<img src=http://www.coldplaying.com/images/butterflies1.jpg ALIGN="Left" HSPACE="5" VSPACE="5" >In what may be the largest confetti effect ever at a touring event, Coldplay is shooting hundreds pounds every night during its summer stadium tour – around 440 pounds, depending on the venue. This feat, fulfilling the vision of lead singer Chris Martin, would not be possible without the tech experts at Strictly FX, who invented a whole new way of distributing confetti just for the band, <i>writes Live Design Online.</i>

 

The new units were specifically designed by Mark Grega, a partner in the company, and Reid Nofsinger, Strictly FX special effects designer, to maximize throw with a patented process that makes use of both thrust and vacuum to create a perfect environment inside the unit to propel contents further and in larger amounts than other units on the market.

 

The effect is dramatic — millions of oversized U/V butterflies floating over the audience during Lovers in Japan, from six Strictly FX CO2 truss-mounted Confetti Cobras ™ and 38 CO2 ground-based Strictly FX Confetti Cobras for the stadium configuration.

 

The confetti is just one highlight of a technologically sophisticated show. Continuing a relationship that has been in place throughout the Viva La Vida tour, Coldplay has also turned to Strictly FX to layer in more lasers for the band’s summer stadium/festival tour. The extensive programming experience and animation design background of Strictly FX programmers are a great fit for the band, which had a strong vision for the show and wanted tight cues – sometimes note-for-note. David Kennedy, the programmer, has worked hand in hand with Paul Normadale, the tour Lighting Designer, in the various re-designs of this Viva La Vida tour since April 2008. The band is now using six High-Powered White Light Arctos Diode lasers, placed across the upstage ledge and controlled by a six-card Pangolin LD2000.net system, capable of a broad spectrum of colors. Each of the lasers is programmed independently, enabling them to use different colors to emphasize different parts of the song simultaneously.

 

About Strictly FX

 

Strictly FX is a full-service special effects company, offering a complete range of state-of-the-art pyrotechnics, flames, CO2, lasers and confetti and a wide variety of custom applications. In 2007, Strictly FX received the prestigious Parnelli Award for Pyro Company of the Year 2007 – the industry’s highest honor for live event professionals. Visit them on line at http://www.strictlyfx.com.

 

http://blog.livedesignonline.com/briefingroom/2009/09/04/coldplay-shoots-hundreds-of-pounds-of-confetti-nightly/

We didn't have that here...:(

When I saw them, the confetti didn't fall over us. I was pretty close up, too. :confused:

it fell on me both times and i was in the kinda front of the back :wacky:

i cought a red one in my mouth :dance:

^ How tasty! :lol:

^ How tasty! :lol:

 

Off topic, but I luuuv your siggy! :wacky:

I guess we were standing right in front of one of those in Munich ... ;)

 

Off topic, but I luuuv your siggy! :wacky:

Thalia is the Queen of arts on here!!

I am always amazed what ideas she comes up with. :stunned:

 

I just love the sig myself ... so very classic!! :thumbsup:

^ How tasty! :lol:

 

delicious :mellow:

 

you should try it sometimes :wink3:

 

 

:laugh3: well truth be told.. i had two cameras in my hands, and my mom tried catching some.. and failed so i had to resort to the "open the mouth while singing along and hope one flies on" plan :smug2:

yes very lovely sig :wacky:

Very interesting to read this, I wondered if they use these butterflies only once - that would be a real waste...

I think they do only use them once. When Anna went back into the venue after the gig because she thought she'd left her mobile phone in there, she said they were all being swept up into a heap at the front with the other rubbish .

 

We were standing right in front of one of the cannons too during the show and I saw them ripping open big white bags of butterflies and loading them in.

I think they do only use them once. When Anna went back into the venue after the gig because she thought she'd left her mobile phone in there, she said they were all being swept up into a heap at the front with the other rubbish .

 

We were standing right in front of one of the cannons too during the show and I saw them ripping open big white bags of butterflies and loading them in.

 

Hmmm I don't know what to think of this, don't you think it's a huge waste of paper? They have so many concerts and every evening there are thousands of butterflies flying around and everything has to be recycled ...not very environmentally friendly.

Off topic, but I luuuv your siggy! :wacky:

yes very lovely sig :wacky:

Thalia is the Queen of arts on here!!

I am always amazed what ideas she comes up with. :stunned:

 

I just love the sig myself ... so very classic!! :thumbsup:

Thank you all so much! :cheesy:

It does seems like a waste..... but its still awesome :) :P

Ugh, that's like dozens of trees just for one concert. :/

When I saw them, the confetti didn't fall over us. I was pretty close up, too. :confused:

 

This happened to me at all three concerts I went to. Luckily, I managed to smuggle in a small butterfly net into the last two, and I even caught a couple right out of the air at the St. Louis show! :nice:

It does seem pretty wasteful. But, you have to say the scene is pretty magical. :)

 

I was upclose too at the show, but no butterflies fell on me..... :cry: