Oxfam Europe Tour Blog: 7 September 2008
From WikiColdplay
España
Palacio de Deportes, Madrid, Spain.
Block 12, Room 8, Seat no. 3.
12:10pm.
The venue is a building site. There are hard hats, reflective jackets and hand signals across the floor. Stage trucks reversing in. Confetti cannons, lasers, fans, speaker stacks, motors, inflatable spheres, more lights and more speakers, all ready to be lifted above the stage when the rigging goes up. When a show gets this big, it’s a long time before you see any instruments!
I can now see one of the catwalks being assembled, which will later see Chris Martin walking into the waiting crowds (who are already sitting patiently outside..)
It was my first time working with Intermon Oxfam last night, in Barcelona. It was a pleasure to work with such a happy bunch. The show was a great prize for all their hard work. The atmosphere in Europe is raising the bar even higher, and the band seem to be savouring the challenge of living up to fever pitch expectation. The crowd were still singing that famous ‘Viva’ chorus long after the show closed in that Yellow lit arena. It once hosted the gymnastics at the 1992 Olympics. It was a very different spectacle last night.
Intermon Oxfam was collecting names in support of a fair trade deal. Those people who gave their voice last night, will join those voices tonight in pressuring the Spanish government. It’s a great feeling watching someone stop and listen to one of our volunteers. Take a moment to think about how they can be part of our work. Grab the pen and start signing. Walk away with a smile on their face, and go to enjoy the show. Coldplay make that possible, by inviting us here. The volunteers put the opportunity into action. And the people that stop, are the ones that make it happen.
Here comes another truck full of equipment..
By the way.. I’m pretty sure the Coldplay show made a lot more noise than the football last night.. One of the truck drivers skipped sleep to go and see the football, and said he should have chosen sleep instead!
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=52
O-le ole ole ole, Coldplay, Coldplay.
The stage goes dark. The crowd starts to sing. The lights go up. The noise really starts. Amazing show tonight. A Spanish-speaking crowd singing every word to songs released less than 2 months ago. When there were no words, they were singing the melodies. The atmosphere in Spain has been something I will remember all my life. The arenas seem to hold in the sound. Either that, or these crowds are just crazy. In a good way.
Chris, Will, Guy and Jonny will probably remember that for a long time too. No matter how many shows they do. Belen, my Intermon Oxfam contact, told me that Chris said (in Spanish), at the end of one song, “thank you, with all my body”. He also said, they will be back until the crowd gets bored of them. I don’t see that happening any time soon.
The set just fits. The band knowing how to tease the best out of the crowd. Knowing when they will sing, and when to make them jump. It’s an amazing sight to see people united in that way. And of course, to see four people controlling all that.
I want to thank all the Intermon Oxfam volunteers for all their energy and enthusiasm. Special thanks to Patricia, Maria and Belen for all their support from Intermon Oxfam in organising everything. It’s been great to see the crowds reaction to us, and as I said, Spain’s reaction to Coldplay.
I am about to jump on my bus, ready for the long trip to Paris. Oxfam France Agir-ici will be waiting for the two shows at the Bercy. Thank you Spain.. it’s been emotional.
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=53
