Munich to Udine to Bern.
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
This entry was posted on Tuesday, September 1st, 2009 at 4:58 pm and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Coldplay has 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 2010, Coldplay continue this tour with shows across in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. Oxfam groups around the world will again join the tour, blogging as they go.
