Oxfam Europe Tour Blog: 14 September 2008

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Oxfam Blog - Viva La Vida Tour 2008

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Here we are in Hamburg.

So here we are in Hamburg. The Color Line Arena. The rigging is going up. The morning is growing old. The Coldplay tour has rolled into town. ‘Oxfam’ (as some of the crew call me), is here too.

The show in Cologne, was another triumph for both the band, and Oxfam. 1472 was the number of Coldplay fans who gave their voice to our petition. Showing the German government that they care about unfair agricultural policies, which further marginalise small-scale farmers. Those people all pushing in the same direction, for a fairer world without poverty. That was a great effort by the team, and set a new record for the tour im Deutschland.

I took my chance to take in most of the show on Friday night too. Albert Hammond Jnr is still doing a great job of warming up the crowd, surely building their fan base in every city they pick up guitars. Coldplay live is a real spectacle. It would be easy to either close your eyes, or block out the sound, and still enjoy the show. Lights, confetti, screens, spheres and lasers, all add to the action on stage. Andy, the video director, knows the music so well, that the screens make the most of the sounds coming off-stage. Each song has it’s own twist, and builds on a great show. I am impressed. The band and crew have hit their stride in Europe. Leaping from city to city and absorbing huge audiences every step of the way.

I had a run on my day off yesterday, to take in Hamburg. It’s a very interesting place. I never imagined it to be anything like what I saw. The centre had a real carnival atmosphere on a Saturday afternoon. The port area was bustling with tourists. Run out of the city though, and there were people lining the river to take in evening sun. I hope to get a glimpse of Berlin too, before we head North later in the week..

http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=56

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LOST!

No not me.. i’m in Hamburg, just like Coldplay. They are about 30 meters away from me, just finishing the end of ‘Lost!’, from their new album ‘Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends’.

Now I can hear the crowd screaming.. which might mean they are about to play a special acoustic section, somewhere in the arena.

The show is sold out again. These guys seem pretty popular you know.. Oxfam has again played it’s part in the evening. People stopping to ask who we are, ask about the shops, ask about ‘Unwrapped‘, ask about OXJAM, ask how they can raise money in the marathon they are doing next week… ask why we are at a Coldplay concert in Hamburg? Because they invited us, of course.

The message is simple. It’s written on my wrist.

“Deine Stimme Gegen Armut”. (Give your voice against poverty). Oxfam.

Time for the encore. . . (once the band have run past this little office, back to the stage!)

http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=57