Coldplay give NZ the cold shoulder

Chris Martin of Coldplay

One of the world's biggest bands are likely to cancel their only New Zealand concert following more delays in finishing Auckland's waterfront arena.

Coldplay were to play at Vector Arena next June, but the 12,000-seat indoor arena, initially scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, will not be finished in time.

In May, the Herald reported that the completion date for the $80 million project had been put back to March 2006. However, Coldplay concert promoter Manolo Echave said it would now be late July or early August before the arena was ready.

"The deal was negotiated with the artist to come to New Zealand. All that was signed, sealed and delivered but the situation now is that ... there isn't a venue we want to use," he said.

Apart from U2, Coldplay are the biggest band in the world, having sold more than 23 million copies of their three albums, Parachutes, A Rush of Blood to the Head, and this year's X&Y. In New Zealand they have sold 230,000 albums.

Coldplay are also booked to play in Brisbane, Sydney, and Melbourne, with some shows already sold out.

Mr Echave said there were few - if any - alternative indoor venues in New Zealand big enough to cater for Coldplay.

The Supertop, at Ericsson Stadium, was not ideal. The recent Black Eyed Peas concert there was changed to another venue after bad weather damaged the roof.

He said an outdoor concert was a possibility but "not worth contemplating really" at that time of year.

Vector Arena chief executive Bruce Mactaggart said the timing of Coldplay's tour was difficult.

"Until we have confirmation from the builders about the date of handover, anything falling around the middle of the year is a little tricky."

- additional reporting Claire Trevett