Viva Coldplay!

It's no secret to anyone following pop music that Coldplay is one of the biggest bands in the world. Since their debut album "Parachutes" hit stores in 2000, the British Band has dominated the charts time and time again with their energetic pop-rock and awe-inspiring shows. Wednesday night's show at Boston's TD Banknorth Garden affirmed my belief that Coldplay's four members are far more than fading pop stars; they are virtuoso musicians who can put on a hell of a show.

After show-opener Duffy left the stage, the crowd anxiously waited for the lights to dim and their favorite song to ring in the rafters. Promoting their "Viva la Vida" album, it's no surprise that Coldplay opened with one of the album's most upbeat songs, "Life in Technicolor." As the members stood silhouetted behind black curtains, a globe descended from the rafters, emanating vivid colors throughout the arena. The curtains fell during the song's climax, revealing Chris Martin, Will Champion, Guy Berryman, and John Buckland banging away at their instruments.

Coldplay followed up the thunderous opening with "Violet Hill," another single off "Viva la Vida." Martin then thanked everyone for coming to the show and even hinted at his love for Boston, saying it's the second time Coldplay's played at the Garden since the "Viva" tour took off this summer.

The show was a masterpiece of lights, effects, and music. During the band's perennial hit "Fix You," lasers shot all the way into the balcony, blinking perfectly in synch with the highs and lows of the song. During the brooding "Cemeteries of London," the band members flashed on two enormous screens hanging from the rafters in a black and white static that reflected the song's tone.

Halfway through the show, Coldplay gathered on a small, lit-up stage smack-dab in the middle of the audience for three songs: "God Put a Smile upon Your Face," "Talk," and "The Hardest Part." After mellowing the crowd with a lone piano performance on "The Hardest Part," Coldplay brought it back to its feet with the haunting string beat off the heart-pumping "Viva la Vida."

Jumping up and down, rolling over in somersaults, semi-tackling Johnny Buckland-these are all antics Chris Martin pulls off while effortlessly singing his band's hits. As a frontman, he gets the job done. Not only does he enliven the crowd, but he belts his tunes like a true professional.

The band members are equally impressive musicians who play several instruments. During an acoustic break from the rock and roll, Will Champion, the drummer, picked a guitar and sang a folksy cover song. Guy Berryman, the bassist, played what looked like a Mandolin, and Buckland took over on tambourine. And Martin, as most already know, is money on piano and acoustic guitar.

The sound quality was surprisingly awesome. The instruments were all mixed at the proper levels for clarity and had just enough "oomph" to get the crowd going. During "Loves in Japan," the swinging piano lick brought the crowd to its feet just as confetti erupted from the ceiling, immersing the arena in a red and yellow cloud. And during the last song, "Death and All his Friends," a banner painted with the words "Viva" draped the back of the stage, concluding a magical hour and twenty minute of music.

But wait? What's a concert without an encore? For Coldplay's final performance, they brought the show full circle by singing their first hit, "Yellow." All in all, Coldplay is a must-see band live. They're absolute professionals who will fill any cold, damp arena with warmth and life at the first strum of their guitars. If you have an opportunity, don't miss out on seeing the "Viva la Vida" tour. It's guaranteed to put a smile upon your face.