Coldplay

Say what you like about Coldplay, but there's no denying that they've hit the stadium formula on the head. Here Chris Martin and his friends play two nights to a no-doubt sold-out Wembley crowd underlining just why they are one of - if not, the - most popular bands in the world at the moment. And despite album sales in excess of 50 million, the band do not take themselves as seriously as can be expected - as shown by Martin's cameo on Ricky Gervais' Extras or indeed the invitation of Girls Aloud as support for the first of these Wembley gigs. If the idea of the falsettoing Martin and delectable Cheryl Cole performing a duet of Yellow is just too much, then the next day features a bit more street-cred in the shape of rapper Jay-Z, who collaborated with Coldplay on the third single, Lost!, on their latest album Viva la Vida. Mr Beyonce will be joined by indie doom merchants White Lies and - apologies - Girls Aloud again (in what could be the most eclectic gathering of musicians possible). Even the band's harshest critics cannot deny that a live Coldplay performance is right up there with a U2 arena show - and these two nights should be no different.