Why do Coldplay open their world tour concerts with John Williams’ E.T. theme?

27 August 2025, 12:48

From Gustavo Dudamel and the Bolivars, to John Williams’ film scores, orchestral music is being celebrated loud and proud on Coldplay’s world tour.

If you are heading to Wembley to see Coldplay over the next ten days, prepare yourself for an out-of-this-world experience.

Rather than opening with one of their own hits, the band has been starting their shows on the ‘Music of the Spheres’ tour with John Williams’ orchestral theme from the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial.

‘Music of the Spheres’ is the name of both the band’s recent album and their current tour. The album is set in a fictional solar system with planets representing different musical styles and emotional states, and the show is split into four acts over two hours and represents what lead singer Chris Martin has described as “a journey traveling outwards into the unknown to then come home having learned something new”.

Read more: Star Wars composer John Williams says he ‘never liked film music very much’

John Williams’ ‘Flying Theme’ from E.T. plays at Coldplay concert at Wembley Stadium

This extra-terrestrial setting requires extra-terrestrial music: it is no surprise, then, that they begin their concerts with John Williams’ Oscar-winning composition ‘Flying’ from Steven Spielberg’s 1982 film.

As the stadium darkens and their famous LED wristbands light up, the visual effects on stage depict an intergalactic launch (watch above).

Frontman Chris Martin has been an outspoken admirer of Williams’ work for years. He was interviewed about the composer and said: “The main reason I think it’s important to celebrate him is just to say thank you for that amount of joy.”

Martin has previously cited Spielberg’s films, including E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, as major influences on ‘Music of the Spheres’. The decision to use Williams’ music is a nod to this creative inspiration, as well as a way to immediately signal the cinematic scale and ambition of the live performance.

Coldplay is also joined by star conductor Gustavo Dudamel and the Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, who are one of the band’s support acts.

The orchestra’s 180 members – named UNESCO Artists for Peace – have all been trained through El Sistema, a publicly funded music education programme. This residency is the culmination of the orchestra’s 50th anniversary celebration that has taken them from Caracas to the world’s most iconic concert halls.

Read more: 12,000 Venezuelan musicians perform Tchaikovsky to set ‘world’s largest orchestra’ record

So if you’re in the crowd this week at Wembley, get ready for your evening to start with an iconic 80s sci-fi orchestral theme. It’s the overture to a concert designed to feel like a journey far beyond the ordinary.