TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The British rock band Coldplay landed in Kaohsiung Friday (Nov. 10) to prepare for two concerts over the weekend.
The performances are the first for the band in Taiwan in six years. They will be playing at the Kaohsiung National Stadium Saturday (Nov. 11) and Sunday (Nov. 12) at 7:30 p.m.
Fans arrived at the city’s Xiaogang Airport early Friday morning to try and spot their idols, the Liberty Times reported. Drummer Will Champion, guitarist Jonny Buckland, and bassist Guy Berryman appeared around 4 p.m. after a chartered flight from Tokyo’s Haneda Airport.
Lead singer Chris Martin arrived an hour and a half later, reportedly on a private jet. He signed autographs on records and leaflets offered by fans.
In order to meet the expected extra traffic for the concerts, the city government announced restrictions on nearby roads. Kaohsiung’s Mass Rapid Transit system and the Taiwan Railways Administration will add train services, while free shuttle buses will also serve the stadium area, per the Liberty Times.
Taiwan has been cracking down on exploitative practices for international concerts. Penalties for ticket scalping have been raised to a maximum of three years in prison and a fine of up to 50 times the original price of the ticket. City governments have also launched inspections of hotels accused of raising their rates on nights major acts performed locally.