Dec. 4 (Bloomberg) -- “My, you lot are a tough crowd,” Chris Martin says, staring into the darkness offstage.

He’s learning the hard way that there can be bad days, even for a singer like him. Martin’s band Coldplay, now with seven more Grammy award nominations, is starting another leg of a tour intended to crown its most spectacular year yet.

The audience in Birmingham, central England, has far more folded arms than clapping hands for the group hailed as the savior of EMI Group Ltd. Coldplay’s 2008 album “Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends” added to a career total of more than 40 million records sold, including No. 1 singles in the U.S. and U.K. this year.

On a cold night, the good folk in the National Indoor Arena take time to warm to Q Magazine’s “Best Act in the World Today.” Coldplay is gearing up for concerts in London, Japan and Australia. It has to work hard with its tried and tested formula of well-crafted, mildly alternative rock ballads.

“Life In Technicolor,” full of zinging oriental instruments, is as tingling an opener live as on disc. “Violet Hill” allows the band a little Led Zeppelin rock worship as the backdrop is exposed: a giant reproduction of Eugene Delacroix’s “Liberty Leading the People.” Used as the sleeve for “Viva La Vida,” it features the only naked breast that is likely ever to be seen at a Coldplay gig.

There follows a slew of the old hits: “Clocks,” “Yellow,” “Speed of Sound.” Archetypal Coldplay songs, these are all big tunes, carefully constructed to deliver non-specific heartfelt emotion. Middlebrow, invariably nice and approachable, their charms are infuriatingly effective.

Falsetto Gallivanting

Even so, Coldplay takes no risks. Will Champion’s beefy drumming and Jonny Buckland’s chiming guitar conspire to fill the venue. Martin throws himself into his role, communing emotionally with a small upright piano, then belting out his falsetto, exhorting audience singing and generally gallivanting up, down and around the stage. Dressed in a suspiciously well-tailored approximation of one of Delacroix’s more ragged uniforms, he performs like a trouper.

To little avail: the crowd, a more sensibly clad cross section of ordinary folk, by no means Coldplay super-fans, remains largely unmoved. Pumped up with stadium bombast, the songs lose their homely appeal. Martin thanks the crowd for having arranged babysitters and come along on a freezing weekday.

As Coldplay revels in “42,” from its Lennon-ist start through a Joy Division middle to its U2-aping rock conclusion, the audience finally starts more consistent outbreaks of singing, clapping and cheering.

Set Reprieve

“Fix You” from 2005’s “X&Y” album follows, rejuvenated and electric. The numbers “Viva la Vida” and “Lovers in Japan” are impressive and provide some reprieve for the 26-song, 105-minute set. Still, Coldplay came, saw and didn’t quite conquer Birmingham.

Martin is known for his superficially deep, platitude- riddled lyrics that would in other circumstances find him employment as an astrologer. His stroppy “tough crowd” comment is in line with his reputation, when not singing, for speaking passionately. He also apologizes for the recent dearth of British gigs and blames the band’s management.

Coldplay is guaranteed a good Christmas, thanks to the Grammy nominations, tour and sales of its new EP “Prospekt’s March.” If Martin’s directness came across in his music, the future may be even brighter.

Rating: **.

Coldplay is on EMI. Albums are available from about $18.98 in the U.S, or 9.99 pounds in the U.K. Download fees vary across services.

Full tour dates are on http://www.coldplay.com/live.php. The London concerts are at the O2 from Dec. 14. The Japan gigs follow in February 2009 and then Australia.

What the Stars Mean:
****       Excellent
***        Good
**         Average
*          Poor
(No stars) Worthless

(Robert Heller writes for Bloomberg News. The opinions expressed are his own.)

To contact the writer on the story: Robert Heller in Birmingham on roberthelleruk@yahoo.co.uk

Last Updated: December 3, 2008 19:00 EST