THE DECISION to hold a Coldplay concert in the middle of September and on a working night is as a result of the band’s tour schedule, promoters said yesterday.
Coldplay will be playing the Phoenix Park on Monday in what will be the last major concert of the year. The band will be supported by the 2008 Mercury Prize winners Elbow and White Lies.
MCD event organiser Louis Harte said Coldplay are currently completing their outdoor European tour and this was the only date available. “We are tying in with European tour dates. In the schedule, we either pick this date and bring as many people as we can to the concert or we reject it and disappoint people,” he said.
Coldplay sold out two concerts at the O2 in minutes in December just before Christmas. Their latest album Viva La Vidawas the biggest-selling record last year.
The concert takes place in the Ashtown Castle section of the park where MCD hosted previous concerts in 2007 featuring Arcade Fire and others.
Garda spokesman Insp John Ferris said dealing with concert traffic during the traditional rush-hour will be a challenge, but the Phoenix Park had hosted bigger events. He said there were 18 bus services servicing the park, along with the Luas at Heuston Station and a shuttle bus from the Customs House Quay which is expected to carry between 4,000 and 5,000 patrons.
There will also be extensive park-and-ride facilities at the Red Cow Luas stop.
Motorists who normally use the park to get home from work are advised to take alternative routes out of the city and use the M50 to access west Dublin via the M3.
Chesterfield Avenue, the main road through the park, will be closed to traffic from 6.30pm.
“Our message is clear. We are asking patrons to use public transport,” Insp Ferris said.
The concert will have a capacity of 40,000 and is not yet sold out.
Weather for the event is likely to be dry.
