EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — As Coldplay fans gear up for two sold-out nights at the Sun Bowl, a familiar El Paso name will help kick off the festivities.
Jim Ward, the co-founder of At the Drive-In and front man of Sparta, will open for the global superstars this weekend — marking his debut performance at the iconic El Paso venue.
“The whole thing is like a joyous occasion,” Ward said. “So yeah, of course, I want to play a couple of songs in my hometown at the Sun Bowl where my life changed seeing U2 when I was 15. All of those things are important.”
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Ward’s appearance isn’t part of a formal tour lineup — it’s the product of a decades-long friendship with Coldplay front man Chris Martin.
“So, I think in 2001, At the Drive-In was coming up. We had our first song on the radio, ‘One Arm Scissor’ and Coldplay had ‘Yellow.’ We were both sort of coming up at the same time,” Ward recalled. “And we just met on a festival and got to be good friends ever since. So, we’ve been friends for like 24 years.”
Ward plans to play a short solo set before joining the crowd for what he calls an unforgettable homecoming:
They sold out two nights, right? So, this is a good example of what can happen here. And I think El Paso is a perfect city and we’re going to kill it, you know what I mean? Our city is so filled with love and compassion, and fanfare and it’ll be great.
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But the celebration comes with a bittersweet note. As Ward takes the stage at the Sun Bowl, he is also preparing to close a beloved chapter of his life: Eloise, the West Side restaurant and bar he co-owns with his wife, Kristine, will shut its doors on July 31 after more than 13 years in business.
“We’ve had an incredible run and been filled with so much joy and positivity, and we love being a part of this community,” Ward said. “And it’s just we’re not gonna renew a lease and I think these are some pretty chaotic economic times right now. And for us we’re a small business besides that I’m a musician by trade and I think it’s just time to just put it on the shelf for a minute and sort of just really enjoy the time that we’ve had here and be grateful for everything.”
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