Small Reminders/Updates & The Coldplay Messenger (feat. Roadie #42!)

[loverinmerced]

Guy, Guy, Guy.

[marie/pims]

Roadie #42 - Blog #96

August 19, 2009 5:30 pm

#42 and the stadium show excitement

 

 

It would be too easy a gag to start off by saying that it's only 16 months into the tour and we've finally made it to production rehearsals. In reality, we're knocking it up a gear for this final run of shows. Yes folks, it's stadium time.

 

I talked a little about scale when the band played in Toronto in what was in essence an indoor stadium. Basically, this many punters means that things get very, very large. The infrastructure to support all of this largeness though, brings with it an additional helping of largeness all of its own.

 

When I did my first shows with Coldplay, the whole show fit in one truck (driven by a lovely man named Johnny Burgess). We're now up to 36. There is one whole truck dedicated to carrying just the CDs the band are giving away at the shows. I'd never have predicted THAT way back when...

 

In smaller shows, there is a stage in the venue when you arrive and, hopefully, a handy roof for hanging things from. There's power, dressing rooms, offices, phone lines - you get the idea. Stadium touring means that we carry everything.

 

We're even carrying our own stage; or rather, we are carrying three of them. Essentially, there's one for the gig we're doing now, one for the gig we've just done and one for the gig that happens next. The stages are constructed by three independent "steel crews" who will leapfrog around Europe - only seeing one show in three and quite feasibly never meeting each other - or indeed ever being in the same country!

 

We have everything we need to turn up in a field and put on a show. Just as well really, because the Denmark venue is essentially a field. In reality, it just feels like any one of the festivals we've done on this run. There's a big stage, there's mud and so it goes on. There's also a rather large building site next door.

 

But when night falls and lights and video get into programming mode, it becomes very clear that these gigs aren't simply going to be more of the same. The show only unfolds as the stage comes to life in the darkness.

 

The final night before stadium show number one marks the first time I ever watch a Coldplay show. Admittedly, none of Coldplay are actually present. Chris was on site for most of the day, going over details. The plan though, is to play one of the recent US shows through the sound system at gig volume whilst everyone stands around watching the lights and video, stroking their chins and saying "maybe this bit should be more like this....".

 

I've seen Chris bolt from radio studios when Coldplay music is played in preference to listening to his own voice, so I imagine an hour and a half of it at 110dB is out of the question. Instead of the band, then, we have four stand-ins made up from some very brave members of the crew, who mime to the recording of the last gig.

 

Tiff, the band's wardrobe girl is Guy tonight, Julie our promoter's rep is Jonny. I'm not entirely sure who's sitting behind the drumkit - doubtless one of the newcomers I'll eventually learn the name of as the run progresses. And out front, giving it all of Chris's best moves is Marguerite from production. The sight of themselves in closeup on a video screen the size of Sydney Harbour Bridge ensures a good proportion of the "show" is spent in fits of giggles.

 

The screen is monstrous and very impressive. The "wave trusses" also look utterly wonderful on this scale, morphing and undulating through the show, giving the lights a wonderfully organic and graceful feel. The video-spheres too, are delightfully unique. Very pleasingly it's difficult to pick out a straight line or a right angle anywhere in the design. It's a beautiful sight and I only wish I could spend every night out front like this.

 

So the band aren't here for the final run-through. That folks, is an unprecedented level of confidence. I remark to Show Designer Paul Normandale that they are in a totally different space to where they were in production rehearsals at the start of the tour back in Wembley Arena. Back then, they had no idea if the album would be well received or whether the tour would be a success.

 

Now, we're 150 shows down the line on a tour that must have already seen a couple of million punters through the gate and god only knows how many albums sold. I'm not talking about the confidence that hangs around with arrogance or complacency. I'm talking about the confidence of knowing that they can deliver the goods in terms of performance. I'm also talking about the confidence that the people working on the show know what they want and how to produce it.

 

Plus, as ever, we have Mr Phil Harvey at the helm of all matters creative. Phil has the unique ability of being able to see things through both the eyes of the band and of their audience. This is equally a skill and a unique perspective. The ultimate confidence of the band is here in their fifth member.

 

 

There's a faint whiff in the air that another few more days of fiddling with things would have been nice, but there's nothing like a crowd of 40,000 through the gates to focus the mind!

 

 

I've wandered around out in the crowd less than a dozen times on this whole tour. Every time I do it, it changes my whole day. So much so, that I may have to do it a lot more often before this all goes away. Hanging around behind the stage is a mixture of tension and exhaustion. Out here, the vibe is celebration and anticipation. It's very intoxicating; like a double espresso for the soul.

 

I turn around from the back of the field ready to walk back and the light misting of rain has given us a rainbow. It mirrors the arch of the stage roof and, somewhat tellingly, appears to end at the catering tent where the coffee machine is located. Who am I to argue with mother nature?

 

For the first time in a very long time, I'm actually slightly excited as we head for showtime. It's the hugest of roadie no-no's to be anything other than slightly surly and completely focused before the show. Being a little giddy and impressed by the scale of things just opens the door for the fuck-up-fairy.

 

I keep my head down for the show and focus so much on getting things right that I eventually recover my gig-stress. Inevitably, things pass in a blur. For a first show, I reckon it went pretty damn well. Inevitably, there's a million minor changes to make and the show will grow and evolve as the band find their feet in the new setting. Overall though, it's easily the strongest stadium outing Coldplay has ever had - by a very long way.

 

The combination of doing our first runner for a week or so and the relief of the first show being under our belts means that I leave Denmark with my memory card full of show-and-tell from the past few days in the camera that rides from gig to gig on the truck. Oh well. There's always the next six weeks to show you...

 

In a superbly bizarre twist, the band have flown into their first stadium show of this tour on U2's plane. Apparently, our regular ride is misfiring. I believe that the big end's gone, or something like that. The easiest way to deal with this it seems, was to take U2's "360 Air" jet for a spin. They're doing UK shows right now, so it's just sat about doing nothing otherwise.

 

I can confirm that, as one would imagine, those fellas truly travel in comfort and style. I'm writing this now on the flight out to Norway for today's show. Again, we're aboard 360 Air. As we walked across the tarmac to the plane there was a Ryanair flight boarding over the way. A few folks stopped on the steps to take photos of the U2 plane.

 

Quite what they thought watching a bunch of scruffy roadies climb aboard I have no idea. I expect though, they were even more confused watching a complete lack of U2, but instead Coldplay cheerfully climbing the steps. Again, not something I'd have pictured all those years ago when I first walked into the Forum in Kentish Town, London for my first day's work with the band.

 

It's been a long, strange trip indeed and one does wonder where it'll all end.

 

R#42

 

 

 

Guy is a girl :D

Can you imagine those people thinking they're taking pictures of U2 but it turns out to be Coldplay :D Very confusing

[strawberryswinger]

R42 blogs keep improving... cool one :cool3:

[Lore]

Now, we're 150 shows down the line

 

 

 

 

 

I hate you roadie 42, there's no need to remind me that I haven't been in any of those 150 shows :bigcry:

[Pris]

That's a really nice blog, funny about the crew "stand-ins" :lol: and yay for getting a Phil pic :wacky:

 

I wonder if the people taking pics of U2's plane realized it was Coldplay going in :P

 

EDIT:

@Lore

:hug:

They should play 150 shows just for you to make up for it :P

[Texasluvsjonny]

the fuck-up-fairy :lol:

[SueDeNimes]

Out here, the vibe is celebration and anticipation. It's very intoxicating; like a double espresso for the soul.

[...]

Being a little giddy and impressed by the scale of things just opens the door for the fuck-up-fairy.

I love love love this blog! :heart:

The metaphor with the espresso for the soul is so fitting!!!

And "fuck-up-fairy"! :lol:

 

It really must've been funny to see people's faces when they went inside the plane!

People who don't like them could've thought "Now they totally lost it and think they are U2" :laugh3::laugh3::laugh3:

 

He really succeeded in transferring the sentimentality to the reader. (If that is the correct way of putting it.)

 

Awesome! :clap:

 

 

Oh, forgot the "stand-ins" part: It was already funny at the BBC Television Centre tour to pretend to be the weatherman.

How funny must it be to pretend to be Coldplay?? :)

[Christa42]

Roadie 42 showing some Phil love awwwww

i wonder if its the same fuck up fairy i have? they must be cousins

[Mimixxx]

Fabulous blog :D

[Texasluvsjonny]

I want to hijack that truck full of LRLRL CDs and give one to everyone on here that can't see them.

[Arantza]

Nice blog :D

And a picture of Phil :blush:!

[MartinFan]

Great Blog!!!

[Ab]

I made a :wacky: face when I read this part:

Plus, as ever, we have Mr Phil Harvey at the helm of all matters creative. Phil has the unique ability of being able to see things through both the eyes of the band and of their audience. This is equally a skill and a unique perspective. The ultimate confidence of the band is here in their fifth member.

All hail teh Harvey factor! :cool3:

Also this part...

The combination of doing our first runner for a week or so and the relief of the first show being under our belts means that I leave Denmark with my memory card full of show-and-tell from the past few days in the camera that rides from gig to gig on the truck. Oh well. There's always the next six weeks to show you...

...is why we all owe R#42 our lives!

I want to hijack that truck full of LRLRL CDs and give one to everyone on here that can't see them.

That's why your mom & dad called you Angie, cuz you're an angel. :kiss:

[roche714]

Great blog.He's a beautiful writer.

I love what he says about Phil...

[bear]

i loved this blog.

miller is so articulate, i love reading what ever he has to write:nice:

[Natster]

:D Ol' Roadie's blogs are always such a pleasure to read - but does anyone know what he does when the band is not touring - I mean, when this tour ends, does that mean the end of Miller blogs too? That will be sad, what will I read then?

[SueDeNimes]

Greetings from Bergen

August 20, 2009 10:05 am

Wish you were here

 

 

 

 

(Special thanks to the family who let us on their boat!)

 

The Coldplay-shaped puppets on tour

[Mrs.Chatterbox]

ah..I have been to Bergen too :) it's a very beautiful city ;)

[marie/pims]

Looks cute :)

[Mimixxx]

Roadie #42 - Blog #97

August 21, 2009 6:42 pm

#42 and the fearsome fireworks

 

This quick little six week run around Europe to close the tour has collectively been referred to amongst the camp as "The Stadiums". Today in Norway, we're in quite a small outdoor space which is essentially a green field at the foot of great mountains and an old military fort. Quite frankly, I'd take this over a big concrete and steel shell any day of the week...

 

 

The one thing that I do like about proper stadiums is the way they resonate with crowd noise. The reverberation can turn cheering into a jet-engine roar and a great singalong into something quite astonishing. I don't think the completely open-air vibe is going to present a problem tonight, though.

 

When the crew get a cheer every time one of them ventures down the ramps in the half hour before the show, you know the crowd are up for it. On the subject of the crowd, I have to say that Norway is by far the blondest sea of heads I've ever seen as I walk across the field ten minutes to showtime. They also, it would appear, quite like a drink here. Should be a good 'un.

 

I'm told that in the world of theatre, the second night of a run is referred to as "sacking night" (I believe that would be "firing night" for the more American of you). This is because opening night wobbles can be forgiven, but really, by the second night, you really should have your act together.

 

There's a moment as the drape falls at the start of Violet Hill, taking out Chris's mic stand as it goes, when it looks like tonight could be a comedy of errors. Thankfully, though, it's a very strong show tonight and everything starts to feel like it's falling into place. The band are already finding their groove in the new larger than life environment. The swagger will surely follow.

 

The other thing that will surely follow is I'll start to remember that we've got fireworks now. Both nights so far, they've started to go off and I've physically ducked and sworn. Tonight, as I leg it across the rear of the stage to do the runner, I push my way through the back drape and am blinded. Minh, one of the show's carpenters has hold of my elbow preventing me from walking any further.

 

Probably just as well, being as about ten feet further all that exists is a wall of sparks, explosions and smoke as the pyro fellas give it plenty. Just in case you were wondering, industrial strength fireworks smell strongly of eggs.

 

Fear smells of something different entirely.

 

R#42

 

[Pris]

Roadie #42 - Blog #97

August 21, 2009 6:42 pm

#42 and the fearsome fireworks

 

This quick little six week run around Europe to close the tour has collectively been referred to amongst the camp as "The Stadiums".

:bigcry: :bigcry: :bigcry:

The other thing that will surely follow is I'll start to remember that we've got fireworks now. Both nights so far, they've started to go off and I've physically ducked and sworn. Tonight, as I leg it across the rear of the stage to do the runner, I push my way through the back drape and am blinded. Minh, one of the show's carpenters has hold of my elbow preventing me from walking any further.

 

Probably just as well, being as about ten feet further all that exists is a wall of sparks, explosions and smoke as the pyro fellas give it plenty. Just in case you were wondering, industrial strength fireworks smell strongly of eggs.

 

Fear smells of something different entirely.

 

R#42

:lol: :lol: :lol:

That was a short but really nice blog :nice:

[*Perrine*]

I'm sorry Pris... they really suck, bad boys:whip:

[LFDianne]

:bigcry: :bigcry: :bigcry:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

That was a short but really nice blog :nice:

 

And still no news about rescheduling or even canceling Tampa :bigcry::bigcry::bigcry::bigcry:

[MartinFan]

And still no news about rescheduling or even canceling Tampa :bigcry::bigcry::bigcry::bigcry:

 

"Where do we go.... Nobody knows.........." Keep your spirits up, or I will keep our hope's up for the both of us if you like.:kiss:

[Bluejay]

That was a really nice blog :)