June 4, 200917 yr Coffee, PJs of various sorts, and more Balloons Hello all! Just checking in from Cinncinati, Ohio. Today has been quite the eventful day despite my thinking that a day off in Cinncinati was going to be one of those marathon-movie-watching-in-bed days that are often accompanied by massive amounts of hotel room coffee and some form of chinese take out. We awoke around 11:30 in the morning by the declaration that we’d arrived to our hotel and that we had to wake up and get off the bus so that it could be parked off-site. Often times on days off, we get to wake up at our own leisure and check in our hotels when we’re ready to; but today our buses were too big to park in front of the hotel so we had to be rushed off upon arrival. So I climbed out of my bunk in the most undignified of manners and got my bags in order. Our bunks are three high and three deep in the center of the bus. They are sandwiched in a corridor between front and back “lounges.” I use the term “lounge” lightly here because there isn’t much lounging happening on a bus of 12 people. Anyway, my bunk is on the very top, so one could imagine how difficult it is to climb down half asleep…. I got off the bus with my buddy and bus-mate, Marta, just as we were being told (after exerting the energy to climb out of the bunk, put on shoes, and take our bags out of the hold) that our rooms aren’t ready and we needed to wait on the bus. Marta had declared that she’d rather walk around the city in pajamas then wait on the bus. So I washed the eyeliner from last night that had worked its way all around my face and headed out with her. We started the day with coffee and ice cream under a sun umbrella shielding us from the sudden rain (I told you that it’s this crew that brings rain everywhere we go!), walked around the gorgeous downtown Cincinnati, and ended with lunch. We ran into another bus-mate in the hotel after checking in (finally!) who told us about the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center a few blocks away and Marta and I agreed that we’d get out of our pjs and head over there in an hour. I’m writing this in a mad rush because I only have about 15 minutes before I have to meet her in the lobby. Speaking of pjs, there was an email waiting for me from our lovely production team about being invited to the PJ Harvey concert later on tonight. What a day indeed! Now about all this rain, last night was show 10 of this leg and the 5th show that saw rain! Despite all the rain, however, the amazing Oxfam volunteers have managed to motivate 7,649 new people to take action with Oxfam America! Oxfam America’s goal for the US portions of the Viva La Vida tour this summer is 30,000 new people taking action with Oxfam, and we are well on our way to exceeding that goal! Remember when I talked about leaving the bricks and carrying the balloons? Well, today I’m carrying 7,649 balloons; I’m so inspired by all the love we’ve been getting by Coldplay fans. Here’s how the number break-down looks: West Palm Beach 5/15/09: 1,100 (I told you they’d set the bar!) Atlanta 5/17: 600 Birmingham 5/18: 617 Virginia Beach 5/20: 1045 Washington, DC 5/21: 881 Hartford 5/23: 917 Hershey 5/24: 765 Philadelphia 5/26: 1000 Pittsburgh 5/30: 724 (adjusted from 838 due to a tired Oxfam roadie clerical error) Just from the Viva La Vida tour alone last year, Oxfam was able to get 80,000 new people to take action with us from all over the world! 20 people here, and 60 people there add up to a strong force. We all count. If you haven’t signed up with Oxfam yet, make yourself count and join us by checking out Oxfamamerica.org/concerts. Peace from Cincinnati, s http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=171
June 6, 200917 yr Read the full blog at http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=173 You know, world, when I’m done writing a new entry, I click on the little square to the left of the text that says “publish” and I wonder to myself, “Self, do you think anyone is actually reading this?” However, today I was pleased to find evidence that people are actually reading and liking these entries in the form of a concert goer today. She was waiting for doors to open to the show and as I walked by the gates she said “Are you Soha? I read your blog!” Wow. Thank you everyone! Thanks especially to my peeps at Coldplaying.com for linking Oxfam’s entries and always being all around awesome to us. :D Please do comment so I don’t always feel like I’m talking to myself. Yesterday’s show day in Cincinnati was another one of those days where rain loomed and I had to be ready to pack up in an instant. Lest another Hershey, PA fiasco be repeated where all of Oxfam’s gear was soaked in rain! Tonight’s team felt like a team of super heros. The record for getting the most people to take action with Oxfam held by a single team member was not only broken, it was decimated. It held steady at 150 people for a long time but was shattered by Phil, who got an amazing 190 people to urge President Obama to call for a fair Climate Change Treaty during the COP15 Conference! http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/?p=173
June 6, 200917 yr We talked to her at the gates. She was nice. She said Pete may be doing some of the shows in Europe.
June 6, 200917 yr Author We talked to her at the gates. She was nice. She said Pete may be doing some of the shows in Europe. yay & yay! :D
June 27, 200917 yr the belly of a beast http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/the-belly-of-a-beast/ Hello all! Today is the last of two days off in New Orleans. I’ve been here before, but this city and its people never cease to amaze me with their vibrance. Check out the picture below; it is part of a tape graffiti mural just outside the famous French Quarter. Saturday night’s show in the Sommet Center in Nashville was a bit of a shift for the tour as it was the start of the arena portion of this leg. I love arenas because their enclosed nature causes the audience’s cheers to reverberate and capture the amazing energy of Coldplay fans that much more. I told my pal, Glenn, from Howling Bells that they sounded exceptionally good and he laughed and shared that he thought they sounded awful given they didn’t have a sound check. The trade off to the energy of arena shows is that the crew has to wake up in what feels like the belly of a concrete beast and spend the day working in a dark arena without seeing the light of day. Thanks to my pals and Oxfam volunteers Hannah, Jessie, Jonathan, and Nate for taking me out after the show so I could get some fresh air and experience Nashville. And Nashville is a great city indeed- still quite sad that I didn’t buy those pink cowboy boots though… In fact, meet Hannah. She’s a returning Coldplay volunteer and a great example of the cool people I get to spend my evenings with. Sorry in advance for the bad lighting! Anyone wondering what’s with the umbrella? From New Orleans, s
June 27, 200917 yr Hallelujah! http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/hallelujah/ Dear Lovers and Friends, My glasses have been found! Last night, my already tired eyes struggled to articulate the flood of thoughts, reflections, and realizations about my trip in NOLA (New Orleans, Louisiana) without my glasses to no avail. Thankfully, they’ve been found and my eyes have become of use once again! Stay tuned for my post about NOLA as I work through my draft of it. In other news, I recently moved out of Bus 2 to make room for new lampies (lighting technicians) and I’m proud to say that I’ve been designated Bus Mom of Bus 5 today! This means that I’m in charge of managing our grocery list and making sure it lands in the hands of the powers that be. Today I was pleased to find that Jim got his Frosted Mini Wheats and that Switzer got his Doritos. I anticipate fulfilling this obligation with exceptional success… xoxo from Bus 5 (en route to Des Moines), s p.s.how cool is this pic I took earlier tonight?
June 27, 200917 yr <3 NOLA http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/178/ Hello all! Here’s one from yesterday that I had to abandon mid-way after opting to pass out in my bunk… I’m sitting in the our crew room writing to you all as my roadie pals bask in the glorie of the Pens’ winning the Stanley Cup; remember when we were in Pittsburgh and the audience chanted, “Go Pens!” until Chris had to stop and ask what they were saying? Tonight, like most nights in arenas, the crew room where we check our email and such is a locker room with drapes covering the perimeter of the walls. Matt the video guy and the man behind the “magic balls” has spent a significant amount of time explaining what the English refer to as a “geezer.” I’m settled on “the English equivalent of dude,” but he’s proceeded to explain the meaning of geezer is “the type of bloke to say ’sorted me ol mucker’ to someone.” No comment… This week started with two days off in New Orleans. It was a much-needed chance to unwind after 3 straight shows. Being a fan of casual biking, I decided I would rent a bike and use it as my mode of transportation for the New Orleans sight-seeing. A couple of my bus-mates, Marta and Piers, were excited by the idea and joined along and we had a lovely day of riding along the Mississippi, through the French Quarter, and, well, on Bourbon Street as well. Nothing made me happier than to hand the valet at our fancy hotel the key to my bike lock and say, “Take care of her for me.” Besides being able to reconnect with the city I fell in love with on a trip with my girl Z, it was a chance to visit the Oxfam New Orleans Regional Office. There I met Field Representative, Ilana Scherl, who talked to me about the human face of climate-related disasters in the Gulf Coast. She told me about how disasters like Hurricane Katrina exacerbate pre-existing conditions of poverty and how they are increasing in severity and frequency due to climate change. She explained how disasters- from evacuations, to the property loss and excruciating process of reoccupying evacuated areas- are harder for the poor communities than any other. When I toured the 9th Ward, the poorest area of New Orleans, I saw evidence of reoccupied homes as well as homes in various stages of reconstruction, often with FEMA trailers parked right along side them. But mostly, I saw empty lot after empty lot. I learned then that only 15% of people evacuated from the 9th Ward have been able to return, and that 1000 of the 1836 deaths in New Orleans occurred in the 9th Ward. The most moving thing I saw were the homes with holes in their roofs. They were punched out by people escaping the rising water in their attics. When I toured the area surrounding the Louisiana Super Dome with Nancy, the Administrative Assistant at Oxfam’s local office, I couldn’t help but think about the choice between community and chaos the people of New Orleans had. I was moved by the stories of people who went from home to home on row boats during the floods to help remove people from their roofs. These were people who chose to come together as a community rather than succumb to crisis and chaos- much of which was happening at places like the Super Dome. As a global village, we are faced with the same choice with regards to climate change. We could come together as a global community and address the urgent problems at hand, or succumb to crisis and chaos. We can all do our parts; Oxfam works with community partners at the local level, governments adopt national plans that address climate change issues in their nations, the UN has funding mechanisms for those programs, and people like the Oxfam volunteers at the past 19 Coldplay shows since the beginning of the summer are doing their part. To learn more about how you can do your part, check out http://www.oxfamamerica.org/climate. xoxo from Bus 5 en route to Winnipeg, Canada, s
June 27, 200917 yr Conversations, Not Numbers http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/conversations-not-numbers/ Hello world! I’m writing this as I look over the view in my room of a very quaint Calgary, Alberta in Canada. We crossed the border into Canada on a 16-hour bus ride a few days ago after a string of amazing shows in San Antonio, Des Moines, and Omaha. The ride was the much-needed opportunity for my bus-mates and I to lounge in our pajamas all day and watch television. It also marked the end of the first leg of the US portion of the tour. I bet you’re wondering how Oxfam America did in terms of sign-ups… Well, I work very hard to resist the impulse to follow our sign-up numbers because they are never a measure of success for me. Team sizes, weather, and venue type/capacity almost always factor into the total number of sign-ups. Also, the goal of Oxfam’s being on tour with Coldplay is to use the access to millions of people all over the world that the tour provides us in order to have conversations with people about how they can fight poverty at the local, national, and global level. Each sign-up represents more than just a name on a sheet, it represents a dialogue about change, and that’s what matters most to me. But, if you must know… Buffalo- 970 Detroit- 618 Cincinnati- 518 Indianapolis- 1299, thereby snatching the record-holding title from Team West Palm Beach! Nashville- 845 New Orleans- 415 San Antonio- 741 Des Moines- 853 Omaha- 710 14,637 total for Oxfam America! Nothing makes me happier than when I walk into Coldplay’s production office to mail a box of 4, 5, or 6 thousand sign-ups to our Oxfam America’s data entry firm. Its like walking in with a trophy that is the fruit of months of planning and the labor of hundreds of volunteers. Our goal is to get 30,000 people to take action with us during both of the United States legs of this summer’s Viva La Vida Tour. If you’d like to be part of the 30,000 strong voices against hunger, poverty, and social injustice, simply text VIVA to 30644. Since we’re on the topic of sign-ups, you may be pleased to know that Team Winnipeg blew my mind yesterday with the most sign-ups that I’ve ever seen at a single concert in my many months of concert outreach. Team Winnipeg was built by Megan, a recent high school graduate from Vincent Masey Collegiate, who got involved Oxfam because she likes its broad approach and sustainable development model. (Center: Megan with Shanleigh, Alexia, Angela, and myself.) She started an Oxfam club at University of Manitoba, Winnipeg because she’ll be attending college there in the fall in the new human rights and global studies department. And she was an amazing leader, emphasizing that every conversation in one step closer to ending poverty! She set a very ambitious goal for the team of 1,300 new Canadians to call on their leaders to consider how climate change and the global financial crisis disproportionately affect women. As the evening wrapped up, we began counting the action cards volunteers had brought back. When all was said and done, we had covered the surface of the table with bundles of 50 action cards totaling 1,398! That’s 1,398 conversations right there… Much thanks to Megan and Team Winnipeg for showing me that a little ambition goes a long way! Inspired anew from Calgary, s p.s. Here’s a pic of yesterday’s Mexican cell phone wave; it was a-maz-ing! Usually Chris repeats it 3 times with the audience, but after asking the audience to do it once, it just kept circling around the arena through the entire song. I was sitting by Marta at her camera and we’d enthusiastically nodded at each other every time the wave repeated.
June 27, 200917 yr Not a bad way to turn 26 Hi world! When I received the tour travel itinerary early in May, I became aware of the fact that I’d be with the tour in Calgary on June 17th, which happens to be the day that I’d be turning what I call “the adult side of 25.” I’m sooooo not the person to broadcast my birthday, especially not to an entire blog readership! How many of you do you think are out there? Sometimes I feel like it could be 5 people, other days it feels like it could be 5 million people… who knows? The point is that I’m resisting the impulse to delete this entire entry and ignore the fact that yesterday was my birthday for the sake of honesty. For me this blog is about Oxfam’s work on the Coldplay tour, and about the awesome volunteers that I get to meet who exhibit incredible commitment to “thinking globally and acting locally.” But its also a view of the Viva tour through the lens of a California girl who spent a substantive amount of time in college studying Buddhism and took a chance and moved to Boston to work for Oxfam. Perhaps my sudden emphasis in honesty in blog writing comes from judgement impaired by a late night of cake eating, dancing in the rain to Joss Stone’s cover of “Fell in Love With a Boy,” and skateboarding through an arena full of paper butterflies on Switzer’s board. (Switzer shows off the Oxfam sticker his board) Regardless, I wanted to share with you all how amazing it is to think back on where I was on my 25th birthday, and to think that a year ago I had not the slightest indication that I’d be celebrating my next one on tour for my dream organization, with my favorite band. Yesterday was cool for so many reasons. Team Calgary set the goal of having each member get 70 concert goers to take action with Oxfam-they ended up getting about 85 per person! When all was said and done after the show, team leaders Lara and Reny and I sat around talking about how the best volunteers are those who are most motivated, and the most motivated volunteers are those who truley believe they are making an impact. How does an organizer communicate their impact to volunteers was the question….They also told me that the Edminton team was sure to wow me; I don’t doubt that! I was also able to assert my title as “proper roadie” as Howling Bells’ “stage right guitar technician.” Basically this means that they let me hand Brenden his “cherry” bass in exchange for “vanilla” during the show. Mundane, yes, but the 13-year-old within who dreamed of being a rock star was ecstatic. After my two swap-outs had been completed, Juanita wished me a happy birthday from the stage and dedicated the song Treasure Hunt to me. Its an beautiful song with the lyrics: “I am the watchtower/ I am the light that emanates/ I am the key that fits/ I am the world that radiates.” Full blog: http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/not-a-bad-way-to-turn-26/
August 17, 200916 yr Lovers in Hershey [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npVlG1msagc]Check out this awesome picture montage[/ame] from my pal Logan from the Hershey show. If you are so fortunate as to live in the Hershey/Philly area and want to get involved with Oxfam and these lovely people, check out the Philadelphia Oxfam Action Corps . Just in from a 14 hour bus ride to Vancouver, s Ps. The Oxfam Action Corps are in 13 cities across the US. Check out www.oxfamamerica.org/actioncorps to learn how you can get involved in your community!
August 17, 200916 yr 100 thousand voices, eh? Hello all! I wrote this from the Vancouver International Airport with a view of the mountains in front of me, and a supremely important package by my side… Today is the first day of almost three weeks off while the tour is on hiatus and the band hits some major festivals in Europe. This means my crew pass and 2-way radio are unclipped from my belt-band, and that I’ll be carrying car keys in the place of a hotel key-card in no time. I wish I could say the same for those weary crewmates who do sound or instruments, merchandising or security, for the fellas. I honestly thought that 23 shows into the summer tour I’d be exhausted and ready to go home. Although I have begun noticing the dark and puffy circles around my eyes in recent photos, I think my new touring wings have a long ways until they’re worn to a frazzle. That’s not to say that I don’t miss my peeps. In the six weeks that I’ve been out, I’ve missed the birth of my second niece, and the 6th birthday of my nephew. I celebrated my 26th at a venue in Calgary, and wished my dad a happy Father’s Day from a venue in Vancouver. The youngest of the Yassines graduated from high school at some point while the ‘Viva’ crew was in the Mid-West. Emails and text messages have had to suffice- some postcards too. So you see folks, the coolness of touring has its trade-offs, eh (That “eh” was for you, Canada)? In the age of email, however, postcard recipients can send a response: We rolled into Vancouver a few days ago and moved out of Bus 5. It was bittersweet, I admit. Big thanks to our driver John “the rock god” for getting us where we need to go safely. I can’t count the number of times Switzer, Steph, Piers, Carlos and I were all crammed near the passenger seat in front of the bus to chat with him, and when we weren’t up there how many times we overheard John singing along to AC/DC or something comparable. Rolling into Vancouver for two back-to-back sold out shows with the knowledge that Oxfam’s total number of new supporters had already reached 98,660 felt as though I was entering the city bearing something of utmost importance. This meant that Vancouver would probably be the city to help the Oxfam reach the 100 thousand point. What better way than to leave this leg of the tour knowing we had already reached a major milestone? And Vancouver’s teams did not disappoint! By the end of night one, we’d reached 100,039 actions taken with Oxfam a pledge for Health and Education For All in England, a call to Make Trade Fair in Australia, a petition to Stop Harming and Start Helping in the USA, and so on. 100 thousand voices- enough to fill an arena- against hunger, poverty, and injustice. By the end of night two, 101,669! One year, two Oxfam “roadies,” half a dozen or so Oxfams, 123 shows, thousands of volunteers, millions of fans. I know I’ve said in the past that the goal is not about the numbers, but those figures are impressive eh? (Oxfam roadies Pete and Soha) By the way, some cool news is coming. Stay tuned… xoxo from home, s
August 17, 200916 yr I heart howling bells Hello all! Check out this out; it just got sent to me. Don’t be surprised if you run into Oxfam at your local Howling Bells show! I’m certainly going to miss their good company on the next leg. Did you know that Glenn, the drummer, doesn’t just dress like a cowboy, he actually IS one? Knows how to tie a lasso and all… By the way, I asked their bassist, Brenden, if he had a Bells sticker for my the top of my road case. Well, he didn’t at the moment, but he came up with something even better: Oh yeah and big news is still coming, just stay tuned! <3, s
August 17, 200916 yr Since you’ve been asking Lovers and friends, How’s everyone doing while the Viva tour is on break? For some of my crew mates and I, it’s already beginning to feel like that point in summer break where you admit to yourself that you’re bored with all the time off and want school to start again so you can see all your friends. This is evidenced by the text messages and Facebook posts that immediately began being exchanged that say, “I miss everyone already!” or, “I’m already listening to Howling Bells for me to get myself back to NORMAL.” Ironic, though not unexpected because we are constants for one another on the road when everything else is changing. I feel so lame talking about all this like I’ve been out for three years or something, but I’m new to this whole roadie thing. So I thought I’d write an update because I miss you, too, world. Since you all have been asking for details surrounding the big news, I figured I’d indulge your curiosity a bit with a hint. So there you have it. I won’t say much more until later other than I hope you’re up for a challenge, world. Until then, I think I’ll purchase some Snow Patrol tracks with that iTunes gift card from Matt and Marta. Peace, s
August 17, 200916 yr The Time to Hesitate is Through Hey gang, So, you know that I’ve been referring to a big announcement a lot lately. A few days ago in my entry written from the departure terminal at Vancouver International airport, I alluded to sitting with an important package by my side. Yesterday in the wee hours of the morning, I posted a picture of Chris Martin and Guy Berryman facing a poster of sorts with writing that appears to match the graphics on this page. Well, In the immortal words of one Jim Morrison, “The time to hesitate is through.” In fact, the “package” I carried was one of our Oxfam banners that had been signed by all four members of Coldplay. They signed it just after I had met with them to announce the good news of reaching the milestone of 100 thousand people who have taken action with Oxfam since the start of the Viva tour last July. We commemorated the occasion with a few pictures that were sent to me a few days ago with the words “Sent via carrier pigeon” at the bottom of the email. (Before) (After) So, in the spirit of strength in numbers, I’m pleased to announce on behalf of Oxfam and Coldplay that we will be awarding the banner to the 150 thousandth person to take action with Oxfam on the Viva la Vida tour! How cool is that? The banner has been all over the world with Oxfam and Coldplay, and when we reach 150,000 it could be one of yours as well. It’s a cool thing not just because it is signed and doodled on by Coldplay, however. Its a symbol of the important work Oxfam has been able to accomplish through the Oxfam-Coldplay alliance, the power of music to change the world, and a snap-shot in the history of music activism that was initiated with 1985’s Live Aid concert by Bob Geldoff. I can’t count how many Oxfam volunteers, interns, club founders, CHANGE leaders and Action Corps members I’ve met who learned about Oxfam for the first time at a Coldplay concert. And I thought my vintage Live Aid t-shirt was cool. So, world, do you have your game face on? The Viva tour is far from being over and the goal of reaching 150 thousand people is not by any means unreachable. As long as you continue to show concern about how you can end global hunger, poverty, and injustice by taking action with Oxfam at the local level, we can do this. We will do this. If you won’t be seeing us at a Coldplay show near you, tell your friends who will to visit the Oxfam table. The days of the carrier pigeon are long gone, so use whatever media and social networking you have at your disposal to encourage them. To quote Jim Morrison again, there’s no time “to wallow in the mire.” If you’re in the United States and want to earn good karma and a better world for your children to inherit, Oxfam America needs you to act now. Very few times in history do we have the opportunity to influence our Congress Members just before they vote on a bill this critical. But now is one of those moments as the House is minutes away from voting on the American Clean Energy and Security Act (HR 2454) – and we need your immediate support. Please call your House Representative now through the House switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for his or her support for this bill. (Keep dialing until you get through! To be connected to your representative, give your zip code or ask for him/her by name.) This bill puts the US on a pathway to reducing carbon emissions AND ALSO provides funding, resources, and clean technology solutions to help poor communities in the US and abroad survive severe floods, droughts, debilitating storms, crop loss, and disease. The whole point of Oxfam’s presence on the Coldplay tour is to remind you that you’ve got power. It’s time for justice. I’m off to call my House Representative, I hope you’ll join me. See you at the Oxfam table, s http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/189/
August 17, 200916 yr Part 2 of the Ultimate Road Trip Hello world! …And we’re off! Leg 2 of the Viva La Vida summer tour! I’m coming at you from The Gorge in the beautiful state of Washington. Check out the view from behind the stage. Not too shabby right? Oxfam America’s goal is to have 30,000 new people take action with us this summer and we are right at the half way point! Do come and visit the Oxfam table and learn about how you can fight hunger, poverty, and injustice in your community! You can also sign our petition urging the President to call for a fair climate treaty to be negotiated this December at the UN Climate Change Conference. If you won’t be at a Coldplay concert this summer, join the over 100 thousand people who have taken action with Oxfam since the begining of the Viva tour and sign our petition here on our newly relaunched site! Ok, so who caught the band’s cover of Billie Jean last night? I was off doing something uneventful and came to find out about it after the show by our Team Leader, Alexis. Anyone catch it in person on or online? I hope they perform it tonight… I have a huge shipment of materials to hunt down and sort through, so I think I’ll go tend to that. I’ll be in touch! From the Gorge near George, WA, s http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/part-2-of-the-ultimate-road-trip/
August 17, 200916 yr Life in Technicolor II 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, s http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/life-in-technicolor-ii/
August 17, 200916 yr Hello from Toronto! 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 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/hello-from-toronto/
August 17, 200916 yr Goodbye. 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 it 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 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/sohayassine/goodbye/
August 28, 200916 yr Make some noise. Make a promise. 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. http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/health-education/big-promise. 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 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/plusby/make-some-noise-make-a-promise/
September 1, 200916 yr 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 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/plusby/munich-to-udine-to-bern/
September 5, 200916 yr Singing in the rain. *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? http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/plusby/singing-in-the-rain/
September 5, 200916 yr Boomerang to Barcelona. 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! http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/plusby/boomerang-to-barcelona/
September 15, 200916 yr Some people are on the pitch.. they think it’s all over… http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/plusby/some-people-are-on-the-pitch-they-think-its-all-over/ 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.. http://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
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