It’s been an exciting, fun, strange, tiring and memorable experience, getting back on this tour. I’m remembering now just how fast things move. Tuesday: Sheffield-London-Dover-Calais. Wednesday: Paris. Thursday: Cologne. And now: Rotterdam. Plus all the places that the train/tube/tour bus/ferry passed through on the way.
Now I have most of a day to catch my breath, and the fans have a day to get excited about the concert at the Ahoy tomorrow. Let’s recap, for those at the back…
Hotdog is hungry for change in Cologne
Perhaps that should be bratwurst is hungry for change, as we were in Germany. Last night our volunteers worked their socks off. They covered the whole arena (a huge ice hockey venue) trying to find as many of you lot as they could. I never cease to be impressed by their energy and commitment to Oxfam and to GROW.
It’s inspiring to work with new groups of people every night in different cities, all who want to make a difference in the world. It’s also fantastic to work on such a massive tour with one of the world biggest rock bands, knowing that Oxfam is an important part of the tour and that the band want us to be there talking to people about how they can be involved in the GROW campaign.
After making their way in and stopping to chat with Oxfam, the Cologne crowd – joined by our fabulous volunteers – were suitably rowdy when Coldplay treated them to another incredible show. The best part about all this is that everyone involved seemed to be really enjoying it. Volunteers, fans, band, crew. I haven’t seen anyone leaving in a mood, arguing or having a bad time. When 16,000 people leave happy, that tells a story.
The crew on this tour works very hard to make it all happen. Each morning a rig, stage, sound, light, video, dressing rooms, catering, production and more, is all set up and swung into action to make it all come together. Then each night, as soon as the band take a bow and rush off the stage, all that is removed piece by piece and like a gigantic jigsaw is loaded into its rightful place and shifted off by the truck drivers to the next place. Then last of all, when the crew hit the hay in the tour bus bunks, the bus drivers quietly and expertly go about their jobs driving through the night. It’s an almighty machine. An incredibly well organised and well-oiled one. I have huge respect for what my colleagues at Oxfam and at Coldplay do. The tour is a great place to be right now and it’s great to be back.
Last night, Germany. Tomorrow night, The Netherlands. It’s a whistle stop tour of Europe. The touring machine will spring into action and the crew will complete the jigsaw again. The volunteers will arrive, the fans will flood into another packed out show and this fantastic band will come and entertain thousands of fans. I’ll need some sleep first, but I’m looking forward to it already.
Pete
If you’re hungry for change, come and find the @oxfamnovib volunteers at the Ahoy tomorrow in Rotterdam and join GROW. Show your support on the fan wall, follow us on twitter at @oxfamontour, tweet #lovefoodhateinjustice and talk to your friends about it. Let’s make change happen.
The tour rolls on
Posted by Pete Lusby on 16 December 2011 in Coldplay, Cologne, Germany, GROW, mylo xyloto, Netherlands, Oxfam on Tour, Rotterdam, tour
Köln Lanxess Arena
It’s been an exciting, fun, strange, tiring and memorable experience, getting back on this tour. I’m remembering now just how fast things move. Tuesday: Sheffield-London-Dover-Calais. Wednesday: Paris. Thursday: Cologne. And now: Rotterdam. Plus all the places that the train/tube/tour bus/ferry passed through on the way.
Now I have most of a day to catch my breath, and the fans have a day to get excited about the concert at the Ahoy tomorrow. Let’s recap, for those at the back…
Hotdog is hungry for change in Cologne
Perhaps that should be bratwurst is hungry for change, as we were in Germany. Last night our volunteers worked their socks off. They covered the whole arena (a huge ice hockey venue) trying to find as many of you lot as they could. I never cease to be impressed by their energy and commitment to Oxfam and to GROW.
It’s inspiring to work with new groups of people every night in different cities, all who want to make a difference in the world. It’s also fantastic to work on such a massive tour with one of the world biggest rock bands, knowing that Oxfam is an important part of the tour and that the band want us to be there talking to people about how they can be involved in the GROW campaign.
After making their way in and stopping to chat with Oxfam, the Cologne crowd – joined by our fabulous volunteers – were suitably rowdy when Coldplay treated them to another incredible show. The best part about all this is that everyone involved seemed to be really enjoying it. Volunteers, fans, band, crew. I haven’t seen anyone leaving in a mood, arguing or having a bad time. When 16,000 people leave happy, that tells a story.
The crew on this tour works very hard to make it all happen. Each morning a rig, stage, sound, light, video, dressing rooms, catering, production and more, is all set up and swung into action to make it all come together. Then each night, as soon as the band take a bow and rush off the stage, all that is removed piece by piece and like a gigantic jigsaw is loaded into its rightful place and shifted off by the truck drivers to the next place. Then last of all, when the crew hit the hay in the tour bus bunks, the bus drivers quietly and expertly go about their jobs driving through the night. It’s an almighty machine. An incredibly well organised and well-oiled one. I have huge respect for what my colleagues at Oxfam and at Coldplay do. The tour is a great place to be right now and it’s great to be back.
Last night, Germany. Tomorrow night, The Netherlands. It’s a whistle stop tour of Europe. The touring machine will spring into action and the crew will complete the jigsaw again. The volunteers will arrive, the fans will flood into another packed out show and this fantastic band will come and entertain thousands of fans. I’ll need some sleep first, but I’m looking forward to it already.
Pete
If you’re hungry for change, come and find the @oxfamnovib volunteers at the Ahoy tomorrow in Rotterdam and join GROW. Show your support on the fan wall, follow us on twitter at @oxfamontour, tweet #lovefoodhateinjustice and talk to your friends about it. Let’s make change happen.