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Up close and personal with CM
In Mannheim, Chris ran into the crowd to sing the last chorus of In My Place stood on top of a flight case right in the middle of the arena. And with a stroke of luck, one of the Make Trade Fair banners that I'd put up happened to be right there. Don't believe me...? Here's the proof...
posted at 12:35 PM
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Ever get the feeling...
...you've come to the wrong concert. Chris Martin may well be the next Bono, but it was definitely Coldplay who were performing!
posted at 12:30 PM
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Update from Thursday night's concert in Mannheim
I couldn't get the computer to work yesterday so here's a quick update and a few photos from Thursday night's concert in Mannheim.
The venue in Mannheim was more of a huge warehouse or cattle shed than a concert arena, and the crew had a few problems fitting all the lighting and rigging in under the low roof. There were no seats at all, so it was standing room only. The German crowd turned up in their droves though, and because of the intimacy of the venue the atmosphere was great. Chris really reacted well to the crowd, and his chat lit up the evening (along with the music of course!). Only at one point, when a crazy man at the front screamed out really loud during a quiet song, did Chris appear to get a bit annoyed. But it was all a bit of fun, and the crowd loved it. Nothing like a pantomine villain to get people cheering for the hero!
Once again the magnificent people from Oxfam Germany did a cracking job on the campaigning side. We had a big space at the back of the hall, so everyone saw us. Add to that the 20 volunteers with Make Trade Fair emblazoned across their chests, and the campaign was everywhere to be seen!
Not sure how many sign-ups we got in the end (poor Laura from Oxfam Germany has a big count-up job awaiting her!), but we were up to at least 900 before the encore so I'm expecting another 4-figure total!
A big thank you to all the volunteers from Thursday night, and to Laura and Kai for being stars. Spare a thought for Laura, who had to travel from Berlin to Mannheim, Mannheim to Zurich (Oxfam Germany are here for tonight's concert too) and then Zurich all the way back to Berlin on Monday.
Here are some photos...
posted at 11:46 AM
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Love it
My new favourite photo!
posted at 5:13 PM
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The view from...
...behind the stage.
posted at 5:09 PM
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Leipzig's number 1 Make Trade Fair supporter!
This is Julia Zoephel, 17, from Weimar near Leipzig. She came up to see us at the stall last night - that's a homemade Make Trade Fair top she's sporting! Julia wants to study journalism so that she can write about the injustices in the world and raise awareness of the work done by organisations like Oxfam. She started finding out about Make Trade Fair when she attended a Coldplay concert in Munich 6 months ago. Top work Julia!
posted at 4:57 PM
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Getting those sign-ups
posted at 7:31 PM
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Lovely Leipzig
So we're in Germany again tonight, here in Leipzig. Goldfrapp, the support band on this tour, are storming through their set as I type. Ooh la la.
Another crack team of campaigners are busy collecting sign ups for the Make Trade Fair petition. Here are a few photos of them in action.
posted at 7:21 PM
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If you do one thing today...
...actually, make that two things. First off, sign the Make Trade Fair petition please!
And second, buy the new Warchild album from the Oxfam Music download website here.
Help A Day In The Life comes 10 years after the first War Child collection. War Child invited the best British artists to contribute brand new tracks to a unique on and off-line music project. The bands involved include Radiohead, Razorlight, Gorillaz, Keane and Faultline, Kaiser Chiefs, Magic Numbers, Manic Street Preachers, Zutons, Bloc Party, Antony and the Johnsons, The Coral, Damien Rice, Elbow, Maximo Park, Mylo, Hard-Fi, Emmanuel Jal, Tinariwen, Go! Team, Belle & Sebastian.
And of course Coldplay!
The album is a corker.
Each band has recorded a brand new track--no remixes, no b-sides, no 'versions'--for the project, and did so in 24 hours bridging the 8th and 9th September.
I can't get to sleep, so I'm listening to the album right now, and take it from me it's great. A beautiful collection of brilliant songs from the wealth of talent that the British music scene is boasting at the moment. So buy it! Now.
A quick hello to my little sister, who told me how great the War Child album is. Nice one Pipster. Big up the Leicester crew - see you in London!
posted at 12:57 AM
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Total-ly brilliant!
Just to let you know that after a long count up (with Coldplay providing the accompanying soundtrack!) the awesome total of sign-ups from Monday night in Stockholm stands at an impressive 1,907. Good stuff! Apparently that's more than we got in Norway, a fact which the Swedish volunteers were quick to point out. A bit of healthy competition never hurts!
So a huge thank you to everyone from Kooperation Utan Gränser at the Rättviseakademin, a development charity like Oxfam, who are also part of the Utrota Fattigdomen Nu coalition (the Swedish MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign), especially Ania who, despite looking stressed all evening was in total control and did a great job. Thanks!
P.S. Happy Birthday Carrie! Hope you make it down from Everest Base Camp.x
posted at 6:33 PM
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A clicking success
Just a quick one about the video that we've been showing before Coldplay come on. Again last night, the atmosphere was incredible as the video played out. Suddenly, a loud click reverberates around the arena, everyone looks at the screen, and for the next few minutes the whole crowd is transfixed.
The reaction to the video has just been getting better and better, culminating in last night in Stockholm.
I really wish you could all be here at the concert to see and hear the reaction - it sends shivers up my spine everytime. It's funny really - I've seen the video so many times during the editing stage, that I know it inside out but I still get nervous when that first click sounds. I want so much for the crowd to appreciate it, and for the video to mean something to them. Like any good thing, it delivers everytime, and seems to get better with age!
The best part of the whole thing is straight after the video, instead of having to ask people to sign the petition, hundreds of people come up to our volunteers demanding an action card. It's amazing.
It's a hugely humbling experience to be able to be a part of all this. To see volunteers so enthusiastic, the public so excited, and everyone so keen to sign the petition is brilliant.
Good on you Sweden!
posted at 5:24 PM
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Shout it out!
There was some great campaigning going on before the concert. This is quite close to the stage - note everyone sitting down. I noticed one of the security guards shouting at one of my team of campaigners, so I ran over to check things were OK. Apparently, it's Swedish policy to make everyone sit down for 2 hours before the band comes on...crowd control to the extreme. And they weren't happy with my team disrupting things!
posted at 5:17 PM
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The inside of a giant golf ball...
This is the venue in Stockholm, Globen (The Globe). It was an amazing place, and produced an amazing sound.
posted at 5:13 PM
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Just a thought...
If you haven't already then make sure you take a good look at the Make Trade Fair website. If you are wondering why this campaign is so important, or why people get quite so passionate about it (see the Mass Lobby of Parliament last week), have a read of the information on the website, and things will become clearer. I remember when I started doing research on this - you have to hear about some of the things that happen to believe them. I was fortunate to get a briefing from Amy, in Oxfam's Press Office, before I came on tour. I knew that world trade was unfair as it operates today, but when she told me things in a little more detail I was left speechless. By reading the pages on the Make Trade Fair website, you can make up your own mind on this issue. Knowledge is so important when we try to campaign - and all the information that you could want is all there.
While we're on the subject, this week is crucial. After the incredible progress that has been made by the MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY and Make Trade Fair campaigns so far this year, the focus on poverty is being threatened by a blockage in the pre-WTO Ministerial talks. Basically, the agenda has been set to discuss poverty issues at the Trade talks in Hong Kong in December, but that agenda is now in jeopardy. We must stay strong in our beliefs, and hope that the politicians and ministers do the right thing. By signing the Make Trade Fair petition, like the thousands of Coldplay fans around Europe are doing, you can make your voice heard. It works. Sign the petition here, and keep an eye on the website and in the newspapers over the next few weeks. And be safe in the knowledge that everyone at Oxfam, and thousands others round the world, are working tirelessly to get the right outcome at these talks. Together we can make that change. We can Make trade Fair.
posted at 1:30 PM
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Our man in Sweden.
Just had enough time for the catalogue pose on Strombon (the bridge over to Parliament island). Please note, popular to contrary opinion (Mum!) I don't always wear T-shirts with Oxfam written on them. And don't be fooled by the rolled-up sleeves - it was freezing!
posted at 1:18 PM
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It's a long way to...Leipzig
Last night was another cracker.
We're on a mammoth bus journey now though, from Stockholm to Leipzig in Germany. Ian, our bus driver, is doing a great job. He's been driving bands around Europe for ages, so he's got some great stories. I'll put up a few photos in a bit, and tell you all about last night in Stockholm, but first a quick blog that I tried to put up yesterday (there were some technical problems).
posted at 1:03 PM
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That way to the beach...
posted at 1:14 PM
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Some pretty Swedish...houses of course.
posted at 1:11 PM
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Jag älska Stockholm
The beautiful Parliament building, on it's very own island. Stockholm is made up of over 80 islands; in fact, Sweden is a collection of over 800 islands! Geography is interesting.
posted at 1:05 PM
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Back on the road!
Hi everyone,
After a few days break back in the UK while Coldplay were off winning awards at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon (good on you boys!), I'm on the road again.
We're in Stockholm, Sweden, for tonight's concert at The Globe - apparently a venue which resembles a golf ball. Can't wait to get there!
I arrived late last night from England, so didn't get a chance to see any of the city, but I'm just about to go for a quick explore of Stockholm before I'm needed at the venue. In fact, I'll leave it there and get back to you in a few hours, hopefully with a couple of photos!
posted at 8:45 AM
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