September 17th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Pete
Here we are. Paused on the finish line. The finale. The final shows of the VIVA tour this year. Hundreds of flourescent jackets are scurrying about inside this huge, world famous stadium. You can already sense the rush and anticipation, which will only be quenched when Coldplay take the stage. It’s a huge occasion. Everyone is pulling out all the stops, to make the next two days, days to remember for a long time.Of course, this place is a venue full of memories, where dreams come true. England won a world cup here! Just last week, English football rubber stamped a place in next years show piece in South Africa. The last time I was here, my team, Luton Town, won the Johnson’s Paint Trophy, on a glorious Spring day. Anything that happens here is a spectacle, and I’m sure the next two nights will follow suit.
Coldplay will have support from the incredible Jay-Z, pop stars Girls Aloud and the impressive White Lies. OXJAM, Oxfam’s month-long music festival, will have the support of Coldplay. Buskers will again show how easy it is to put on a gig, to share your love of live music, and raise some money for Oxfam. Our OXJAM acts ‘Mr Newell’s Breakfast Club’ and ‘Bowjangles’ will add another dimension to an already eclectic line-up.
I can’t quite believe I’m inside England’s national stadium. Walking past kit rooms, dressing rooms, changing rooms, I felt like I was 11 again, dreaming of playing in the FA cup final. I’m writing to you from the crew room, which oddly is the drug-testing room.. It all feels slightly surreal. As I walked into the venue, I glanced across at Wembley Arena. That of course, is where the VIVA tour all started, with production days and rehearsals to make this the best show it could be. Millions of fans have flocked to see Coldplay, and hundreds of thousands have take action with Oxfam, in the 16 months it has taken the tour to cross the road, to this world-famous stadium. The home of football, and for two nights only, the home of Coldplay.
Looking back over my shoulder, I have failed to mention the huge success of the past few days. We left Manchester with 163 people planning to get involved with Oxjam in October, and with funds raised for Oxfam’s work to overcome poverty. Making our way to Dublin, we were greeted with another stunning late summer’s day. Oxfam Ireland’s outreachers helped an incredible 2100 people to sign postcards to their prime minister, urging the government to stop cutting aid, and to hold firm on aid commitments. This was part of the We Do Care coalition
www.wedocare.ie
Elbow were the second support in Dublin. They are surely one of the best bands around at the moment, and a real treat for any music lover. If you get the chance to check out an Elbow live show, or failing that, any of their albums, I totally recommend it.
We then wound our way to Glasgow, for Coldplay’s biggest ever show in Scotland. Over 30’000 people cheered them to another triumphant show in the national stadium, Hampden Park. There was a great atmosphere and another beautiful night (seriously, we’ve had amazing weather!). As the crowd entered the stadium, they were treated to some of the best musicians they would see all night at the Oxfam tent. Pure Brass came out in support of OXJAM, and played 4 great sets in the evening sunshine. As the trumpets, French horns, tubas and trombones belted out some great Coldplay covers, the donations started raining in. It was a perfect night. Thank ‘you so much to our Oxjam volunteers from Edinburgh and Glasgow and further afield. Thank you again to the incredible ‘Pure Brass’. Amazing.
So, back to the end. Wembley will welcome 140’000 cheering Coldplay fans by Saturday night. Oxjam will be here to entertain them on Level 2. It’s the end of production day, i’d better go and get some rest for show day.. If you get the chance, come and find out about a great opportunity to use your love of music, for positive change. See you there.
Pete
Posted in: General
September 13th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Pete
It is now.
For Manchester at least. The VIVA tour is not quite done yet.. 4 shows to go. 3 Countries. 2 national stadiums. 1 week. The bands have left. The crowds have dispersed from the pitch. The trucks have started their engines, and the Oxfam road case, has been loaded on it’s way to Dublin.
Coldplay. Jay-Z. White Lies. Blackmanalishi. Tone-Acity. ortoPilot. That was the line-up for today’s concert in Manchester. The last three of those played on a slightly smaller stage to the one graced by the ‘best rapper alive’.
All of our OXJAM buskers did a great job today. They were out in front of the grand pavillion of this famous cricket ground, lightening the mood of hundreds of fans waiting for food, drink and toilets. The crowds steadily grew, and more people enjoyed the early entertainment, before heading onto the turf, for the headline set.
Oxfam GB is here, promoting OXJAM. It’s a month-long music festival. It starts in October this year, and will begin with 4 thrilling nights of music at the OXJAM launch events in an Oxfam shop. Oxfam supporters Editors, Fatboy Slim, Basement Jaxx, VV Brown and other’s will be there. Oxjam’s North West team was here tonight promoting their own flagship event in Manchester, the ‘Oxjam Take Over’. Concerts will take place across the city, all in aid of Oxjam. I’m sure there will be something for anyone’s taste, so get yourself down there.
Your Music. Changing the world.
Oxjam is for you, music lovers, everywhere. It’s a huge music festival, with literally thousands of events, bringing people together, through their shared love of music, raising money towards ending poverty. Don’t just care about the world. Change it. Oxjam gives you the chance to put on your own event, with your friends, raising money, to enable more people the have safe water, and for children to learn, and for farmers to adapt to climate change. You can help thousands of people, all over the world, to have a better, more secure future. Sign up now at..
www.oxfam.org.uk/oxjam
Today, Oxjam got off the mark, took the first wicket, made the first noise, of this years festival. It was a huge venue this time, and a modest setting under Oxfam’s little tent. Blackmanalishi, huge supporters of Oxjam, strummed and sang their tunes, as Oxjam got moving. Later, UK champion barbershop quartet Tone-Acity brought some beautiful harmony, and later ortoPilot got the waiting crowd singing and dancing with some classic covers including Coldplay, Oasis, Amy Winehouse, Gnarls Barkley and Ocean Colour Scene. It was a great variety, showcasing what Oxjam is all about. It can be the smallest, or the biggest venue. The rarest tunes, or the classic sing-along’s, a busk or a big band. From folk, to funk, to punk.. Absolutely anything goes. It’s up to you.
All our buskers kindly gave their time, and all money raised will go towards Oxfam’s work. Our volunteers also gave their time, and signed up fans to be event organisers themselves, and to help out at shows, or just to find out more, and go along to a concert. What will you do?
I was there when Coldplay rushed off the stage and back onto the road. Jay-Z was clearly happy to be a part of the show tonight, delivering a fantastic set. He’s one of those performers who can whip up a crowd and have them in the palm of his hand. I’ve been excited about his show all along, and from what I saw, I wasn’t disappointed. I look forward to seeing some more in Glasgow and London. White Lies are well in the groove now. One of the fastest growing reputations around will have been boosted again playing to another huge audience. 50’000 were here tonight. I looked out from the pavillion balcony at one point.. A sea of people swaying in time. Amazing.
The show can only get better with the addition of Elbow in Dublin. I really can’t wait for that.
Two nights ago, the Oxfam Novib caravan made it’s last stop on this tour, with a beautiful evening in Nijmegen. Volunteers dressed as teachers, to highlight the campaign for health and education for all, were busy across the site. They asked fans to make a promise and lend a hand. Fans promised and stuck to their word, and held up hundreds of green hands during Yellow to show their support. It was quite a sight, and another great night for Oxfam. Over 2400 people signed up in Holland.
These fields are jam packed with people who can be involved with Oxfam’s work. Put on music events. Raise money. Join campaigns. Take actions. Why not have a go at an Oxjam gig yourself? Make Music - Raise Money - End Poverty.
I’m off to my bunk, see you in Dublin.. Pete
Posted in: General
September 9th, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by Pete
Sitting in Goffertpark, Nijmegen. Surrounded by autumnal tinged green trees. It’s a beautiful late summer’s day in The Netherlands. To my right, I can see the big stage star-light VIVA balloons being hoisted up onto lighting towers. Speaker stacks being raised by the riggers. Fork lift trucks keep rumbling past me carrying fencing, cases, portaloos and various other loads, as Goffertpark prepares to host two days of the Coldplay festival.
By my feet are the keys to the little green Oxfam Novib caravan, which is parked in it’s spot for the next few days of campaigning on the ‘Big Promise’ Millenium Development Goals actions. Two volunteers hitch-hiked it this morning to the site from 100km away. It may be small, but tomorrow, it will be a hive of activity as volunteers give Coldplay fans here, the chance to take their action on poverty, and make a promise, to support Health and Education FOR ALL. They will be carrying post-box backpacks, for people to post their promises, and big green hands so they can wave at each other. I hope that all 122’000 people who come to the show the next couple of days, will see us, and thousands of you will take an action.
The red dome-shaped Coldplay stage, being assembled by their tireless crew, now sits proudly in this field - in prime spot to entertain the masses, once the speakers are cranked up. Oxfam’s caravan is also in the prime spot further across the field, to get lots of people talking, speaking out, and raise the volume in the ears of our world leaders, that it’s about time, every child had the chance to go to school.
Last night, Coldplay almost deafened me by walking off stage at the end of their set. The noise people made to cheer them back on stage for an encore was stunning. The football stadiums they are playing on this tour really hold in the sound like a cauldron of noise. It’s quite something. Oxfam France agir-ici volunteers came away from the show beaming. The evening obviously having left it’s mark. Before the concert, they had been busy with the pens and helped hundreds of fans to make their mark on Health and Education For All. When I counted up at the venue, over 1600 people had signed up, but as the last few sheets which came back, that number kept rolling up. Once again, Coldplay fans showed a willingness to be involved and to speak up on Oxfam’s campaigns. This was one of the best shows by far. I left Paris having really enjoyed my stay. It is a beautiful city, with passionate crowds, who cheer for more music, and stand up for change to overcome poverty. Looking forward now to the Netherlands, and Oxfam Novib’s volunteers having similar success here at Goffertpark.
Posted in: General
September 4th, 2009 / 2 Comments » / by Pete
Back in Barcelona. About a year ago, we were next door, in the Palau St Jordi arena, for one of the best Coldplay shows so far (in my opinion). It was an incredible night. Next door, England fans piled into the stadium where the Coldplay stage now sits, preparing for an international with Andorra. Somehow it feels like it could have been yesterday.. familiar weather, faces, scenery. Fans are already outside waiting to come in. In fact there was a handful of them out there in tents last night..! Fair play to them.
When I came in yesterday, I looked up in catering and noticed the Olympic rings across the wall. This is a great stadium, perched on the top of the hill, overlooking the beautiful city of Barcelona. I’m sure tonight will be a show to remember. 64′000 people will rush through the doors, (some who waited longer than others), and greet Coldplay with a huge roar. From then on, it will be a dual between speakers stacks, and vocal chords, for who can make the most noise.
As I said last time. Intermon Oxfam, here in Barcelona, need some of that noise too, in support of their campaign efforts. They will be there by the entrances and in amongst the crowd, giving fans the opportunity to get involved and lend their voice for a fairer world without poverty.
I’m really looking forward to it. Before that, there is work to be done.. and before Coldplay, there is the incredible Flaming Lips!
Posted in: General
September 4th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Pete
*Here;s a note from Bern a couple of days ago.. originally scrawled on a scrap of paper*
I’ve just run out of the pouring rain. My hoodie is soaked and my trousers, rolled up, to avoid soaking up any more puddles. Out of the front lounge window, on the tour bus, I can see a constant flow of people hurrying home. Like a river of people flowing out of the exits of the Stade de Suisse, and splintering off into tributaries. The reverse of what I was taught about river systems in Geography.
A few minutes ago, just behind the stage trucks to my right, popping - fizzing - banging pyrotechnics lit up the sky to compete with the lightning, spotlights and camera flashes, and bring another triumphant Coldplay show to a close. 40′000 more people have seen the spectacular open-air show in an incredible summer for one of the world’s biggest bands. And here we are.. Oxfam is playing it’s part in this event too. *I think* .. this was the 150th show of the VIVA world tour. A lot of people have passed through the gates, sung along, clapped hands, campaigned with Oxfam, in that time.. and a few have got a bit wet too.
The rain took nothing away from the atmosphere tonight. When the band ventured into the stormy weather, lightning flashing over the stadium, thunder multiplying the bass, steam rising from the crowd, they must have almost flooded their guitars. It fell down. Rivulets forming on the side of sound mixing tents, the giant stage, and the little Oxfam tent. I was impressed by the crowd. Just pulling out their raincoats in unison and getting on with singing.
Bern has been a stormy city for the tour. Similar downpours endured by the crew during Production day. But the show wen’t on (of course), and it was a cracker!
Today, Oxfam teamed up with a partner organisation here in Switzerland, called Clean Clothes Campaign, which campaigns for fairer production of clothing, and better working conditions for manufacturers. It relates to the Oxfam Make Trade Fair campaign, which Coldplay have supported strongly in the past. The Clean Clothes Campaign aims to connect us all more to what we buy, to know where it came from, who made it, and to ensure they wern’t exploited along the way.
Most people in the audience pulled out a raincoat when it poured tonight - so it is about knowing more about what got that there. Simple stuff. Something we can all do. Everyone deserves a fair chance. A fair wage for a product they have made. The same rights that people would expect here in Switzerland. As it says in Oxfam International’s Coldplay concert flyer.. a woman in Switzerland can expect to live to 84. A woman born in Swaziland, Southern Africa, can only expect to live until she’s 39. That’s crazy. That’s people’s lives. Not just numbers.
Huge amounts of people can change the world. Make change happen, which makes life fairer for all of us. So we need lot’s of people to shout for the same cause, to change the world…..
Good job we’re here on the Coldplay tour then, eh?
Posted in: General
September 1st, 2009 / 1 Comment » / by Pete
Leapfrogging through the country’s again. It’s an odd feeling. Waking up in a different landscape, country, culture, currency every other morning, but in the same bunk. I open my curtains, soon after the bus rolls to a halt, and look out of the front lounge at the view. First, I usually see a dusty carpark and a lost looking roadie taking directions from an in-the-know bus or truck driver. Those guys seem to have a permanent compass and map in their heads - knowing where everything is and never failing to get us to the next city. Because of course.. the show must go on. It’s great to have them around, to help a lost roadie find their bearings .. ‘toilets over there, catering through there, and the gig in that huge building behind you’..
These stadiums are big. I have said that already, in my previous blog. But last night I was struck again by the volume of people standing on the pitch usually occupied by 22 footballers and a referee at Udinese’s home ground.. and then at the thousands more filling the stands singing every word, like a goal has just been scored when plectrums meet guitars.
That’s a lot of people with an opportunity to take action. It shows the chance that people have, together, to have a collective voice to help overcome poverty. Millions of people are watching Coldplay on this tour. Shouting at the top of their lungs, when four sparklers appear walking in the darkness from stage-right.
Oxfam is here to give a different kind of voice to those lungs. There are actions you can take at every concert. Last night, the 20 volunteers were dotted all around signing people up to the PER TUTTI campaign. Our group did a great job for UCODEP and Oxfam International - led by the incredible Gabriele. I want to thank them all on here, as I did when they wen’t into the show, for all their efforts in the hot Italian sun. If you see an Oxfam volunteer at the show you’re going to, say hello, take an action, and .. maybe, if it’s hot, give them some water!
Today, i’m sitting in a very clean looking ‘crew office’ in the depths of the latest stadium to be visited by the Coldplay tour on it’s mammoth run. In the background, there is all sorts of load-in noise, and radio bleeps. Cases being shuttled into their spots. Amongst them, the Oxfam hamper.. now a lot more road weary after over 100 shows, than it was, way back in LA in early summer 2008.
For some reason, a guy just whistled past me on a scooter. Some people choose golf buggies in these places. I kind of like seeing it on foot.
Munich was a beautiful setting. A perfect late summer night. Howling Bells and Kilians played great sets to ready the stage for those 4 lads with sparklers and all other kinds of lights, video, inflatables and pyrotechnics. It was a great show - just like the two other shows in Germany before. Oxfam Deutschland were there to promote Oxfam shops (which is the best place to pick up a second hand jumper by the way), and raise awareness. Katja, Ulrike, Gesa - you are stars. Thank you for your help.
This blog has a pretty rubbish title today. I will try to do better next time. The stadium tour is turning out to be an incredible ride. Millions of fans still await with tickets and singing voices at the ready. I hope to see lots of you along the way picking up pens and making promises with Oxfam on Health and Education FOR ALL.
Time for tea. See you tomorrow.
Pete
Posted in: General
August 28th, 2009 / 3 Comments » / by Pete
Hello. It’s me. ‘Oxfam’.
Oxfam America’s wonderful tour rep has stepped off the bus. The North American ’shed’ tour has come to an end. Volunteers across the continent have come together two years in a row, having countless conversations, signing up tens of thousands of people, and giving Coldplay fans the chance to take an action to help alleviate poverty. They’ve had a laugh. Smiled until their cheeks hurt. Sung until their throats were sore. Let’s hear it for our volunteers, and their intrepid leader, campaigner, roadie.. Let’s hear it for Soha Yassine! But there is one group of people missing.. you lot! Thank you for smiling back. Signing up. Taking an action. Talking about it to your friends. Saying hello.
But Oxfam’s touring wings are not done flapping just yet.. We’re not quite ready to tuck our wings away and go to roost.
Coldplay have again said “do you want to come along?” .. and of course, we have been happy to accept. They want as many of their fans as possible, to hear about Oxfam, and to get involved and be active.
So, here we are again on the European Stadium tour, which just this morning, rolled into Munich. I joined the tour in Hannover last Monday. It has taken me a few days to get my bearings and to meet 40 more great campaigners in Dusseldorf and Hannover. If you wen’t to any of the shows in Denmark, Norway, or Sweden, and would like to get involved, click the link below.
Make a Big Promise with Oxfam International.
Stadiums are big places. Very big. There will be lots of you. It really is a breathtaking sight, when Coldplay take the stage. Between 20′000 and 68′000 people every night will be there. It’s truly ma-hoo-sive. Mega. Huge. Massive. Magnificent. We will try to see you all, but just in case you miss us, do feel free to sign the pledge above, or go to the relevant link on the right of this page. It would be great to hear from you!
Make some noise. Make a promise. Enjoy yourselves. If you get a moment, come and say hello. Take care Coldplay people. I’ll speak to you tomorrow, to report back on a baking hot fan-packed field in Munchen.
Pete
Posted in: General
August 17th, 2009 / 7 Comments » / by soha.yassine
Hello lovers and friends of the world!
Soha here, coming at you from the departure terminal of Boston’s Logan International airport. Check out this book I just saw walking through the terminal.
The last time I wrote to you all from an airport terminal was in Vancouver at the end of the first leg of the summer tour. I was headed home for a two-week break before resuming the rest of the tour. It feels like a million years ago recalling that moment where I sat with a signed Coldplay banner at my side, the knowledge that Oxfam now had over 100 thousand actions under its belt since the start of the Viva tour, and the rest of the summer ahead of me. Since then, I’ve worked with an additional 300+ volunteers who helped Oxfam America nearly reach our goal of getting 30 thousand people to sign our Climate Change Petition this summer. In that time Team Saratoga Springs was dethroned by Team Raleigh as the highest performing team, achieving 1387 petition sign-ups! Not to forget, since I last talked to you, the North American part of the Viva Tour 2009 wrapped up and Coldplay started the European stadium leg. Well, the N. American bit didn’t so much wrap up as it did come to a screeching halt because of the postponement of the Tampa show, which was supposed to be my last show. This means that I had to clear out the Oxfam road case, and pack and ship the remaining Oxfam America materials in addition to clearing my bunk, packing, and saying too many goodbyes to what had become a crew of dear friends in less than a day’s notice.
Before I could blink, the tour was over and I was back at my old desk at Oxfam America’s Boston headquarters for a week of evaluating, assessing, and debriefing the Coldplay tour with “Team Rock.” Now here I am at the departure terminal of another airport. I hope this doesn’t sound like complaining. World, I have told you before, there is not a single day that goes by that I don’t recall how much good fortune has been showered upon me.
Arriving at my old workstation, I saw this hanging at the desk of Flora Smith, Oxfam America’s Concert Outreach Intern, and the woman I call the glue that held me together on the Coldplay tour.
I couldn’t believe looking at that paper, that it had been my life for the past 14 weeks.
Even harder to believe is how difficult it continues to be to answer the question “So, how was the tour?” It was amazing, obviously, but what else do I say? It was 14 weeks of doing essentially the same things every day in a constantly changing setting with a constantly changing team. It was spectacular. It was exhausting. It was inspiring. It was mundane. It was empowering. It was humbling. It was… I don’t know… amazing!
Perhaps I can answer the question by saying that the tour was a substantial success for Oxfam America and Canada. Thousands of people offered to volunteer with us, though we only had the ability to have 20 volunteers per show. 29, 035 people signed Oxfam America’s petition at 33 shows thanks to the hard work of over 650 volunteers. Over 5,000 people signed Oxfam Canada’s action cards thanks to 120 volunteers in 6 cities! This has helped Oxfam’s global total exceed 115 thousand actions! Many many thanks to the hundreds of volunteers for your commitment to ending global poverty and admirable work ethic that drove Oxfam’s campaigns every step of the way. Awesome work, everyone. Above all, thank you for your friendship, especially to the handfuls of you who I count on having lasting relationships with. You know who you are.
If you didn’t make it to a Coldplay show this summer, or if you want to spread the word about taking action with Oxfam’s climate change campaign, there’s still time to help us reach our goal! Urge the President to consider the effects of climate change on poor and vulnerable communities who are disproportionately affected by climate related disasters and emergencies and help us reach the goal of 30 thousand signed petitions before September 1st by circulating our petition online, or on paper. You can print it out and take to work, school, congregations, farmer’s markets- anywhere!! This fall, we will be delivering these petitions to the President when he attends a special gathering of heads of state at the UN to discuss climate change. If you’ll be heading to a Coldplay show in Europe, do visit the Oxfam booth and say hello to Pete Lusby, Oxfam’s representative on these European legs of the tour.
This blog has given me the ability to narrate to you all the Oxfam’s operations of the Coldplay tour through words and pictures. To say the least, blogging has been a cathartic way of externally processing the all of the awesome experiences I’ve had. However, if you’re interested in hearing about the technical aspects of Oxfam America’s Concert Outreach Program, and bits like my favorite moment on the tour and such, check out my interview by our peeps at Coldplaying.com here.
Its on to Nashville for me to spend some time decompressing and getting back to nature for a while before going back home to LA. I’ll tell you what my crewmate Hoppy told me when I said goodbye to him. “Happy trails, and if you ever see the back of my head at an airport somewhere, be sure to come say hello.” Otherwise, world, I’ll see you at the next Coldplay show I go to wherever that is, whenever that is, and whether its as a fan or an Oxfamer.
xoxo from Boston,
s
Posted in: General
July 29th, 2009 / 12 Comments » / by soha.yassine
Hello world!
I’m coming at you from the lovely lovely Toronto, Canada on the second of two much appreciated days off. This leg has been characterized by many long drives that end with our arriving to our hotel on a day off at 7pm with just enough time to take a good shower, grab dinner, and have a decent night’s sleep on a real bed before waking up the next day and doing it all over again.
This tour has given me the opportunity to become acquainted with many of our neighbor in the north’s major cities and the more time I spend here, the more I love it. I’ve mentioned before how Oxfam Canada’s teams never cease to amaze me, so I’m very much looking forward to working with Team Toronto tomorrow at Rogers Center. Even Team Vancouver, who managed to acquire 1600 Action Cards at their show last month, bragged about how impressed I’d be with them. I don’t doubt that.
I’ve been fortunate to work with so many amazing teams in the US and Canada. However, I’ll be honest with you, world, when I look back on this past summer, it’s all a blur. Being in a new city everyday, heading up Oxfam teams, working long days on absurd amounts of sleep, tracking sign-ups, blogging, constantly misplacing and finding my reading glasses, wondering if I have any clean clothes left, and working with Team Rock to make sure the Oxfam operations continue to function like a well-oiled machine, is a lot to keep track of. My fear of forgetting the people I meet and the things I see is why I take so many pictures. My run as Oxfam roadie will end when the tour heads back to Europe and the baton is passed back to my boy, Pete. So maybe when all is said and done I’ll start a photo sharing account where you can see the thousands of pictures of volunteers, the crew, Coldplay etc. I will say this, however, I never forget my teams. I remember all of you, your favorite Coldplay songs, and how you got involved with Oxfam. Just try me, I won’t disappoint.
Speaking of pictures, lets do a little bit of a recap in pictures of the past few days.
After Houston, we set out for St. Louis where I reunited with “Team Jen” and was able to catch the Incubus concert the day before Coldplay performed at the same venue. Check this out, its a picture of Incubus fans holding up real lighters during a song. I’ve never seen that at a show before!
We made it to East Troy, Wisconsin where the Team and I had to hold on to the Oxfam tent lest it fly away in a sudden thunderstorm.
The storm was intense, but we were able to pull off a really great night. Check out this pic of some of the team members looking like a group of rebel “Justice Defenders.”
This brings us to Saratoga Springs. I’d have to have Chris Martin-like song writing skills to be able to express how awesomely awesome this team was. As if their collective commitment to social justice, or the fact that the team was organized by one skateboard riding/fluorescent hat wearing, Craig, wasn’t enough to impress me, they broke the record for the most sign-ups in a US city. Yes, Indianapolis, you have been de-throned by Team Saratoga Springs, who got an amazing 1350 people to take action with Oxfam at a single show! On top of that, they were the source of what is one by far one of the coolest things I’ve seen on this tour.
The team must also have some collective good karma because Coldplay’s team happened to have extra pit tickets that they just happened to give to the Oxfam volunteers. This almost never happens and it was a great way to reward such a committed bunch. The team created quite the visual spectacle during Viva La Vida by taking off their Oxfam bandanas and waving them in the air. You could see the waving Oxfam bandanas clearly from any point in the amphitheater, and it looked super cool. No pictures of that scene unfortunately; although I don’t think I’ll be needing a picture to remember that amazing moment.
Here’s a picture of Team Saratoga featuring me on Craig’s board.
Much love to all of the Oxfam teams- and don’t worry, Indianapolis, I’d still ask you out for a second date.
xoxo from Toronto,
s
Posted in: General
July 22nd, 2009 / No Comments » / by soha.yassine
Hello world,
I humbly throw myself at your feet in apology for not writing in a very long time. Major props to my boy Pete who is always so good about keeping in touch. Lately I have been plagued by the thought that my entries lack an underlying, unifying theme and for that they are no good. Such is the life of a perfectionist…
The rest of the crew and I have been longing for the days of torrential downpours and thunderstorms that seemed to plague us earlier this summer. The past few shows have been HOT. The crew has gone from having nice summer glows to constantly nursing sunburns. I’ve always liked having the red nose in the summer that suggests that I’d been in the sun, but my face is 4 shades darker than my neck now! Here are some “fun in the sun” pictures:
The Gorge Amphitheater. The stage literally sits at the edge of a cliff. Isn’t it breathtaking? When the VIVA banner dropped during Death and All His Friends, it went flapping in the wind and my crew mates were left having to try to grab on to it and hold it down to no avail.
The volunteer team at The Gorge was awesome. Don’t we look like one big happy OXFAMily in this picture? At this point in the tour, my face still looks like I have a healthy glow. Congrats to Team George for getting 898 new people to take action with Oxfam!
This is Eric. I met him at the San Diego show when I saw that he was wearing an old school red Make Trade Fair shirt and I hooked him up with a new, fluorescent green one. He came to the Irvine show as well where he let me pose like a nerd in HIS Chris Martin ala Viva La Vida jacket. I’ve seen quiet a few of these jackets since joining the tour, but I think Eric’s has been the best thus far. Teams San Diego and Irvine got 972 and 1142 new signups, respectively. Woot woot!
Yesterday’s show in Dallas was the hottest and most difficult show I’ve worked on this tour. A big thank you to Team Dallas for being such amazing sports and for getting 650 hot, sweaty, and irritable fans to take action with us!
Team Houston BROUGHT IT tonight getting 982 new sign ups! Houston always shows Oxfam so much love. We love you too!
A few days ago I told my friends that if their was a medal for BRINGING IT, that our Oxfam teams would take the gold. We are well on our way to exceeding our goal of getting 30K new people to take action with Oxfam America during the summer Viva tour. Here’s how the other teams did:
San Francisco: 450
Sacramento: 898
Carson: 906
The Southern California dates were particularly special for me because So Cal is my home turf! Much love to teams Carson and Irvine! They were represented by my friends in the Los Angeles Oxfam Action Corps. Before I ever worked for Oxfam, I was an Oxfam Action Corps volunteer and it was great to work with everyone once again. Here we are in Carson after canvassing an audience of 30K fans!
Yesterday I sent off a shipment of petition sheets from the past few shows totally nearly 6000! If you want to help Oxfam America meet and exceed our goal of 30K new actions taken on the Viva tour and join the over 20K people who already have, you can sign our petition here!
From Bus 2 en route to St. Louis,
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Posted in: General
Coldplay have invited Oxfam on their mammoth Viva La Vida World Tour. Throughout 2008 the band played huge shows across 3 continents and 18 countries. Oxfam volunteers were there every step of the way, talking to 100,000s of people about how they can take action to overcome poverty. Now in 2009, Coldplay continue this tour with shows across 20 countries. Oxfam groups around the world, will again join the tour, blogging as they go..
