Coldplay's Oracle speaks about Wembley's 'Golden Circle'

More questions answered by The Oracle... (submit yours now!)

August 21, 2009 - submitted by Tom, United Kingdom

Q. Are there camping arrangements at Wembley for those of us that want to camp out before the gig to get nearer the front? And will there be a golden circle with wristbands? Thank-you

The Oracle replies:

Not really no. It has been known for music fans to turn up well in advance spending the night in sleeping bags outside the venue; the atmosphere tends to be great. However, it will be very cold if you plan to be there in the wee hours. I wouldn't recommend anyone doing this alone or without telling others where you are. You must think safety first and so if anyone under adult age is thinking of doing this, get your parents' permission. I've never known there not to be a golden circle set-up at Wembley. For those that don't know, the golden circle is the area that the first come, first served fans get to stand in. They're issued with a wristband so they can leave and re-gain entry making life easier for loo and food stall visits.

August 21, 2009 - submitted by Lucia, Argentina

Q. Hello dear Oracle, I've read that Chris Martin has written Natalie Imbruglia's new single Want. Is this true? And in that case how this collaboration came up?

The Oracle replies:

There are 3 Coldplay collaborations on Natalie's new album including first single Want. The band and Natalie have been friends for many years now and she was invited to the studio to record a couple of tracks and that was that!

August 21, 2009 - submitted by Dave, United Kingdom

Q. Chris famously said he doesn't trust black people, isn't that racist?

The Oracle replies:

That's a direct quote by Ricky Gervais from a spoof interview with Chris, so it's important to point out that the entire chat was a joke full of untruths much like Chris' appearance on Extras. I'm sure you knew that? It's important to let people know that it's pure fiction... just in case!

August 20, 2009 - submitted by Marissa, Australia

Q. Are the boys and the crew looking forward to or dreading the end of the Viva La Vida tour in less than a month?

The Oracle replies:

I wouldn't use the word dread to describe how they're feeling; the guys love playing live but it's always rather nice for everyone to return to their normal everyday life after being on the road for such an incredible length of time. That said, it was once described to me as... "From following a schedule of being told where to be, where to go and when to do it and suddenly arriving home free to do anything you like is strange and takes some adjusting to". They are all definitely ready for a well deserved break.

August 20, 2009 - submitted by Kelly, United States of America

Q. Roadie 42 frequently mentions "punters" when talking about people at Coldplay concerts. As I'm assuming it's a British term, can you provide a definition of the word for the rest of us? PS (make sure #42 knows how much we love the blog!)

The Oracle replies:

When Roadie #42 talks of punters, he's referring to the audience. Technically the term means a paying customer.

August 20, 2009 - submitted by Jan, Netherlands

Q. Dear Oracle, on every album of Coldplay (so far) are two brands: Parlophone and EMI. Which one is the record dealer and what is the other one? (Sorry for my lack of vocabulary).

The Oracle replies:

Basically they both are. If you imagine that EMI as a record company is a very large pie, Parlophone is a slice of that pie but still a record label within it.

August 20, 2009 - submitted by Raditya, Australia

Q. Dear Oracle, Do Coldplay like to listen to Sigur Ros?

The Oracle replies:

Absolutely! They are big fans.