Coldplay Top of the Pops updates

[Paul MC]

Sorry I dont have any tickets to swap but if you dont want yours i'll happily take them off your hands! :)

 

I'll honestly bear that in mind, I promise - if I can't swap them, don't know for sure yet if I will go.... my dilemma is: Whilst I am not a huge Coldplay fan (SORRY GUYS, don't mean any offense!!!) I am a huge TOTP fan - as I mentioned earlier, I've done 49 editions over the past 22 years, so I am torn as to whether I should go or not...

 

I didn't actually request these Coldplay ones, but I guess they (the BBC) sent them as a kind of replacement for the main Christmas show that I wanted but didn't get...

 

If I don't go or manage to swap them, of course I'll happily let someone like you have them.....

 

BTW, just reading some earlier posts on the recording process etc..... here is an advance warning - YOU NEED TO GET THERE EARLY! To give you some idea why, please let me explain:

 

Although I am not sure of the exact numbers for this year, last years main Christmas Day edition of TOTP (that I went to!) could only hold 230 people in Studio 8 at TV Centre where it was recorded. HERE's the reason you NEED to arrive early - last year, despite the studio only holding 230 people, the BBC issued nearly 800 tickets!!!!! Their thinking is, is that not everyone uses them so they always over-ticket - but last years over-ticketing was ridiculous - there were several hundred in the queue behind me that of course, didn't get in.

 

So when it says admission on site from 12 noon, you need to ensure you are there about 9.30ish I would suggest. Honestly, take it from me - and someone that queued up one year after making a long journey only to be turned away - the earlier the better.......

 

You'll find that the sound in the studio is, I'm afraid pretty poor - whether it be live or mimed/backing track - it always (to me) sounds very distorted and poor. That's just the BBC TV Centre Studio sound for you.... and - you'll get in there and everything (the set) will look tatty (!!!!) and VERY SMALL !!!!!!!!!

 

If I can help with any other questions about the recording, let me know....

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

Thank you so much for your help! :D

 

I'm coming from Norwich on a train and will be heading to the studio straight from the train station...eek, now I'm thinking I should take a really early train :uhoh:. Do you think that me getting to the BBC at 10:30 would be way too late? I can get into London at 10 and make it to the BBC on the Tube by then, but I really don't want to risk anything as the train ticket isn't exactly cheap...I could get an earlier train, but I'm kind of allergic to getting up early :P.

 

This is kind of another dumb question that I posed earlier, but do you just fight it out for front row/close to the stage like at a concert, or is it more orderly?

[Paul MC]

Thank you so much for your help! :D

 

I'm coming from Norwich on a train and will be heading to the studio straight from the train station...eek, now I'm thinking I should take a really early train :uhoh:. Do you think that me getting to the BBC at 10:30 would be way too late? I can get into London at 10 and make it to the BBC on the Tube by then, but I really don't want to risk anything as the train ticket isn't exactly cheap...I could get an earlier train, but I'm kind of allergic to getting up early :P.

 

This is kind of another dumb question that I posed earlier, but do you just fight it out for front row/close to the stage like at a concert, or is it more orderly?

 

10.30 would probably be ok..... but don't leave it any later. Trust me.

 

What happens is this:

 

You stand outside the BBC TV Centre and your tickets are checked by some-one going along the line. You then around 12 midday go in (sometimes it's later than they say though!) and go through an airport type scanner (so you have to hand in any bags/metal objects to be scanned) - you are then given a sticker with a number on it (stuck to your email ticket) - this will be the order that you are called into the studio. However, providing you get into BBC TV Centre ok, the number on the ticket, for a show like TOTP is irrelevant.

 

You'll be walked over to the studio whereby you'll go "wow this is SMALL" (honestly you will!!) and then you'll be asked to dance and clap away to some tracks played by a warm up guy called Danny - who'll just run through fire exits etc.....

 

As for the front row - well, TOTP has usually about 3 stages - and the one you'll firstly congregate round to see the warm up guy won't necessarily be the stage they'll use - so it's a bit of pushing and shoving if you want to be up the front. Therefore if you are at the back of the warm up guys stage - Coldplay might be performing on the stage opposite - so you could be first up the front if this is the case and you "run over" when you see things starting to happen !!!!

 

As I say, you'll be disappointed (probably) at the sound. I've seen MANY TOTP performances (live ones as well) and the sound always sounds distorted - something that they never seem to get right!

 

Hope this helps!

[lovingChris]

Hey folks!

 

I know I didn't write in here for a long long time but at the moment I'm just too busy with my studies so I'm just able to read a few entries but not to post.

 

Anyway here's your chance to get 2 tickets if you can make it to the show on wednesday!

I signed up because I was sure I could make this spontaneously travel trip to london. And then I actually got them and was totally over the moon but now there is no way I can make it due to some circumstances I didn't know before. :(

 

I'm really disappointed and all I want is that at least someone of you gets them to make sure that a real Coldplayer enjoys our well-loved boys :flutterby:

 

Just pm me and I will send them to you by e-mail.

Please dont make it to hard for me to elect someone so just hurry up!

 

Love, lovingChris

[Kris.W]

I got my tickets this morning!:D I must of been one of the first people to apply , I got ticket numer 0001 & 0002.

 

Kris

[Tash]

Hey folks!

 

I know I didn't write in here for a long long time but at the moment I'm just too busy with my studies so I'm just able to read a few entries but not to post.

 

Anyway here's your chance to get 2 tickets if you can make it to the show on wednesday!

I signed up because I was sure I could make this spontaneously travel trip to london. And then I actually got them and was totally over the moon but now there is no way I can make it due to some circumstances I didn't know before. :(

 

I'm really disappointed and all I want is that at least someone of you gets them to make sure that a real Coldplayer enjoys our well-loved boys :flutterby:

 

Just pm me and I will send them to you by e-mail.

Please dont make it to hard for me to elect someone so just hurry up!

 

Love, lovingChris

 

I would love to go, but I can't afford the trip :(

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

10.30 would probably be ok..... but don't leave it any later. Trust me.

 

What happens is this:

 

You stand outside the BBC TV Centre and your tickets are checked by some-one going along the line. You then around 12 midday go in (sometimes it's later than they say though!) and go through an airport type scanner (so you have to hand in any bags/metal objects to be scanned) - you are then given a sticker with a number on it (stuck to your email ticket) - this will be the order that you are called into the studio. However, providing you get into BBC TV Centre ok, the number on the ticket, for a show like TOTP is irrelevant.

 

You'll be walked over to the studio whereby you'll go "wow this is SMALL" (honestly you will!!) and then you'll be asked to dance and clap away to some tracks played by a warm up guy called Danny - who'll just run through fire exits etc.....

 

As for the front row - well, TOTP has usually about 3 stages - and the one you'll firstly congregate round to see the warm up guy won't necessarily be the stage they'll use - so it's a bit of pushing and shoving if you want to be up the front. Therefore if you are at the back of the warm up guys stage - Coldplay might be performing on the stage opposite - so you could be first up the front if this is the case and you "run over" when you see things starting to happen !!!!

 

As I say, you'll be disappointed (probably) at the sound. I've seen MANY TOTP performances (live ones as well) and the sound always sounds distorted - something that they never seem to get right!

 

Hope this helps!

 

I might be ridiculous and take a train that gets in at 9, meaning it'll leave Norwich at 7...oh good lord, the things I do for this band :lol:.

 

Thanks so much for your help, though! :nice: I'm one of these people that likes to know what I'm in for before it happens, even when I know only good things are going to happen, so your information is invaluable :D

 

I'll resign my hopes of being right at the stage to chance, I guess, but I'm going to get into that studio, dammit :P.

 

I'm number 91 ticket-wise, but you say that's irrelevant, so I'm not going to ascribe any meaning to that relatively low number.

[Tonsu]

I'll honestly bear that in mind, I promise - if I can't swap them, don't know for sure yet if I will go.... my dilemma is: Whilst I am not a huge Coldplay fan (SORRY GUYS, don't mean any offense!!!) I am a huge TOTP fan - as I mentioned earlier, I've done 49 editions over the past 22 years, so I am torn as to whether I should go or not...

 

I didn't actually request these Coldplay ones, but I guess they (the BBC) sent them as a kind of replacement for the main Christmas show that I wanted but didn't get...

 

If I don't go or manage to swap them, of course I'll happily let someone like you have them.....

 

BTW, just reading some earlier posts on the recording process etc..... here is an advance warning - YOU NEED TO GET THERE EARLY! To give you some idea why, please let me explain:

 

Although I am not sure of the exact numbers for this year, last years main Christmas Day edition of TOTP (that I went to!) could only hold 230 people in Studio 8 at TV Centre where it was recorded. HERE's the reason you NEED to arrive early - last year, despite the studio only holding 230 people, the BBC issued nearly 800 tickets!!!!! Their thinking is, is that not everyone uses them so they always over-ticket - but last years over-ticketing was ridiculous - there were several hundred in the queue behind me that of course, didn't get in.

 

So when it says admission on site from 12 noon, you need to ensure you are there about 9.30ish I would suggest. Honestly, take it from me - and someone that queued up one year after making a long journey only to be turned away - the earlier the better.......

 

You'll find that the sound in the studio is, I'm afraid pretty poor - whether it be live or mimed/backing track - it always (to me) sounds very distorted and poor. That's just the BBC TV Centre Studio sound for you.... and - you'll get in there and everything (the set) will look tatty (!!!!) and VERY SMALL !!!!!!!!!

 

If I can help with any other questions about the recording, let me know....

 

Paul, I'd like to say an incredible 'thanks' to you for your help, I'm sure it's been priceless. It is very, very kind of you to offer so much advice, how kind :)

 

I'd also like to wish you the best of luck in getting tickets for the main show!! I'm sorry to say that it's unlikely you'll find any here because most here wouldn't have thought about an application for the main event, we were only brought to this by Coldplay.com, though if you never try you'll never know :)

 

I'd love to hear your stories as a huge TotP fan (one burning question for me that you can perhaps answer is why you are such a big fan after your comments about sound quality and organisation?) In particular I'd love to hear if you've seen any of the performances I most remember. Martha's Harbour was one (I was a huge All About Eve fan). Stone Roses, Fools Gold - when they went from being the best-kept secret of the indie cognescenti to a national phenomenon in just five minutes. And another one for me was The Cure, Lullaby - my first time ever seeing the band on TotP, and with SUCH a non-TotP 'type' song - I think Robert Smith refused to 'sing'. And oh so many others.

 

Again cheers, and good luck to you in getting the tickets you hope for :sunny:

[Tonsu]

 

I'll resign my hopes of being right at the stage to chance, I guess, but I'm going to get into that studio, dammit :P.

 

I'm number 91 ticket-wise, but you say that's irrelevant, so I'm not going to ascribe any meaning to that relatively low number.

 

That all seems very wise indeed Chelsea :)

 

I can say for sure also that ticket numbers are irrelevant.

[busybeeburns]

Does anyone want two tickets?

[dmuse]

Does anyone want two tickets?

 

I dooo!!

[dmuse]

10.30 would probably be ok..... but don't leave it any later. Trust me.

 

What happens is this:

 

You stand outside the BBC TV Centre and your tickets are checked by some-one going along the line. You then around 12 midday go in (sometimes it's later than they say though!) and go through an airport type scanner (so you have to hand in any bags/metal objects to be scanned) - you are then given a sticker with a number on it (stuck to your email ticket) - this will be the order that you are called into the studio. However, providing you get into BBC TV Centre ok, the number on the ticket, for a show like TOTP is irrelevant.

 

You'll be walked over to the studio whereby you'll go "wow this is SMALL" (honestly you will!!) and then you'll be asked to dance and clap away to some tracks played by a warm up guy called Danny - who'll just run through fire exits etc.....

 

As for the front row - well, TOTP has usually about 3 stages - and the one you'll firstly congregate round to see the warm up guy won't necessarily be the stage they'll use - so it's a bit of pushing and shoving if you want to be up the front. Therefore if you are at the back of the warm up guys stage - Coldplay might be performing on the stage opposite - so you could be first up the front if this is the case and you "run over" when you see things starting to happen !!!!

 

As I say, you'll be disappointed (probably) at the sound. I've seen MANY TOTP performances (live ones as well) and the sound always sounds distorted - something that they never seem to get right!

 

Hope this helps!

 

 

oh btw when does recording finish around? is it 3pm?

[**Laura**]

Hiya everyone :)

 

I've just got tickets from the lovely lovingChris :) Big thank you for that.

 

My question is: does anyone know if it would cause any sort of problem that it's not my name on the tickets?

[**Laura**]

Hiya everyone :)

 

I've just got tickets from the lovely lovingChris :) Big thank you for that.

 

My question is: does anyone know if it would cause any sort of problem that it's not my name on the tickets?

[busybeeburns]

I dooo!!

email sent :)

[yellowlover]

i don't believe i have also won tickets for this! first the boat...wow! i feel very lucky right now.. i guess i will see some of u again on wednesday! well done everyone:)

[marie/pims]

God we have to be there early...Do we have to wait outside??

[mayurshikotra]

wow thats really early to get there u know!

[**Laura**]

God we have to be there early...Do we have to wait outside??

 

 

Probably yes... I think they'll let us in at 12pm:\

[mayurshikotra]

i prob wont get in there till 12 =(

[Dan 6N]

I'm going! So what time is everyone getting there?

[ApproximatelyInfinite]

I'm either going to get there at 9:30 or 10:30...I have to decide tomorrow when I buy my train tickets, and price may be an influential factor in that decision.

 

This is more stressful than I thought it would be :lol:. I've never been a ticket-holder to something that didn't guarantee my entry!

 

I guess I deserve some Coldplay stress to return to my life, though...I was so relaxed about the logistics of the boat that it was almost creepy to not have to worry about timing and queuing! That was a whole different animal, of course, but we didn't know that until we were on the boat.

[Dan 6N]

So how many tickets have they dished out and how many available places will there be do we know?

[Paul MC]

Paul, I'd like to say an incredible 'thanks' to you for your help, I'm sure it's been priceless. It is very, very kind of you to offer so much advice, how kind :)

 

I'd also like to wish you the best of luck in getting tickets for the main show!! I'm sorry to say that it's unlikely you'll find any here because most here wouldn't have thought about an application for the main event, we were only brought to this by Coldplay.com, though if you never try you'll never know :)

 

I'd love to hear your stories as a huge TotP fan (one burning question for me that you can perhaps answer is why you are such a big fan after your comments about sound quality and organisation?) In particular I'd love to hear if you've seen any of the performances I most remember. Martha's Harbour was one (I was a huge All About Eve fan). Stone Roses, Fools Gold - when they went from being the best-kept secret of the indie cognescenti to a national phenomenon in just five minutes. And another one for me was The Cure, Lullaby - my first time ever seeing the band on TotP, and with SUCH a non-TotP 'type' song - I think Robert Smith refused to 'sing'. And oh so many others.

 

Again cheers, and good luck to you in getting the tickets you hope for :sunny:

 

Thanks for your kind words - I really hope I can get hold of the main show tickets somehow, as I say, it would be my 50th show in 22 years if I could get them!

 

I've always loved TOTP - from an early age, so it was my "dream" if you like to be on the show. My first show was April 1988, which featured the Pet Shop Boys and Bananarama!!!!

 

I was at the show the week after the infamous All About Eve's Marthas Harbour performance!

 

I was present at the Stone Roses first TOTP appearance in 1989 (November I believe from memory) - I can remember being totally un-impressed with them (not knowing who they were at all!!!) - how things change!!!!

 

I'm often in the links - in fact my work mates always rib me that Christmas just isn't Christmas until they see me on Top of the pops!!!!

 

Yes, I know I've critised the sound quality in the studio - but this never ever put me off going - it was all the "magic" of going and seeing up close the stars and music legends that you just couldn't see that close anywhere else. I've been fortunate enough to actually meet (via TOTP) Kylie, Tina Turner, Bee Gee's, Pet Shop Boys and Elton John to name but a few!

 

When I went to the final weekly TOTP broadcast in July 2006 the BBC even paid for a taxi home for me as I did the 10 o'clock news live in the studio for an interview about my time on the programme, as I am told that I hold some sort of record!

 

I even got a BBC webpage written - check if out if you like!!!!

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5103032.stm

 

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[mayurshikotra]

i guess im going to have to leave early and my sister will have to join me in the queue...(people dont get angry when they do that do they?)