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

July 6, 2009 - submitted by Sara, Spain

Q. Hi oracle In the Live Roskilde Blog there is a photo in which Jonny is playing a piano but, why is he blowing on a kind of tube? What is exactly? thank you so much

The Oracle replies:

This instrument is called a melodica.

July 6, 2009 - submitted by Caitlin, United States of America

Q. In the live Roskilde blog there is a picture of Chris on stage with a caption saying "There's a good chance you won't need us to tell you what song this is..." As I have never been to a Coldplay show (not until August 3rd anyway, can't wait!), I could not figure out what song the picture was showing. Could you help me out with this?

The Oracle replies:

It was Viva La Vida. (...was it not Lovers in Japan?)

July 6, 2009 - submitted by Edu, Guatemala

Q. Dear Oracle, is the planet rock video interview that was available on the Parachutes-era website still available anywhere?!?!?! That video defined my life! Thanx

The Oracle replies:

This clip should get you started.

Coldplay's three-festival stint in Europe was completed last night as their Viva La Vida tour continued into Denmark as they headlined the Roskilde Festival. Plenty of pictures, videos and updates courtesy of Anchorman and Roadie #42 who blogged throughout the whole day and through the concert as well. Coldplay once again played a cover of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean.

[discussion] [photos] [videos] [wiki reviews/setlist] (updated over the next 24-48 hours)

Setlist: [thanks RoosAnne]

Life In Technicolor

Violet Hill

Clocks

In My Place

Yellow

Cemeteries Of London

42

Fix You

Strawberry Swing

God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Partial Techno Remix)

Talk (Partial Techno Remix)

The Hardest Part (Chris Solo Piano)

Viva La Vida

Lost!

"Roskilde-song"

Green Eyes (acoustic) // Billie Jean

Death Will Never Conquer (Acoustic, sung by Will)

Viva La Vida (Remix Interlude)

------

Politik

Lovers In Japan

Death And All His Friends

------

The Scientist

Life In Technicolor ii

The Escapist (Outro)

Just got home from Roskilde.. WHAT A NIGHT. The guys were absolutely amazing.. Even though it felt strange standing at the 6. row and being the only one of the poeple around me crying, jumping all the time, screaming and knowing all the songs, it was indescribably great! I'd never seen Chris that talkactive before and they really got the crowd into it (quite amazing as Coldplay normally isn't that popular and huge in Denmark.) Afterwards many people told me they were totally surprised and that they would go right home and buy a ticket for the concert in Herning (Denmark) in August. So, after the gig at Roskilde yesterday the number of Coldplay fans has grown hugely and the danish people have finally realized how great Coldplay are.. Good job, guys! [thanks RoosAnne]

Left from a FANTASTIC show yesterday, came home very excited (and with one of the yellow balls they had thrown out!). I was standing in the ~5 line from the front at the left (just off johnny) and had a great view. The lights, the music, the band!.. Amazing!! The crowd was in fantastic mood, the "warmup" was by one of the (i guess) roadies that performed breakdance before they went on stage.. really got people warm! And i have to agree wih RoosAnne, after the gig yesterday.. Coldplay' gonna sell good. [thanks Pwnz0rdude]

More on this concert including reviews, videos, pictures and tweets here onwards.

11.42pm: And with that, we'll bid you goodnight. Thanks for reading, wherever you are. The band are very aware that they're very lucky to have fans like you who read stuff like this. See you next time. Anchorman x

11.39pm: The band are playing their encore. We just saw them when they came off before going back on and they were buzzing. Coldplay have had a blast.

11.31pm: There's a good chance you won't need us to tell you which song this is...

It's been a really, really great show. Amazing atmosphere and a marvellous way to bring Roskilde 2009 to a close.

Oh, by the way, the band are doing "a runner" tonight (ie leaving immediately after the show), so don't be alarmed if this coverage abruptly stops as we slam down our laptop lid and make a run for the car...!

11.17pm: Here's the crowd sounding might at the end of Viva about 10 minutes ago...

11.15pm: The band are doing their acoustic cover of Billie Jean. Sounds great.

11.01pm: The B-stage section, during Hardest Part. Sounded lovely.

10.44pm: Pics from the side of the stage during Fix You, which would've taken the roof of Roskilde if it had one.

10.31pm: It's fair to say the crowd are enjoying it...

10.22pm: The crowd and the band. (It's a bit hard to get live shots, cos "the pit" is full of professional photographers with sharp elbows...)

10.18pm: An almighty roar and Coldplay are on stage. It's bonkers out there. Pics to follow...

9.56pm: "Sun goes down 21.53 but it takes approx. 20-30 minutes more before it is dark." says Helle Helle who a) has a great name and b) sounds like they know what they're talking about. We can't see the sun, but then we can't see much apart from dressing rooms. Ooh, but we can hear the crowd chanting "Coldplay! Coldplay!".

9.52pm: Will was just telling us how proud he is that his name is apparently now in a Trivial Pursuit question/answer. He's very chuffed indeed. Anyone seen it?

9.44pm: Just been in the dressing room with the band, who are getting into their stage outfits (Chris is still changing, hence no pic of him...). Fifteen minutes til stage time and you can feel the excitement building nicely (both in the crowd and in the dressing room...).

9.22pm: OK. Martin Emil reckons it'll be dark about 10pm. Ida Lundell's saying 11pm. Nicole's saying 10.30pm. David B's saying 9.54pm. Mayur Shikotra reckons 9.56pm. And Emil thinks the sun will set at 9.52pm. Only time, it seems, will tell. (But thanks to everyone for your speedy emails.)

9.17pm: Anyone out there know what time it'll get dark at Roskilde tonight? Feel free to email anchorman@coldplay.com if you do (it's still very much daylight now...). Thanks.

[its 21.59h local time Anchorman! :-) ]

9.13pm: This is what the backstage catering grill looks like. Twas very tasty (although we ate it far too quickly).

8.57pm: It's a dressing room acoustic rehearsal and it sounds very ace indeed.

8.42pm: Chris is now back in the dressing having had his dinner. Jonny is telling him about his quest to buy a fan (not a Coldplay fan, one of the ones which spins round, shooting cold air at you...)

8.31pm: Four little radio packs, ready and waiting...

8.21pm: OK, the good news is that Mr Christopher Martin has just arrived. The bad news, from a live blog perspective, is that he's gone straight to get some dinner. But rest assured. we will post a pic as soon as we can.

8.00pm: Two hours until stage time and Jonny is in the dressing room learning to play The Entertainer on his guitar. Odd, but true. Chris should be here any minute...

7.50pm: It's Guy with his pal Magne from a-ha!

7.42pm: Roskilde Festival looks a little bit like this (it's been going since Thursday night, so forgive anyone looking a little rough around the edges...)

7.35pm: Well done Mr Federer. You've made your biggest fan (Arlene, one of Coldplay's management team) very happy indeed. The band have gone to get some dinner. Pictures of the Roskilde site coming in a sec...

7.14pm: It's fair to say that the band and crew are all *very* excited about the Wimbledon final. What a titanic match!

7.03pm: Here's how it's looking on the stage (Madness are on next, then it's Coldplay)

6.49pm: Here's the wee video of the dressing room jam... (don't get too excited before you press "play" - it was only filmed on a digital camera...)

6.37pm: Guy, Will and Jonny are in the dressing room, playing guitars. Here's a pic. Video coming shortly! (Chris is not here yet, should be here soon)

6.27pm: Chess is the new rock 'n roll...

6.18pm: Eagles of Death Metal are currently rocking the main stage where Coldplay will be playing in a little under four hours. The band are in the dressing room, we're just outside on a picnic table-cum-office which now has four computers and a lot of cables on it...

6.09pm: OK, so here are a couple of pictures from the flight. The reclining chair was home to Jonny, who caught a few winks on the way...

6.07pm: We're at Roskilde. Pictures coming...

On the plane to Roskilde - we're meeting Chris in Denmark. See you when we're there... A

3.45pm: Right, we gotta board the plane. We'll post a pic of Chris once we're there...

3.40pm: Guy's here. Wimbledon's on the telly.

3.32pm: Here's Jonny...

3.22pm: Mr Champion in the house...

3.01pm: Crikey, The Oracle's reputation appears to growing... And all that for answering Coldplay fans' questions.

2.41pm: OK, we've made it to the airport. None of the band are here just yet. This, though, is evidence of how the other half live...

1.34pm (Roskilde time): Hello and welcome to our live Roskilde blog. We're not actually with the band yet, but we will be soon (we're on our way to the airport). As it's not totally clear what the situation with wi-fi will be in Denmark, we've embedded the Twitter feed above, in case we can only update using that. But the plan will be to update this page itself with pictures and videos and news and wotnot.

Coldplay fans who went to the Rock Werchter festival in Belgium this weekend had to run the gauntlet of an experimental Bluetooth tracking system that kept an eye on their every move, it has been revealed by online tech sites.

Visitors to the Rock Werchter event North East of Brussels, which ends on Sunday, will be monitored through the Bluetooth signals from their mobile phones in an effort to analyse crowd behaviour. Researchers from the University of Ghent have installed 36 scanners across the festival site with the goal of developing new sat-nav and security applications by better understanding human movement over time.

One of the team explained a retail scenario: "Tracking movements via Bluetooth could become very interesting. It could help retailers keep track of the number of customers at different times."

However it's nothing personal - the 80,000 festival goers need not be worried about their privacy, as the scanners track only phones' network addresses and not their numbers or other identifying details. "Werchter is a very interesting case," the university's Nico Van de Weghe told Reuters, adding that this is the first time his team, working on a wider research project using new technology to track moving objects, will collect full data on a live situation.

The team is carrying out research on geographical information systems, such as satellite navigation systems, and is hoping to be able to track moving objects in real time. "Tracking movements via Bluetooth could become very interesting. It could help retailers keep track of the number of customers numbers at different times, " Van de Weghe said.

The technique could also be used by security services to track suspicious movements, or monitor evacuations at mass events. Some 80,000 people from across Europe attended a sweltering first day of the festival in the small town of Werchter, 40 km (25 miles) northeast of Brussels, on Thursday, with thousands more expected on Friday and over the weekend.

Coldplay at Rock Werchter Festival, Belgium (3rd July 2009):

Pictures by purefm @ Flickr

Joe Satriani hopes that the pending copyright case with Coldplay will be settled "quietly behind closed doors," he claimed today via an online article in Australia's Sunday edition of the Herald Sun.

"It's one of those things that I am not really at liberty to discuss the juicy parts," he says, as the case makes its way through the US courts. "It's not really something that should have been public. It's a minor tiff between musicians that had we been in the same band it never would have made it out of the rehearsal room. But it's complicated by the fact that we are not in the same band. But neither Coldplay nor myself are comfortable discussing the details and we hope we can take care of it quietly behind closed doors."

The legal dispute remains unresolved since Satriani filed suit in December, although Coldplay members have hotly denied his contention. But Howard King, Satriani's lawyer, said Coldplay has hired a high-profile legal firm in California to handle the suit after it became clear that the group's appearance at the 2009 Grammys in Los Angeles could be marred by the embarrassment of having the legal documents served on them publicly.

"We did have some service challenges, but once we made it known we were going to serve them at the Grammys ... they had a lawyer contact us, who agreed to accept service on their behalf," King said.

Both sides have set a tentative trial date for spring 2010, but King said they'll also hold "private mediation" talks in late July. "Cases like this either go to trial and have unpredictable and sometimes devastating results for one side or the other ... or get resolved behind closed doors. There is going to be an attempt in late July to see if the case is capable of being resolved behind closed doors," King said. Russell Frackman, representing Coldplay, had no comment.

You can discuss Joe Satriani's latest comments at the Coldplay forum here onwards.

Coldplay at Main Square Festival, Arras, France (2nd July 2009):

Pictures by kiri @ Flickr

Check out coldplay.com for a new blog entry: #42 finds festivals a bit of a pain in the Arras

Discuss this blog entry in the Coldplay forum here onwards.

So then, festival season is upon us once again. Roadies tend to look forward to festivals like school-kids look forward to exams. A tour like this is a very long-term experience where all of the challenges and snags get worked out and smoothed over with time. Festivals mean taking that huge intricate show that requires a full day to construct normally and trying to bang it together at high speed (good name for a song that...).

Nobody likes a whiner, so I won't give you a shopping list of complaint. Suffice to say though, that I'm sure the crowds are having the better time here... Arras is a beautiful setting for a show. A grand old town square in Northern France. The sun slowly disappears behind the rooftops and the windows around the square flicker into light, silhouetting those on the balconies with the best seats in the house.

It's a very warm night indeed and the French crowd are going utterly berserk well before Coldplay take the stage. The Ting Tings get a riotous reception and as our showtime approaches, they're Mexican waving, cheering and singing Viva the whole time.

As I'm writing this in Belgium the following day, The Killers are finishing up their set on the stage behind me. This means I should be busy in my other role, fretting over cables and buttons. I'll have to leave you here and just say it was a top night and hopefully we have another to follow tonight. Here's a wee clip of Chris dropping a little Michael Jackson tribute into the end of The Hardest Part.

R#42

Coldplay at Main Square Festival, Arras, France (2nd July 2009):

Pictures by kiri @ Flickr

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

July 3, 2009 - submitted by Joseph, United States of America

Q. Before Coldplay played songs on the stage in the back, Chris said "we would like to dedicate this song to our friend..." I forgot the name that comes after but i believe it was "David Green"... Who is this?

The Oracle replies:

You don't say which concert this was at but I shall assume it was the night of their sound engineer's birthday; Dan Green.

July 3, 2009 - submitted by Ivan, Mexico

Q. Hi Oracle? I went to a concert in Toronto, was amazing. Frida Kahlo talk with the band after the release of the disc?

The Oracle replies:

Frida died in 1954 so that wasn't a possibility.

July 3, 2009 - submitted by Maeva, France

Q. Dear Oracle! I'm a huge fan of both Coldplay & Robbie Williams and I wonder what does the band think of Mr Williams, as an artist and also as a human being?Did they ever met? Have a nice day O' xoxo

The Oracle replies:

Not only have they met many times, but the Coldplay 5-a side football team played Robbie's team in Los Angeles. Robbie's been to Coldplay shows too. Mutual fans and friends I'd say.

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

July 2, 2009 - submitted by Natale, Australia

Q. Hi Oracle I was wondering apparently there are two videos for Violet Hill and Viva la Vida. Which are the official videos? Also the other ones were they just jokes or just a tried ideas? Hope you answer.

The Oracle replies:

There are indeed two videos for both of those tracks and both are official. They were far from jokes, they were just alternative videos. Trouble had two videos for different reasons. To find out why, click Trouble in the tag cloud.

July 2, 2009 - submitted by Kru, United Kingdom

Q. Dear Oracle, At the Brixton gig Coldplay did in London last June, the first few people in the queue to the gig were given a handbook called Politik. Whose idea was this, what did it contain and who wrote it all?

The Oracle replies:

Are you sure this wasn't a fanzine of some sort? The band didn't give any such booklet out. Given that Politik was from their second album, it wouldn't have made much sense to have an official handbook of that name on this tour.

July 2, 2009 - submitted by Grayson, United States of America

Q. Dear Oracle, How come you keep answering Julie from the United States questions repeatedly like 5 times and not mine?! Do you like know her or something?

The Oracle replies:

Julie who? I very much doubt there's only one Julie in the entire US of A!

July 2, 2009 - submitted by Florencia, Chile

Q. Dear Oracle: Do you think guys from Coldplay could actually win the best beard award like they said a few months ago? Because I do. What do you think?

The Oracle replies:

I don't think they stand a chance as long as the Fleet Foxes have their incredible head start! Plus the awards for this year are over...

Coldplay's Viva La Vida tour continued through Europe as they played the second of three main festivals, this time at Rock Werchter in Belgium. More tweets from Roadie #42 who has been on overdrive the past couple of days keeping everyone up-to-date! See #42's images after the jump. Coldplay once again played a short piano version of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean... but no Glass Of Water, I'm A Believer or Postcards From Far Away.

[discussion] [photos] [videos] [wiki reviews/setlist] (updated over the next 24-48 hours)

Setlist:

Life In Technicolor

Violet Hill

Clocks

In My Place

Yellow // All These Things That I've Done

Cemeteries Of London

42

Fix You

Strawberry Swing

God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (Partial Techno Remix)

Talk (Partial Techno Remix)

The Hardest Part (Chris Solo Piano) // Billie Jean

Viva La Vida

Lost!

Green Eyes (acoustic)

Werchter Song

Death Will Never Conquer (Acoustic, sung by Will)

Viva La Vida (Remix Interlude)

------

Politik

Lovers In Japan

Death And All His Friends

------

The Scientist

Life In Technicolor ii

The Escapist (Outro)

Back home. It was a special concert. As I believe in the equal distribution of money, I decided not to pay for this gig but listen to it in the middle of nature, close to the river Dyle, 300 metres from the stage. I've paid for more than one concert, bought cds and tour books, but since I live close to Werchter and since I've already experienced this concert last october (Sportpaleis - Antwerp), I decided to get this one for free. It's quite strange to hear Coldplay amidst nature, the good thing is the sound is so bloody loud on the festival grounds that, being a little farther away, I got fabulous quality sound without damaging my ears. And I could look at the stars during the performance of Yellow, that's a first.

So, details for those that couldn't make it. Setlist, same as Arras, but no I'm a believer. Chris covered Michael Jackson's Billie Jean, I think it followed Green Eyes or The hardest part, which he, by the way, dedicated to Lady Gaga, who was also playing the festival. Billie Jean wasn't the only reference to Michael Jackson though, Martin slightly altered the last words of Violet Hill and dedicated the song to the singer. Postcards from far away, I'm not too sure I heard that either, but there was a nice bit of piano with which Martin tied up Politik with Lovers in Japan. Someone else will know for sure. Viva La Vida was, as always, the highpoint of the set, with the crowds going "oh oh oh" for minutes after they ended the song, even when Lost had finished, they briefly started it again. It's quite impressive, hearing this from a distance. Martin did talk quite a lot during the concert, he even apologised for not speaking any French or Flemish. So he seems to know Belgium is a bilingual country, which not many singers do. Overall appreciations: nice concert, no vocal or instrumental flaws, nothing outstanding though, no real surprises. Ok, there were the techno versions of Talk and God put a smile, but I heard those already and they're not that inventive to be honest. I didn't like the new speed of Yellow, by the way. Much too fast. Ah well, I suppose it's difficult to alter setlists because such a large production is a well-oiled machine. Anyway, it was a nice evening, a unique way to listen to Coldplay and it didn't cost me anything. Now I'm off to bed. [thanks walewein]

More on this concert including reviews, videos, pictures and tweets here onwards.

Tweets from Rock Werchter Festival, Belgium (3rd July 2009):

I hope the weather stays like this. Show starts in 90 mins... R#42

I hope the weather stays like this. Show starts in 90 mins... R#42

Elbow are on and they are ever bit as wonderful as I hoped. Can't wait 'til they grace our tour. R#42

Hello Belgium! R#42

Later this month, Coldplay's amazing new video for Strawberry Swing will be unveiled - keep it locked to Coldplay.com for details and watch out for some superb new Coldplaying banners ahead of the video. In the meantime, you can read again the official site's latest interview with Chris Martin in which Chris confirms that the video for the song 'Strawberry Swing' had already been finished by May. You can discuss the forthcoming video for Strawberry Swing video in the Coldplay forum here onwards. [thanks 1der]

The Strawberry Swing excerpts of the interview are also included after the jump, along with Roadie #42's tweets from tonight's Rock Werchter Festival in Belgium. Full scale discussions and live updates from the festival have already started in earnest at the Coldplay live forum in the Rock Werchter thread!

You're currently a few dates into a new leg of the tour, after having a little break.

Yeah, we've just done the video for Strawberry Swing, which is going to be pretty good, I think.

Is that officially a single, then?

Well, it's officially going to be a really great video. I don't know whether it counts as a single or not.

Can you tell us anything about the video?

It is a new concept in video making, which will either be a woeful disaster or a triumphant Bafta winner. I guess you'll be seeing it at some point in the summer, as it's a summery song.

Arguably the best song on the album.

That's what I think! And we should also say that if you like that song you should listen to The Rock by Delakota. That song had this amazing backwards guitar loop going all the way through. And although Strawberry Swing doesn't have that, the Delakota song was definitely inspirational.

A Strawberry Swinging!

Tweets from Rock Werchter Festival, Belgium (3rd July 2009):

Elbow are on and they are ever bit as wonderful as I hoped. Can't wait 'til they grace our tour. R#42

Hello Belgium! R#42

For Coldplay.com's latest competition announced through the latest edition of The Messenger released today, they're offering you the chance to win a signed Roskilde something-or-other, signed by the entire band during Sunday's live blog shenanigans. If you'd like to win it (whatever "it" turns out to be), then simply send your name and address to competitions@coldplay.com before Friday July 17th. One entry per person please.

After a little break, Coldplay are now back on the road, with a hat-trick of big European shows, culminating in a headline slot at the legendary Roskilde Festival in Denmark on Sunday (July 5th). The official site is tagging along to the Roskilde show for another live blog, featuring all the behind-the-scenes pictures, videos and updates as they happen. Check Coldplay.com for the latest, and of course you can visit the forums here for latest discussions on the live blogging from Sunday afternoon.

Coldplay at Main Square Festival, Arras, France (2nd July 2009):

Pictures: Virgin.fr

Coldplay's Viva La Vida tour continued into Europe once again as they played the Main Square Festival in Arras, France tonight. Plenty of tweets from Roadie #42 who captured pictures of the crowd and the band shortly before the start of the set. See those images after the jump. Rumour has it that Coldplay played Michael Jackson's Billie Jean... but no Glass Of Water.

[discussion] [photos] [videos] [wiki reviews/setlist] (updated over the next 24-48 hours)

Setlist: [thanks chavi]

Life In Technicolor

Violet Hill

Clocks

In My Place

Yellow

42

Fix You

Strawberry Swing

God Put A Smile Upon Your Face (techno version) - Stage B

Talk (techno version) - Stage B

The Hardest Part (Chris piano) - Stage B

Postcards From Far Away (piano instrumental) - Stage B

Viva La Vida

Lost!

Green Eyes (acoustic) - Stage C

Death Will Never Conquer (acoustic - Will vocals) - Stage C

I'm A Believer (Neil Diamond Cover - acoustic) - Stage C

Viva La Vida (remix interlude)

------

Politik

Lovers In Japan

Death And All His Friends

-------

The Scientist

Life in Technicolor ii

The Escapist (outro)

Picture by Virgin.fr

That was so bloody UN-BELIEV-ABLE !!! i was with Tibujoli and we met some so nice people from Arras. We spent such an evening that we will remember for ever! We managed to get THE perfect location accross the central line just before the stage. At the beginning we were afraid of being a little bit misplaced and then went the opportunity to stand almost on the first row just in front of every single thing that happened on the stage. And that was stupendous and i think we are not able to find the words to express what we experienced. They moved a lot, and made everyone happy in the "Grand' Place" in being everywhere. And they so surprised us : first went a little impro on "the hardest part" with the melody of Billie Jean. Then with many funny parts where Chris wanted to show that his French had improved (indeed he even tried to sing in French, and that was lovely). And then comes the "showing off" part - they moved between stages through the central line and we handed Chris a Tee-shirt. He kind of stopped at our position and took the Tee-shirt, touched our hands looking us in the eyes. Being less than 2 feet from them and especially from Chris, was quite astonishing. Well despite the waiting and the rain (during the first part of the gig) that was really really good. ps: i don't think that glass of water was played last nite [thanks floche21]

well, I come back home for minutes and I'm completely exhausted, there was too much sun and not enough water moreover it rained 15-20 minutes at the beginning of the show. But it was so great. All my photos are blur (?)(floues en francais) so I won't post them... [thanks shini]

More on this concert including reviews, videos, pictures and tweets here onwards.

Tweets:

Moments to go. R#42

Definitely in for a great night. Intro not even on and the crowd are chanting Viva. Goosebumps. R#42.

Almost ready to roll intro. R#42.

In just a few hours all of these folks will be helping to Viva Coldplay's Vida.

Packing for a long weekend of festivals. Youthful optimism: I'm packing shorts and sandals. Jaded cynicism: also packing shoes I'm happy to leave behind in the mud. Anyone know what the weather's doing? R#42

Just landed en France. Anyone know if there's any festivals round here? R#42

Copenhagen - US hip hop star Kanye West was the top act Thursday on the opening day of the annual Roskilde music festival, near the Danish capital Copenhagen, with some 65,000 visitors enjoying the festivities under blue skies.

The lineup during the four-day festival that ends Sunday includes Coldplay, Pet Shop Boys, Nick Cave, Oasis, Slipknot, Nine Inch Nails and some 150 other acts. Organizers said US hip hopper Lil Wayne had been forced to cancel his appearance on Saturday 'due to doctor-mandated rest.' The music festival also conducts fund-raising, generating funds mainly through bottle deposits.

Efforts to tackle climate change was a theme for the 2009 festival, not the least since Denmark is in December to host a United Nations conference where countries will seek to agree on a new treaty to succeed the Kyoto Protocol on reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Visitors to the festival were invited to take "10 green footsteps" including using public transport, riding a bike to the festival, recycling garbage, and switching off electric appliances instead of letting them remain on standby. The Danish relief agency DanChurchAid was to channel funds raised to help victims of climate change in Bangladesh and India. In 2008, the bottle deposits generated some 189,000 dollars. The first Roskilde festival was held in 1971, inspired by similar events at Woodstock and the Isle of Wight.

Tweets:

In just a few hours all of these folks will be helping to Viva Coldplay's Vida.

Packing for a long weekend of festivals. Youthful optimism: I'm packing shorts and sandals. Jaded cynicism: also packing shoes I'm happy to leave behind in the mud. Anyone know what the weather's doing? R#42

Just landed en France. Anyone know if there's any festivals round here? R#42

Coldplay - Roskilde (last appearance) - 27th June 2003:

The official Coldplay site will this Sunday be providing fans with pictures and live blog updates from Denmark's biggest festival, Roskilde, ahead of Coldplay's headline performance in the evening. Here's Anchorman with more details:

Good morning. This coming Sunday (5th July), we'll be tagging along with Coldplay for their headline slot at Denmark's legendary Roskilde Festival. Join us from Sunday afternoon for live pictures, updates, interviews and videos from the journey to Denmark, backstage at Roskilde and then during the show itself. Should be fun. To get you in the mood, you can see previous Coldplay.com live blogs from Lyon here and Birmingham here (read them from the bottom up).

You can keep track of the discussion to the live blog at the Coldplay forum here onwards. You can also discuss Coldplay's performance at Roskilde in the Coldplay Live forum too.

Tweets:

In just a few hours all of these folks will be helping to Viva Coldplay's Vida.

Packing for a long weekend of festivals. Youthful optimism: I'm packing shorts and sandals. Jaded cynicism: also packing shoes I'm happy to leave behind in the mud. Anyone know what the weather's doing? R#42

Just landed en France. Anyone know if there's any festivals round here? R#42

Coldplay - Roskilde (last appearance) - 27th June 2003:

Rumours are sweeping the internet about Coldplay coming to Israel this September. This comes not long after Chilean media sources predicting that Coldplay will return to play in South America in November.

There is a long-standing campaign, including online petitions, to bring Coldplay to Israel where they have a huge fanbase. Now Israeli radio sources (Good Morning Israel) are suggesting that they will be playing there for the first time in late September.

If the rumours are true, the group will play in Hayarkon Park, Tel Aviv, on September 30th. They will possibly be playing in Israel in the same month of Leonard Cohen and Madonna. We'll keep you posted on this but in the meantime you can discuss the latest on this at the Coldplay Live forum here onwards[thanks sharono]

More new pictures of Coldplay at GM Place, Vancouver (20th June 2009):

Pictures by brontestorm @ Flickr

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

July 1, 2009 - submitted by Siobhain, Australia

Q. Hi Oracle, I was wondering why/how we get goose bumps? More specifically how can music cause the reaction?

The Oracle replies:

I'll start with the latter part of your question. Music evokes an emotive response which triggers a part of the brain called the hypothalamus. It controls many reactions in the body including goosebumps. There's been some research which concluded that it's usually melancholy thoughts that send a chill when we hear music that may remind us of a particular sad moment. I myself experience them with happy memories associated with music or at live concerts (especially during Politik) so not sure about that theory. As human hair is very fine, it stands on end and as they pull up they cause the appearance of goose flesh.

July 1, 2009 - submitted by Jennifer, United States of America

Q. This may be a dumb question, but I am highly curious. I was watching the news about Michael Jackson's death, and they were talking about his debt. They then mentioned that he owned, what I think, were the rights to at least a 100 Beatles songs. Does it not strike you as odd that a musician that had nothing to do with the creation of their music gets money from it now?

The Oracle replies:

This is an interesting yet strange thing indeed as MJ actually outbid Paul McCartney to become the owner of those rights. The publishing company were selling off catalogues but I think it would have been fairer to offer The Beatles songs to Sir Paul at a price rather than someone else buy them! Michael only bought the rights that the publishing company held; as publishers don't get 100% of the royalties, he didn't also get what McCartney and the estate of John Lennon would automatically receive. A few years ago MJ sold 50% of his assets to Sony too and it was widely reported that Michael always intended to give the rights back to Paul. His will may prove that to be true...

July 1, 2009 - submitted by Renate, Netherlands

Q. Dear Oracle! I heard a version of Clocks on the radio which I have never heard before. It was a kind of samba sound with trumpets. It was very good and different, it was no live version but a studio one. Do you know which one I mean and please can you tell me where I can find it? Thanks

The Oracle replies:

That'll be the Rhythms Del Mundo. It was performed by members of Cuba's Buena Vista Social Club plus other Havana-based musicians.

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

June 30, 2009 - submitted by James, United Kingdom

Q. Dear Oracle, In Roadie #42's latest blog (number 88), there's a rather nice photo of the band with Dave Holmes the manager man. It certainly makes a pretty picture but I was wondering what is written on the tag around his neck. I normally wouldn't be too interested but I thought it looked like "Viva la Vida With Love" meaning "Live Life... With Love". Now, though, I'm not so sure. Can you please help me out of this calamity? Cheers!

The Oracle replies:

All their passes have Viva La Vida Love on them. It's from a section of a Reign of Love illustration by Jonny.

June 30, 2009 - submitted by Juley, Malaysia

Q. After the 2005 tour poor Chris was looking rather thin, I offered, via friends who know Phil, to cook him a hearty meal of sausage and mash (my fav!) at mine. But I think he was probably a bit too busy to accept!! Gorgeous as he is Chris is looking thinner than Kate Moss at present so the offer still stands but we are a little further away now (Malaysia) and no sausages here so it will have to be nasi lamak. How's his diary looking!!? Terima Kasih (Thanks) Juley P.S. please send me some saugages (Sainsburys frozen ones would be great)!

The Oracle replies:

Chris eats very well so don't you go worrying about him. He's looking trim because he's running around on stage nearly every night which is burning lots of calories.

Terima Kasih for the kind offer though and sorry, no sausages!

June 30, 2009 - submitted by Emily, United States of America

Q. Dear Oracle, Have you noticed that the song When Love Takes Over by David Guetta feat. Kelly Rowland sounds a lot like "Clocks"?

The Oracle replies:

It seems you didn't notice that I already answered this. Excuse my sarcasm Emily, if you go to the tags and click Clocks, you'll see that I had noticed ;)

June 30, 2009 - submitted by Caitie And Sarah, United States of America

Q. Hello Oracle! Okay weird situation. The other day our friend got a dog that was named SugarBear. It looks like a Shitzu/Rat Terrier, but someone keeps telling her that SugarBear is the name of the breed. So our question is... Is there a breed of dog named SugarBear?

The Oracle replies:

A popular name for a dog but I have never ever encountered a breed of that name.

Last winter a young bluegrass group called the Abrams Brothers filed off their bus at the CMT offices after a long and snowy trip from their home in Canada.

Groups or artists stop by and perform here once in a while, but this band of two brothers and a cousin was especially memorable. They were definitely a bluegrass group and had the type of chops that would be at home on the Grand Ole Opry stage — which they played in 2005 — but being teenagers, they were also very eager to experiment with the genre.

One song in particular showed that — a well thought-out arrangement of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida.” I’m glad to see that now they have a video to go along with the track, so enjoy as they walk crowded city streets singing about a once-powerful king on the verge of losing it all.

Watch the terrific new version of Viva La Vida here at the Coldplay forum.

More new pictures of Coldplay at GM Place, Vancouver (20th June 2009):

Pictures by '(photographic)memory' @ Flickr:

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

June 29, 2009 - submitted by Benjamin, United States of America

Q. Is there such a thing as Mince Spies?

The Oracle replies:

There is if you mean a limited edition CD that the band gave away to fans at Christmas 2001. It featured two tracks: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas and Yellow (Alpha Remix).

June 29, 2009 - submitted by Christina, United States of America

Q. Dear Oracle.. Did Chris write the piano riff in Homecoming, a song in which he collaborated with Kanye West?

The Oracle replies:

The song originally featured vocals by John Legend. Chris met Kanye at Abbey Road Studios in February 2006 when the band were recording a special BBC Radio 2 show. They jammed together as Kanye was recording his album there. This led to the re-recorded version which Chris' vocals and fingers appear on.

June 29, 2009 - submitted by Wanda, Venezuela

Q. Hey Oracle!! Well I want to ask you about the reaction that you think we (the world) will have about the recent Michael Jackson news.... the pop will never be the same?? Or someday we will just forget it and continue our lives with new artist and that kind of stuff... thanks...

The Oracle replies:

This has been a hot topic the past few days. Personally I think Michael's best work had been and gone and we will always have that. His legacy lives on in his music and with such a fantastic back catalogue of songs, he will never be forgotten. He won't be replaced much as John Lennon hasn't been; some artists could never be and MJ is one of them.

Bruce Springsteen revealed that Coldplay's Chris Martin had told him of the unique atmosphere at the Glastonbury festival, ahead of The Boss's headline slot on Saturday. Springsteen told BBC's Steve Lamacq: "Chris Martin said it was very special and it's very close to the English heart. I'd read quite a lot about it before. Every year when you get the British music magazines it's always a big feature so I know it's a special gig."

Bruce Springsteen became The Boss of Glastonbury after a two-and-a-half hour crowd-pleasing headline set last night. Hits like Dancing in the Dark, Glory Days and Born To Run got fans moving as the star made his first UK festival appearance at the Somerset event. Springsteen got close to his British fans with repeated runs from the stage to sing right next to the front row.

Earlier, The Boss had made a surprise appearance on one song with The Gaslight Anthem during their slot on the John Peel Stage, the traditional home of new bands at the festival.

More new pictures of Coldplay at GM Place, Vancouver (20th June 2009):

Pictures by '(photographic)memory' @ Flickr:

Michael Jackson's London gigs could be replaced with a series of tribute concerts - with stars such as Justin Timberlake lined up to perform. Bosses at the O2, which had been due to host 50 Jacko dates, have started approaching artists to fill the gap. And they have been inundated with pleas from fans to stage tributes to the superstar, according to The Mirror.

Top acts such as Coldplay and Take That are also understood to be among those approached. It is feared the promoters of the Michael Jackson gigs, AEG, will lose £12million already spent on production - and possibly tens of millions more.

They are reported to have been unable to get insurance for at least 30 of the concerts - and the insurance for the rest may not cover them for Michael's death. An O2 source said: "There is a scramble to fill the dates. Justin Timberlake is one name coming up. There have been calls from artists interested in performing, although people want to be sensitive. We've had hundreds of emails from fans begging us to hold a series of tribute concerts. It's an idea which would make them feel a little better after such a shocking week."

The 02 Arena, operated by US Entertainment giant AEG, was expecting to make £100million from the This Is It concerts.

More on this is at the Coldplay forum here onwards.

Coldplay pay tribute to Michael Jackson

Millions of fans have been holding vigils around the world in tribute of late music legend Michael Jackson. The singer, 50, was pronounced dead at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday at 2.26pm local time after suffering a heart attack at his rented Bel Air mansion.

As the shocking news of his death reverberated around the globe, crowds gathered to share in their sorrow, from outside the King of Pop's childhood home in Encino, California to the busy streets of Hong Kong. Coldplay also added their condolences online. In a message from Coldplay's official Twitter account, it read: "MJ was the best of the best. His music and performances made the world a brighter place. His light will shine on forever. Coldplay."

In scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of Diana, Princess of Wales and John Lennon's deaths, fans were seen sobbing in the streets and lighting candles at places Jackson once visited or performed. Hundreds of people flocked to New York's famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where the singer frequently performed with the Jackson Five in the Seventies. You can share your thoughts on Michael Jackson, his music, his legacy and your favourite Jacko tunes at the Coldplay forum here, here and here onwards [thanks howyousawtheworld, Berrywoman & bjaiken]

Chris Martin: 'Michael Jackson Comeback Bigger Than Lazarus'

Chris Martin recently described Michael Jackson's 2009-2010 shows at London's O2 Arena as “the biggest comeback since Lazarus”. Martin also told The Mirror newspaper that like thousands of Jackson's fans he was unable to buy tickets before they sold out.

"I was looking at it on the internet and thought, 'I'd better buy some for myself' and I couldn't. They were totally sold out,” he said. "To sell out like that is a testament to talent. It is just amazing to sell out 50 shows in one city in a big arena. It's the biggest comeback since Lazarus. It's good news - but not for me."

Jackson was scheduled to play 50-nights at London's O2 Arena. All of the gigs, which were to run into 2010, had already sold out. More on this article is at the Coldplay forum here [thanks ravrat]

Michael Jackson on stage

Millions of fans have been holding vigils around the world in tribute of late music legend Michael Jackson. The singer, 50, was pronounced dead at the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles on Thursday at 2.26pm local time after suffering a heart attack at his rented Bel Air mansion.

As the shocking news of his death reverberated around the globe, crowds gathered to share in their sorrow, from outside the King of Pop's childhood home in Encino, California to the busy streets of Hong Kong. Coldplay also added their condolences online. In a message from Coldplay's official Twitter account, it read: "MJ was the best of the best. His music and performances made the world a brighter place. His light will shine on forever. Coldplay."

In scenes reminiscent of the aftermath of Diana, Princess of Wales and John Lennon's deaths, fans were seen sobbing in the streets and lighting candles at places Jackson once visited or performed. Hundreds of people flocked to New York's famous Apollo Theatre in Harlem, where the singer frequently performed with the Jackson Five in the Seventies. You can share your thoughts on Michael Jackson, his music, his legacy and your favourite Jacko tunes at the Coldplay forum here, here and here onwards [thanks howyousawtheworld, Berrywoman & bjaiken]

Chris Martin: 'Michael Jackson Comeback Bigger Than Lazarus'

Chris Martin recently described Michael Jackson's 2009-2010 shows at London's O2 Arena as “the biggest comeback since Lazarus”. Martin also told The Mirror newspaper that like thousands of Jackson's fans he was unable to buy tickets before they sold out.

"I was looking at it on the internet and thought, 'I'd better buy some for myself' and I couldn't. They were totally sold out,” he said. "To sell out like that is a testament to talent. It is just amazing to sell out 50 shows in one city in a big arena. It's the biggest comeback since Lazarus. It's good news - but not for me."

Jackson was scheduled to play 50-nights at London's O2 Arena. All of the gigs, which were to run into 2010, had already sold out. More on this article is at the Coldplay forum here [thanks ravrat]

Michael Jackson on stage

Madonna is the Top Earning Musician of the year with about $110 million in profits, according to Forbes magazine. The total is based upon her touring, recording and endorsement earnings from June 2008 to June 2009.

Two other female artists follow Madge in the top five: Céline Dion ($100 million) and Beyoncé Knowles ($87 million). No new acts are in the Forbes top 12, but three acts -- Coldplay, Rascal Flatts and AC/DC -- tied for sixth position.

Forbes uses various sources including Billboard, Pollstar, and Nielsen SoundScan, among others, for its tabulations that include earnings from album sales, touring, publishing and endorsement deals. The lucrative merchandise sales at concerts, however, seem to be missing from the report.

Forbes' Top Earning Musicians, 2008-2009:

1. Madonna - $110 million

2. Céline Dion - $100 million

3. Beyoncé Knowles - $87 million

4. Bruce Springsteen - $70 million

5. Kenny Chesney - $65 million

6. Coldplay - $60 million

6. Rascal Flatts - $60 million

6. AC/DC - $60 million

9. The Eagles - $55 million

10. Toby Keith - $52 million

11. Bon Jovi - $50 million

12. Dave Matthews Band - $45 million

How Forbes comes up with its figures, though, seems to be more subjective than definitive. Madonna, for example, grossed $282 million dollars from touring in addition to her other sources of income. The media does not know the breakdown of her touring deal with promoter Live Nation. As a member of Live Nation Artists, she signed a 10-year, $120 million deal prior to the Forbes calendar year, and Live Nation obviously recouped some of its investment on her ongoing Sticky & Sweet Tour, the first under the new contract.

Meanwhile, Dion grossed $237 million on her first tour after seven years performing in Las Vegas, in addition to adding a sixth perfume in her fragrance line and releasing her first English greatest hits collection.

Forbes stated that the top 10 musicians on its chart earned a combined $719 million, compared to $500 million from the period ending June 2008. Citing numbers from industry analyst Pollstar, this jump was attributed to the fact that ten concerts grossed more than $10 million in 2008 whereas only four concerts reached that level in 2007.

Average ticket prices also rose $5.26 to $67.33, the biggest single-year increase in 15 years.

Coldplay at GM Place, Vancouver (20th June 2009):

Pictures by eustella @ Flickr:

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

June 25, 2009 - submitted by Sam, United States of America

Q. Hello dear Oracle! I was just wondering, what happens if one of the band members is sick and they need to perform a concert? Is there a replacement for each musician, or would they just call off the concert?

The Oracle replies:

If one band member was sick there wouldn't be a replacement, they would cancel a show rather than replace.

June 25, 2009 - submitted by Porgie, United Kingdom

Q. Why do we Poop?

The Oracle replies:

Good grief, can you imagine what would happen if we didn't??

June 25, 2009 - submitted by Ayesha, United States of America

Q. Hey hey Oracle!! Please please answer my question!! I was wondering: is writing on your hands with pen and/or marker bad for you (or your skin)? Because I do it all the time... Thanks soo much!! Ayesha :)

The Oracle replies:

Well if it's a water-based marker you should be alright but to be honest writing on your skin with a permanent marker could lead to toxins penetrating the skin so I don't advise you do it at all. I know you've probably seen Chris with writing on his hand, but it's not wise to copy unless you know that you're in no danger.

June 25, 2009 - submitted by Laura, United States of America

Q. Oh Oracle... I'm so upset! The guy I got my first kiss from stopped talking to me and now has a new girlfriend. Though I don't love him it still hurts because I feel he used my inexperience against me. What do I do?

The Oracle replies:

Well I totally empathize with you. A first kiss is a big deal but rather than think he's used your inexperience, see it as you have gained experience by kissing him. This means when you meet someone you truly care about, you'll feel confident in kissing. Don't think the fact you hadn't kissed before was a factor in him going off. Sometimes boys can be a bit rubbish at these things but it doesn't mean you weren't a good kisser. Now you've got the first one over with, it should be easy but don't go kissing anyone, save it for someone deserving. It's good you don't love him to save any heartbreak but see it as something positive.

Muse and Coldplay will not be playing this year's Glastonbury festival, organisers have told NME.

Both bands had been rumoured to be playing The Park stage at this year's event, after several outlets fell for fake Twitter posts. However speaking to NME, Emily Eavis quashed both rumours, though revealed there will be at least one more special guest playing the festival alongside Klaxons, who announced themselves for the stage yesterday (June 23).

Eavis also said she doubted her dad and co-organiser Michael Eavis would ever really quit Glastonbury, despite recent speculation. "I don't think he'll really retire," she admitted. "It works really well at the moment."

Coldplay at GM Place, Vancouver (20th June 2009):

Pictures by lira8 @flickr

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

June 23, 2009 - submitted by Josh, United States of America

Q. Hello omniscient Oracle, I was just curious about the live performance of Moses on the Live 2003 DVD. Is he using the Rico-sound input of the Rickenbacker or the standard input. I've been trying to play it but it just doesn't sound right on my Fender 12-string. Thanks for reading this if you do.

The Oracle replies:

Chris would be using the standard mono output on the Rickenbacker 12 through a Fender Deville 2x12 on the built in overdrive and possibly, more overdrive settings. But Ricky 12's have a specific sound even on the regular output and you may struggle to reproduce it on another guitar. I should also point out that Chris doesn't use normal tuning on it; the 'b' string is lowered 1 full tone to 'a' i.e. the tuning is (low to high) E A D G A E". Thanks to Hoppy, Chris' guitar tech, who gets each guitar ready to play.

June 23, 2009 - submitted by Curran, United Kingdom

Q. How does Chris feel about Dentists?

The Oracle replies:

I'm not sure if this is a well-known fact but Chris had to get used to many Dentist visits as he wore braces for a while until he was in his early twenties.

June 23, 2009 - submitted by Chloe, Canada

Q. Oracle, I hope you can guide me on that one. I am a pop singer, recording a demo right now. I'd like to send it to record companies. I tried and tried to find their address but it seems impossible. Their is one site where you can pay 15$ and they supposedly have all the addresses. Would you trust that? And if not where can I find all this info. Thanks a lot for your help. See you in Montreal.

The Oracle replies:

It shouldn't seem impossible as labels do give that information on their websites, you just have to look for it. For example, EMI list their addresses for demo submissions. Click the FAQ link. There are lots of sites that will take your money and many may be a waste of that hard-earned cash. However, there are some useful sites that give information about key A&R players as well as the way the industry works with in depth interviews with personnel. One that I quite like is Hitquarters with an annual subscription service of between $9-19 per year.