6.09pm: Hello! You join us backstage at Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid, where Coldplay's American Express UNSTAGED show tonight will be webcast in countries around the world at http://www.youtube.com/coldplayVEVO. The show starts at 10pm Spanish time / 9pm UK time / 4pm ET / 1pm PT (click here to find out what time that is where you are). It will also be available to watch live on mobile devices via VEVO and YouTube apps for iPhone, iPod touch, iPad and Android. And if you're in New York, you can watch it on big screens in Times Square.

 

The Unstaged show be available to watch in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korean Republic, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Russian Federation, South Africa, Spain, Taiwan, United Kingdom and United States. (Apologies to those of you in other countries, there will be other big events which you'll be able to watch soon.)

 

6.12pm: We'll only be blogging until the show starts, by the way. As then you'll be able to watch it online. But that still gives us almost four hours of live photoblog fun. If you'd like to say hello, we're on [email protected].

 

6.16pm: Having arrived from the UK this morning, the band went straight to a hotel in Madrid, where they held a press conference for the world's media. It looked a little like this...

 

 

6.18pm: After the press conference, the band were presented with gold discs for Mylo Xyloto by the Spanish label (which is pretty impressive given that it only came out this week). They've certainly set a high bar for the label in other countries to follow with the quality of their presentation - the spray can is a particularly nice touch.

 

 

6.24pm: Phil Harvey - Coldplay's fifth member, and the subject of some kind words from the band in today's press conference - has just sent us this photo of Anton Corbijn directing the rehearsals for tonight's show, which have just been taking place.

 

 

6.31pm: And here's a photo of the band during rehearsals. As you might gather from their attire, it is *properly* chilly in Madrid today.

 

6.38pm: Here's Coldplay's soundman (and Mylo Xyloto co-producer) Dan Green during the rehearsals.

 

6.41pm: A sign which confused us considerably earlier (which way? How about an arrow?)

 

Tash, you need to me a Mod! :D

 

And about the photoblog, soooo nice of them to do that for us after sooooo long.

6.47pm: QUIZ: email [email protected] if you can guess which song this will be used on tonight...

 

6.41pm: A sign which confused us considerably earlier (which way? How about an arrow?)

 

 

ahhahaha this made me laugh :laugh3::laugh3::laugh3:

6.58pm: And the first person with the correct answer (which was, amazingly, Hurts Like Heaven) was Laurie Maine. Well done Laurie! :-)

7.00pm: Here's the view Chris will have tonight (well, it'll a bit darker - as the sun sets in 21 minutes, according to a sign on the wall in the office we're in).

 

^oh they spraypainted the rest of the stage :)

7.03pm: Leticia has emailed [email protected] to ask how many people Coldplay will be performing in front of tonight. We're told 16,000 are expected (and that came from The Oracle, so it must be true).

The stage looks soooo awesome. :D

7.05pm: Right. Meal voucher has just arrived. Off to grab something to eat (taking camera...). Back soon.

Huh I thought the Glockenspiel was being played by Will in MX? :confused: Well.. that's what I mailed.. so appearently that piece before HLH is not MX? :shocked2:

Jonny was playing his Les Paul during the soundcheck, it must mean that theyre definately playing other tracks off of the album tonight. :)

Would be amazing if they played more songs off of the album and less oldies.

Why does Mr A always run off to eat just when things are getting started? :angry:

7.35pm: And we're back. Here's what was on the menu:

 

 

We had the soup (warming) and the pork (tasty). The "eggs in green sauce" seemed to be going down well with others.

7.38pm: Lots of you asking [email protected] what the band are up to at the moment. Last we saw, they were just chilling in the dressing (it's been a very busy few days/weeks).

Oh damn, this must be the first time in the history of photoblogs that the thread is only in the 2nd page after more than an hour since the live blogging started.

CAMON, PEOPLE! Lets freak out and fill Mr A's inbox with "Coldplaying shoutout please" requests! :whip:

7.39pm: Two of Mylo Xyloto's three producers in one picture - it's Dan Green and Rik Simpson! (Don't think the third, Markus Dravs, is coming tonight. He'll be watching online. Probably.)

 

Hiiiii Dan! :D

7.43pm: A few of you have been emailing [email protected] from countries which won't be able to watch tonight's show online. We are genuinely sorry about that - it's not something in our control. But you will all be able to listen to tomorrow night's Norwich show live on BBC Radio 1's website, wherever you are.

Poor Danny. He was so excited about going home when he was in NYC. What did he get 1 maybe 2 days. bless

I bet most of that was spent opening post, washing and putting the bins out :lol:

Poor Danny. He was so excited about going home when he was in NYC. What did he get 1 maybe 2 days. bless

 

I love your avi! :D