Oxfam America Tour Blog: 18 November 2008
From WikiColdplay
Here’s one I prepared earlier, from ‘OK’ City.
Good old fashioned pen and paper. How refreshing it can be. I’m scribbling away in the dark, next to stage right ‘guitar world’. Writing on the back of a Coldplay setlist, and leaning on an Oxfam ’Health and Education FOR ALL’ campaign booklet, on top of a road case..
I just saw Chris Martin run out to the front of the Coldplay stage, to bounce with the packed audience to ‘Viva La Vida’. There was a deafening roar when those strings kicked in. Now, if I look to my left, up the steps, there is Jonny, Will and Guy, starting up the thundering beat of ‘Lost!’. Two of the roadies just walked past me, carrying a small flight of stairs.. I guess the band will be leaving the stage soon, for an arena tour, here in Oklahoma City. Now the screaming begins, as they make their way through a mixture of bemused and excited fans. Here come those roadies again, with that flight of stairs.
The wonders of pen and paper, go way beyond my blog. Earlier, hundreds more Coldplay fans, penned their names, and gave their voices, to finding out what they can do to help fight poverty, with Oxfam. It’s a simple format. Marks of ink. But it’s a start. A way to get involved. To do what you can, at a concert - as part of this amazing night. Well over 50′000 people have done just that, on this tour so far. There were also a few hundred in Rotterdam, who typed their names to join Oxfam Novib’s ‘Hug-a-nurse’ campaign, on high-tech computers.
Jonny’s guitar tech, just wandered past me, with his ‘Politik’ guitar. It’s a quiet part of the set for him. He’s now disappeared back into the dark underworld of guitars beneath the stage. The band just rushed past me through the corridor, flanked by security, on their way back to the OK City stage. This road case i’m perched on, is shaking with the vibrations of the ‘Viva’ remix beat. I’d better get off it, before ‘Politik’ starts!
The local crew, are already congregating backstage, ready to transform the venue and remove all these cases. They are all signing in, one-by-one, with pen and paper, of course. There’s that ‘Politik’ drum beat.. I’m off back upstairs to the Oxfam booth, to check we have enough pens..
Two other pen and paper incidents I should mention. Someone made an amazing cheque donation to Oxfam tonight.. and Karen gave me a hand-written note on the corner of her Coldplay banner, to give to the band, to thank them for playing ’The Hardest Part’ for her.
After the show, I celebrated the night, by exploring OK City with ’Team Jenn’ from the Oxfam group. They did a great job organising the volunteers tonight. So it’s only right to celebrate. So there you have it. The only problem with blogging on a piece of paper first, is that it causes a delay. But if you’re happy to wait.. then that’s ‘OK’.
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=107
