Oxfam UK Tour Blog: 1 December 2008
From WikiColdplay
It’s another chilly day at the Birmingham NIA
I walked across to the arena today, watching Christmas lights being strung up around trees. It’s the first day of a freezing cold December, in England. You know, when you go outside in the cold and then get back indoors, try to speak to someone, and your mouth doesn’t work properly.. like your cheeks are freezing up. When you stand talking to a friend, and your breath in the air makes you look like two boiling kettles. That’s the kind of day it is out there. Inside, everyone is wearing wolly hats, beanies and big coats. It’s a few degrees warmer than out there, but still pretty chilly.
The Birmingham NIA stands proudly overlooking the canals and down across England’s second largest city. Posters line the walls, advertising all sorts of big shows to come.. Coldplay own the stage here for the next 3 nights though, and will play in front of over 32′000 people before we even get the Thursday. I’m sure those fans will go home happy and looking forward to the huge stadium shows next year.
Oxfam is here. Every show. Every step of the way. Giving people the chance to take small actions that save lives. 20 volunteers will be spread around the arena, looking for all those people who want to join the other thousands of great Coldplay fans, who have already signed the pledge for Health and Education For All. It’s World Aids day today, there is no time more relevant, to do what you can, to reduce poverty.
Coldplay will be on their way to Birmingham, right now. Thank you, as always to them, for inviting Oxfam to be here waiting for them, just like the thousands of fans who will flood though these doors this evening.
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=113
Brummie World Beaters.
If my memory serves me correctly.. It’s been 22 shows since the last time I was able to say this. We have a new world record sign-up number for the Viva La Vida tour 2008! Oxfam has had an amazing night so far at the 1st Coldplay show, here at the Birmingham NIA.
An incredible 2050 amazing Coldplay fans, signed to pledge their support for Health and Education For All. That’s almost a fifth of the audience! Thank you to our amazing 20 volunteers, organised by Kay, our star regional coordinator.
My condolences to the Ottawa volunteers, who held the record for over 6 weeks. I am sure that you will be able to see the positive side though.. thousands more people calling on their governments to act and continue supporting education, healthcare, sanitation and water improvement programmes for the worlds poorest people.
What a great feeling. For those of you who remember Chris Akabusi on ‘Record Breakers’, “Dedication’s what you need”.
The guitars and drums just slammed into ‘Politik’. The night is almost over. Great work everyone.
http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=114
