When Chris Martin greets people, he does so with gusto — leaping and bounding across the floor of the Rivoli Ballroom in southeast London like the Tigger of pop. The Coldplay singer introduces himself with a bear hug and a smile. Outside, cold morning rain lashes down, while, inside the gorgeous 1950s landmark, the biggest band in the world is shooting a lavish video for the new song Cry Cry Cry, from their just-released eighth album, Everyday Life.

“We’re good on haze,” says the video’s director, the actress Dakota Johnson, Martin’s girlfriend, who is behind the camera for the first time and controlling the smoke. Glitter, empty bottles and balloons — the aftermath of a wedding — are scattered, and, for hours, various