May 26, 2012 10:36

Coldplay's Chris Martin: 'Our flashing wristbands cost too much money'

Singer says tour gimmick is costing them a fortune

Photo Gallery: Coldplay
Photo: Pa Photos

Coldplay's Chris Martin has admitted that the band spend a fortune on the flashing wristbands they give out to fans at gigs.

The singer told the Sun that they were trying to find a way of still handing out the Xylobands to punters, which flash with different colours during their shows, without "going broke".

Speaking about the accessories – which he previously claimed were designed by a sex toy inventor – he said:

Most of the money we're earning on the tour is put into the wristbands. We have to figure out how to keep it going without going broke because it's a crucial part of the concert.

The frontman also revealed that one of their cash-saving schemes – to collect the wristbands at the end of the show – had been nixed by their legal team, adding: "You have to clean everything in case someone picks up herpes or TB. Our lawyers told us we'd get sued, and having been sued a few times we're not keen on that.

"It's a little self-indulgent but we love the way it looks when there are 15,000 or 40,000 or however many people with all those lights on them. The technology is still very experimental."

Earlier this week (May 21), it was revealed that Coldplay will play a set at the closing ceremony of the London 2012 Paralympic games on September 9, as part of an event named the 'Festival Of Flame'. They will also tour the UK from May 29 at Coventry's Ricoh Stadium until June 10 at Manchester's City of Manchester Stadium, with three shows at London's Emirates Stadium set for June 1, 2 and 4.

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