of people from all over Asia (and maybe the world) will be coming to Singapore for Coldplay. It will take more than a huge seating capacity to effectively manage this crowd.

Enter the National Stadium.

As someone who recently went to Blackpink’s concert at the National Stadium, I can honestly say that travelling to and from the location is convenient with a capital C. The stadium is a few steps away from Stadium MRT Station and is within walking distance from Kallang MRT Station. Sure, you’ll have to queue up to enter the stations once the concert is over but, thanks to the staff, the lines will be orderly and properly managed.

Plus, National Stadium is near multiple hotels, which bodes well for our overseas friends.

3. COLDPLAY HAS A STELLAR REPUTATION

Over the years, Coldplay has built up a glowing reputation thanks to their solid discography and showmanship. They’re one of the few bands to successfully experiment with different music styles – from the mellow alternative rock vibes of Yellow to the more pop-ish My Universe. This, in turn, has garnered them a wide fanbase, spanning people of multiple ages.

Coupled with Coldplay’s critically acclaimed live performances, it’s no wonder that even casual listeners of the band were clamouring to get tickets for Singapore’s shows.

4. TICKETS WENT TO PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T GOING TO WATCH ANYWAY

A quick look at various reselling sites will show that there are many Coldplay tickets being listed. Unlike resale tickets for concerts such as Twice and Blackpink (which were tremendously marked up), most of Coldplay’s ones seem to be going at cost price or at a slightly higher premium.

One possible reason could be that some of these resellers were panic-buying any date and seat they could get during the early hours of Coldplay’s ticket sales, before more show dates were revealed. 

Of course, scalpers will always exist. As such, desperate Coldplay fans would be wise to do their due diligence before dealing with them.

5. COLDPLAY MEMBERS ARE TRYING TO BE PERMANENT RESIDENTS IN SINGAPORE

I kid, of course. However, a few netizens (including YouTuber Jinnyboy) can’t help but wonder if Coldplay’s six shows signal their desire to obtain permanent residency status here. Bassist Guy Berryman categorically said they loved it the last time they were here with their families.

We won’t know for sure but if it means having Coldplay perform at our National Day Parade in the near future, more power to them.
 

Even though I’m sad about not being able to get Coldplay’s tickets, a part of me still feels proud that Singapore has been honoured with the six shows.

As Malaysian politician Syed Saddiq puts it, Singapore’s shows will generate a lot of revenue for multiple businesses in the region including airlines and F&B businesses. As such, I'll think of my loss as my sacrifice for the greater good of Singapore.

For now, I'll just shake it off and brace myself for Taylor Swift's upcoming concert here. If you thought getting Coldplay tickets was a bloodbath, you ain't seen nothing yet.

But if you’re reading this, Chris Martin, it’ll be great if you could hook me up with two tickets.