Oxfam Europe Tour Blog: 4 September 2008

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Oxfam Blog - Viva La Vida Tour 2008

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Mannheim to Lyon.

The sound in some of these arenas is incredible. I will never get tired of hearing the crowd spontaneously chanting that ‘Viva’ chorus. The echo and the sheer number of people singing as one, is something else. Amazing. Another thing that’s amazing, is another 982 signatures in Mannheim, the first stop for Oxfam Germany. 982 people lending their voice to Oxfam campaigns. Many thousands more learning from our volunteers, about Oxfam, Coldplay’s support of Oxfam and the ways that they can support campaigns, helping to tackle poverty and injustice. These people have power to make change happen. Imagine if EU leaders heard all those people singing along to ‘Viva La Vida’, and then the same leaders heard the same voices calling for Fair Trade policies or FOR ALL people to have access to clean water, health, education, sanitation. Every person has the power to lend their voice for positive change. Together, we are so much stronger.

Today we are in Lyon. The baton is passed back to Oxfam France agir-ici. Their volunteers will again have the chance to be the start of a movement.

Today’s venue, the Tony Garnier Hall. This place used to be an abatoire. It is a huge hall. An unusual setting for a Coldplay show. It’s a great use for such a huge space. I am sure the crowd will soon warm it up, when they rush through later today. The set is being tweaked all the time. Every song, light, sound, drape, cue and position, thought through. The band want this show to be truly something to remember.

I had some time to look around the old town of this great city. It’s very photogenic, despite a torrential downpour, which left me sheltering under the awning at a patisserie. I really like it here. Tonight will leave me buzzing on the way to Barcelona, i’m sure. So many new places to see. So many fans to reach. The band could play well into the night, and I am sure the crowd would still want encore after encore. If it didn’t come, they would make their own, with another chorus of Viva!

http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=48