Residents, including children in pyjamas accompanied by their parents, gathered outside a small community pub in West Yorkshire last night upon hearing that Chris Martin was giving an impromptu performance.
The Coldplay frontman made a surprise appearance at the Puzzle Hall Inn in Calderdale, delivering an hour-long set before engaging with fans, posing for photographs, and even distributing tickets to his upcoming show in Hull on Monday.
One man recounted waking his two teenage daughters to inform them that Martin was performing “down the road,” prompting an immediate trip to the pub when he received confirmation of the singer’s presence.
Andy Varley told the BBC: “Imagine being 17, being a Coldplay fan, and your dad bursts in asking if you want to see Chris Martin right now…get dressed, we’re leaving in five minutes.”
Mr. Varley, a Halifax resident, added: “I just rushed them into the car and arrived just as he was starting.”
“People simply came for a drink and witnessed Chris Martin unloading pianos—can you believe it?”
He noted that following the performance at the Sowerby Bridge venue, “loads of people” began arriving by car, including “kids in jim jams,” hoping to catch a glimpse of the musician.
“Chris was very engaging and chatty, even displaying a picture on his piano that a customer’s child had created for him.”
“He made a big deal out of it and said he would ‘treasure it forever’.”
“He came across as a genuinely nice person and expressed his gratitude to everyone as he left.”
With only around 100 attendees, another fan mentioned that after discussing local disadvantaged children with Martin, the singer donated 10 tickets to his upcoming show at Craven Park Stadium in Hull, the second to last stop on his world tour.
Mr. Varley, who serves on the board of directors for the Puzzle Hall, revealed that the venue had some advance notice of Martin’s visit, but most patrons were unaware.
He added: “It would have had to be kept under wraps due to security; otherwise, thousands of people would have turned up.”
According to its website, the Puzzle Hall Inn is a “real ale pub” in Sowerby Bridge that supports “local people, suppliers, and independent business.”
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