Roadie #42 - Blog #128

23 March 2011 11:59 am

Songs are blossoming and roadies are blowing things up

 

Perhaps it’s the weather.

 

The change of season has removed the permanent blanket of grey cloud from over London and we’re getting day after day of clear blue sky and blazing sun. Similarly with the record, the fog of infinite possibilities has lifted and, for me at least, the songs are appearing in a whole new light.

 

I guess it demonstrates the idea that nothing focusses a creative mindset more than a hard deadline. Although the festivals are still comfortably on the horizon, they’re marching ever closer with each day. This not only provides a solid target for having things tidy, but also brings plenty of spring-like new growth of its own.

 

Plans for how to present Coldplay live in 2011 are well underway, which means production meetings, old faces, new ideas and a whole host of very talented people from across the globe passing through the Coldplay world once again. Each brings a bucketful of ideas and concepts, some of which will become defining features of the tour, some of which won’t make it off the drawing board. All of it looks exciting at this stage, though.

 

 

The first sightings come on a trip to an aircraft hangar in the middle of the countryside where Production Manager Wob Roberts has assembled all manner of new gear and technology to assess suitability and potential for both the festival shows and beyond. I tag along to film proceedings to send off to band members who are on half-term with their families.

 

The hangar itself, I’m told, is situated on what used to be a hugely secure and secret military base. Here, boffins once prodded, wired and evaluated the next level of war machinery. By rather lovely and heartening way of progress, we found the place full of crazy-arsed roadies blowing shit up, running around with the hugest toys imaginable and generally making a wonderful mess in the name of creating a bloody good time for crowds of music lovers. Perhaps there is still hope for the world?

 

Back in the studio, the songs are now very much pushing their heads above the soil and straining towards the light. I suspect that the band has had a reasonable idea all along of how things will feel when they’re finished, in the same way that a sculptor sees the finished piece, but just needs to dig it out of the block. There’s been much chiselling and smoothing and now things are really developing a recognisable form and an emotional resonance.

 

There’s no better aural equivalent of the bursting growth of spring than the laying on of backing vocals. Brian is back in the fold this week and the fellas are gathered around the mic for much of the time. It’s a tremendous thing to get close up to. When the guys are belting it out with the track on headphones, all that can be heard in the room is the blast of harmonies. It’s huge, powerful and yet completely unaided by technology, just a pure, organic human bloom.

 

 

Other spurts of growth are taking place on the top floor, as Dav Rossi gives a few songs his string arranging magic touch. My office is next door, I hear Chris standing in the doorway of Dav’s room listening. “That’s amazing, just great.” He stays a while and listens, then heads off down the stairs proclaiming to no-one in particular: “Maybe this album won’t be so bad after all”.

 

Regular viewers will doubtless be aware that in terms of hyperbole and enthusiasm, that’s pretty excited talk around here…

 

I’d say then, that winter is well and truly behind us and the summer is shaping up rather well.

 

R42

oh my, oh my...

 

after reading this blog I'm not even sure that 2011 is the year folks...

 

maybe it will be released at the beginning of 2012...

 

apparently the guys will try to have a circular stage for the festivals...

that's very cool...

http://coldplay.com/graphics/newsthumb

 

The hangar itself, I’m told, is situated on what used to be a hugely secure and secret military base. Here, boffins once prodded, wired and evaluated the next level of war machinery. By rather lovely and heartening way of progress, we found the place full of crazy-arsed roadies blowing shit up, running around with the hugest toys imaginable and generally making a wonderful mess in the name of creating a bloody good time for crowds of music lovers. Perhaps there is still hope for the world?

 

 

R42

 

I wonder what they're doing with the hangar and what kind of show they want to make with all the ''hugest toys imaginable'' to create a bloody good time for the crowd

I think R42 takes so long to write new blogs because he's figuring out how to write them in the most mysterious way possible...

That first picture kinda looks like the top of a UFO (that would obviously fit the numerous references on the updated site), but it also kinda looks like a pendulum. Interesting.

 

I'm not sure I like the whole idea of "we found the place full of crazy-arsed roadies blowing shit up, running around with the hugest toys imaginable and generally making a wonderful mess in the name of creating a bloody good time for crowds of music lovers."

I cringed there. To me, performance >>>>>>>>>>>>> presence on stage. They shouldn't need the equivalent of a magician's lovely assistant on stage... i.e., distraction (especially on a grandiose scale). imo

 

But I am excited about "When the guys are belting it out with the track on headphones, all that can be heard in the room is the blast of harmonies. It’s huge, powerful and yet completely unaided by technology, just a pure, organic human bloom."

I'd love to hear more from all of them, so I think this is great.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out. Obviously.

Wow, that sounds way more encouraging than I thought the next blog would be! Is it just me, or does that sound like MAYBE things are rolling along smoother and coming down the chute faster than we think? I'm a staunch precautionist when it comes to this stuff, and I'm still pretty utterly convinced that we're not going to see anything til autumn, but...if they're already in intense live planning stages..."for festivals and beyond"...that makes me wonder. Especially since festivals don't really have that much leeway for stage sets, usually. That circular thing probably won't be possible for this summer, but maybe fall/winter?

 

That first picture kinda looks like the top of a UFO (that would obviously fit the numerous references on the updated site), but it also kinda looks like a pendulum. Interesting.

 

I'm not sure I like the whole idea of "we found the place full of crazy-arsed roadies blowing shit up, running around with the hugest toys imaginable and generally making a wonderful mess in the name of creating a bloody good time for crowds of music lovers."

I cringed there. To me, performance >>>>>>>>>>>>> presence on stage. They shouldn't need the equivalent of a magician's lovely assistant on stage... i.e., distraction (especially on a grandiose scale). imo

 

But I am excited about "When the guys are belting it out with the track on headphones, all that can be heard in the room is the blast of harmonies. It’s huge, powerful and yet completely unaided by technology, just a pure, organic human bloom."

I'd love to hear more from all of them, so I think this is great.

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out. Obviously.

 

I do agree here, though. I did cringe at the idea of them pulling out all the stops for dramatics. VIVA was enough gimmicks for me for a live show, and that was pretty minimalist compared to what some artists do these days (like U2, as much as I love them). Ideally I just kind of want them playing their music in street clothes with a few lights (and the old laser for "Clocks" and the butterflies for LIJ :wacky:) and a few different backdrops, nothing more. This sounds like it has the potential to get Lady Gaga-esque :\

I was just coming to post the same thing.

 

Boys why have you got roadies blowing shit up?!

 

I think Chelsea and Carrie will agree that the Crisis gigs were the best they've played in a long, long time. Just them, instruments and microphones and they were out of this world.

 

The music should do the talking alone, and if it doesn't, then maybe there's a problem. :shrug:

 

That being said the news from the studio excites me much more. :D

:wacky::wacky::wacky:

 

The change of season has removed the permanent blanket of grey cloud from over London and we’re getting day after day of clear blue sky and blazing sun.

 

meanwhile it's snowing here. :disappointed:

This post has got me REALLY excited!! Talks about gigs that will NOT be festivals :awesome: but that will also means gigs during fall/winter -> means queueing in the freaking COLD :bigcry:

As for the new stage, I don't think they could use it for festivals, as they have their own settings.

For the design, it looks a lot like a U2/Muse thing/thema.... :confused: Boys, why use your own ideas PLZZZZZZ!!!

 

I'm sorry for the 'Will mode'... just have to wait & see before starting the ranting XD

 

The music should do the talking alone, and if it doesn't, then maybe there's a problem.

Kinda agree with that... Plus I thought they wanted to do 'small accoustic' kinda shows...guess it's not happening.

a lot like a U2/Muse thing/thema.... :confused: Boys, why use your own ideas PLZZZZZZ!!!

 

 

I didn't want to add any more negativity to my post, but I thought that too.

There's a lot of neon colours being flung around now by Coldplay. Seems to be a theme now fir this album or the upcoming live shows. I like the idea of them doing something different live and their music is clearly good enough to be able to "experiment" live. I think there good enough and big enough to take that on that big themed live show. People will say 'I fear they're copying Muse and U2. But they're allowed to try and go for something big. Why should they not be allowed to? They're probably the most popular band in the world and we don't all just want Coldplay Live 2003 all the time because it soon becomes uninteresting. They have more of a right to go for it than any other band right now. And no offence to Muse but Coldplay have a far greater back catalogue of massive hits to do that.

People will say 'I fear they're copying Muse and U2. But they're allowed to try and go for something big. Why should they not be allowed to?

Of course they're allowed to experiment and 'think big' :) just not 'big aliens/flying space ships' like the other two :dozey: Plus the U2 and Muse tours on that theme is very recent, so if Coldplay will go down this road, it will be a little too much for me... but that's just me!

 

As for the neon colors, I hpe they won't abuse of it too much....I'm sure they have epileptic fans...think of them XD!

They're probably the most popular band in the world and we don't all just want Coldplay Live 2003 all the time because it soon becomes uninteresting.

Twisted Logic Tour and Viva Tour were nothing like Live 2003 so I hardly think we've seen that "all the time". We haven't seen that for 8 years bro. They've taken on "big theme performances" since 2005, so if they did that (big theme) again I would hardly classify it as experimenting.

There's a lot of neon colours being flung around now by Coldplay. Seems to be a theme now fir this album or the upcoming live shows. I like the idea of them doing something different live and their music is clearly good enough to be able to "experiment" live. I think there good enough and big enough to take that on that big themed live show. People will say 'I fear they're copying Muse and U2. But they're allowed to try and go for something big. Why should they not be allowed to? They're probably the most popular band in the world and we don't all just want Coldplay Live 2003 all the time because it soon becomes uninteresting. They have more of a right to go for it than any other band right now. And no offence to Muse but Coldplay have a far greater back catalogue of massive hits to do that.

 

Of course they're allowed to experiment and 'think big' :) just not 'big aliens/flying space ships' like the other two :dozey: Plus the U2 and Muse tours on that theme is very recent, so if Coldplay will go down this road, it will be a little too much for me... but that's just me!

 

As for the neon colors, I hpe they won't abuse of it too much....I'm sure they have epileptic fans...think of them XD!

 

As you say, they're most certainly allowed to do whatever they want. I guess my worry is that I'm not a big fan of "spectacle" shows, no matter how much I like the artist, like U2. Coldplay are big enough to get away with doing one, but they're also quality enough not to have to employ such things, either. Like Mich said above, the Crisis shows were absolutely stunning, I think in large part due to the fact that it was them and a stage, nothing more. It was looser to me, more intimate and friendly (OK, yes, it was a tiny venue, but I think that can be achieved in larger places as well), and I think they sounded better than I've ever seen them. Whether you can chalk that up to all of the things that surround them on their usual tours in the past few years or not, no one can say, but I think simplicity is underrated sometimes, especially by people that are on the up and up in terms of popularity. I think a lot of people that get more and more famous feel like they have to pull out all the stops to impress, when really I think minimalism can have the same, if not more impact. That's just my style, though.

 

All of that said, who knows what any of this is ultimately going to look like at all. If it's just a regular show with one or two firework fountains, I'm not going to bang on about gimmicks. But the circular stage a la U2/Muse is what's got me a bit worried, for lack of a better word.

Twisted Logic Tour and Viva Tour were nothing like Live 2003 so I hardly think we've seen that "all the time". We haven't seen that for 8 years bro. They've taken on "big theme performances" since 2005, so if they did that again I would hardly classify it as experimenting.

 

Of course they were different shows but they weren't MASSIVE departures. I just think it's time for Coldplay to think big. People say they don't like circular stages. Circular stages are the way forward I feel though.

There's a lot of neon colours being flung around now by Coldplay. Seems to be a theme now fir this album or the upcoming live shows. I like the idea of them doing something different live and their music is clearly good enough to be able to "experiment" live. I think there good enough and big enough to take that on that big themed live show. People will say 'I fear they're copying Muse and U2. But they're allowed to try and go for something big. Why should they not be allowed to? They're probably the most popular band in the world and we don't all just want Coldplay Live 2003 all the time because it soon becomes uninteresting. They have more of a right to go for it than any other band right now. And no offence to Muse but Coldplay have a far greater back catalogue of massive hits to do that.

 

i agree!

it's not as if U2 and Muse invented the idea of space and such, anyway...

plus, people seem to automatically assume that if they want big, flashy things, then the music has to suffer. it's not necessarily a bad assumption, but that doesn't meant that it has to happen that way, you know? they can be flashy and good at the same time. :P

There's a lot of neon colours being flung around now by Coldplay. Seems to be a theme now fir this album or the upcoming live shows. I like the idea of them doing something different live and their music is clearly good enough to be able to "experiment" live. I think there good enough and big enough to take that on that big themed live show. People will say 'I fear they're copying Muse and U2. But they're allowed to try and go for something big. Why should they not be allowed to? They're probably the most popular band in the world and we don't all just want Coldplay Live 2003 all the time because it soon becomes uninteresting. They have more of a right to go for it than any other band right now. And no offence to Muse but Coldplay have a far greater back catalogue of massive hits to do that.

 

:clap:

But I don't know where the circular stage idea has come from. The pic in Roadies blog is not a stage I feel. If it is though it's fucking cool.

I think simplicity is underrated sometimes, especially by people that are on the up and up in terms of popularity. I think a lot of people that get more and more famous feel like they have to pull out all the stops to impress, when really I think minimalism can have the same, if not more impact. That's just my style, though.

.

Agreed a 10000000 %. But who knows what the boys have in stores for us.... I know that no matter what scale they decided to do it, I'm gonna have a great time so... I'll just take it on me if a spaceship land in the middle of the crowd :rolleyes: (or if they arrive in an egg...lol)

news news news I love news :)

So how do you know it's a stage? there's the square bit off to the left, what's that? Is that the stage and the strange round thing is something suspended over the crowd? I wanna be beamed up into the CP space ship. :wacko: What is the sphere on the note book paper is. Is Chrissy coming out into the crowd ala The Flaming Lips?

That first picture kinda looks like the top of a UFO (that would obviously fit the numerous references on the updated site), but it also kinda looks like a pendulum. Interesting.

 

 

 

I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this all plays out. Obviously.

 

It does look like a UFO .

Maybe the references on coldplay.com were about the stage shape .

 

:dance:

 

 

UFO :wacko:

i agree!

it's not as if U2 and Muse invented the idea of space and such, anyway...

plus, people seem to automatically assume that if they want big, flashy things, then the music has to suffer. it's not necessarily a bad assumption, but that doesn't meant that it has to happen that way, you know? they can be flashy and good at the same time. :P

 

Their music wouldn't suffer. It would probably be elevated to a higher level. Take U2. Their first showy/big live tour was Zoo Tv and it was then that songs like Where The Streets Have No Name and New Years Day went from incredibly good to heavenly good because the big show nature took those songs into even bigger sounding songs. The likes of Clocks for example will do the same in similar environments.

But I don't know where the circular stage idea has come from. The pic in Roadies blog is not a stage I feel. If it is though it's fucking cool.

 

the picture said, "dias circular," which someone took to mean "circular stage," though apparently that would be "dais circular." maybe it's just a misspelling. :P

The thing with Coldplay is things written on paper don't sound so impressive......"we'll drop some paper butterflies on the crowd" ....What! paper butterflies, what the fuck are they on! .......then you see it and :wacky: Butterflies!

 

Maybe they are gonna have doughnuts at the shows. Mmmmmmm doughnuts.