Check out coldplay.com for a new blog entry: #42 gives his perspective on last weekend's Grammy Awards in LA
Discuss this blog entry in the Coldplay forum here onwards [thanks _Tash]
They’re a funny thing, awards shows. I guess then, that if Glastonbury is the “Beatles of festivals” as CM once quipped, then the Grammys is pretty much the toppermost of the poppermost when it comes to awards shows - and hence the funniest of funny things.
In my more sour roadie moments, I’ve likened working at awards shows to going to a slightly stiff family wedding - you know that you have to go, but you’re pretty sure you're not exactly going to *enjoy* it - and you’re damn sure that you’ll be glad when it’s over.
I guess the oddest thing for me, is that they carry all of the weight and importance of a large show (a Glastonbury, say), but offer none of the joyous release when the audience connects, or when the band leave the stage and all that preparation and worry have paid off.
It’s partly, of course, down to our involvement amounting to a mere few minutes. In a regular show, that’d be enough time for the intro tape to roll and the band to get through the instrumental MX intro. It’s also partly due to a sense of perhaps not really belonging. We’re kind of distantly related to the people here, but we don’t really know if we’re *part* of it.
A funny thing happens as the rehearsal and show days move past, though. Wandering around the backstage corridor which rings the entire arena, there are a lot of familiar faces. Folks who’ve helped us out in the past - crew who’ve treated us well here before and make time for a smile and nod or perhaps a warm handshake as the show bustles on.
Further down the corridor, you can’t help but read the dressing room signs as you pass. Paul McCartney on the left, Bruce Springsteen to the right. I guess if you’re going to be part of a family, this isn’t exactly a bad bunch to find yourself among. The band have most definitely always had their sights aimed high in terms of becoming writers of classic and enduring songs - like those of the most distinguished folks here.
I wander up to check on my gear and then sneak down the seating to watch the show from the boom camera platform. Bruno Mars attempts to gee up the attendant industry crowd with a “rattle your jewellery”-style shout. The arena is full of folks from all corners of the music business.
Quite surprisingly, they all rise to their feet and show some love. (It’s an entire arena full of the music business and folks “in the biz”, after all, are notoriously “too cool for school”.) It suddenly occurs to me that all of these people have had their lives and careers driven by a desire to be closer to music - the same reason I’m here.
It’s a celebration of achievement, I guess. The artists, the folks who help them along the way. As with anything as personal as music though, trying to pick a “winner” is a strange concept at best. You can pretty much guarantee that every individual in the place would pick a vastly differing crop of favourites, but the point is that music itself is worth celebrating.
It’s a tough time to be in any way involved in music. You read worrying articles everywhere claiming doom and gloom all around in the industry. But there are plenty of people here that think music is important and that it’ll survive - and most of all, that getting together and making a fuss about it is a good idea.
Every time I visit the Grammys, I’m a little less cynical. With any luck, Coldplay will have a long and successful career that brings them back here time and time again. Who knows, if that happens, then by the time that they’re stately elders, I might even end up looking forward to it?
R42
Don't forget to check out your tour discussion thread if you are getting Coldplay tickets or just getting excited for the European & North American 2012 shows and other forthcoming appearances:
FEBRUARY 2012
8 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia (iHeartRadio) [discussion]
9 Los Angeles, CA @ Jimmy Kimmel Live [discussion]
10 Los Angeles, CA @ GRAMMY Week MusiCares Person of the Year tribute [discussion]
12 Los Angeles, CA @ 54th Grammy Awards, Staples Center [discussion]
16 Sydney, Australia @ 2DayFM, Mobile Live Set (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
17 Sydney, Australia @ Sunrise (intimate show) [discussion] [CANCELLED]
21 London @ Brit Awards 2012, O2 Arena [discussion]
MARCH 2012
4 New York, NY @ The Secret Policeman's Ball, Radio City Music Hall (Amnesty International) [discussion]
APRIL 2012
17 Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place [discussion]
18 Calgary, AB @ Scotiabank Saddledome [discussion]
20 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
21 Vancouver, BC @ Rogers Arena [discussion]
24 Portland, OR @ Rose Garden Arena [discussion]
25 Seattle, WA @ KeyArena [discussion]
27 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
28 San Jose, CA @ HP Pavilion At San Jose [discussion]
MAY 2012
1 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
2 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
4 Los Angeles, CA @ Hollywood Bowl [discussion]
18 Porto, Portugal @ Dragao Stadium [discussion]
20 Madrid, Spain @ Estadio Vicente Calderón [discussion]
22 Nice, France @ Stade Charles Herman / Nikaia [discussion]
24 Turin, Italy @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
26 Zurich, Switzerland @ Letzigrund [discussion]
29 Coventry, UK @ Ricoh Stadium [discussion]
JUNE 2012
1 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
2 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
4 London, UK @ the Emirates Stadium [discussion]
7 Sunderland, UK @ the Stadium of Light [discussion]
9 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
10 Manchester, UK @ the Etihad Stadium [discussion]
22 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
23 Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center [discussion]
25 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
26 Houston, TX @ Toyota Center [discussion]
28 Tampa, FL @ St. Pete Times Forum [discussion]
29 Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena [discussion]
JULY 2012
2 Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena [discussion]
3 Charlotte, NC @ Time Warner Cable Arena [discussion]
5 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
6 Philadelphia, PA @ Wells Fargo Center [discussion]
8 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
9 Washington, DC @ Verizon Center [discussion]
23 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
24 Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre [discussion]
26 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
27 Montreal, QC @ Bell Centre [discussion]
29 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
30 Boston, MA @ TD Garden [discussion]
AUGUST 2012
1 Auburn Hills, MI @ Palace of Auburn Hills [discussion]
3 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
4 East Rutherford, NJ @ Izod Center [discussion]
7 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
8 Chicago, IL @ United Center [discussion]
11 St. Paul, MN @ Xcel Energy Center [discussion]
28 Copenhagen, Denmark @ Parken Stadium [discussion]
30 Stockholm, Sweden @ Olympic Stadium [discussion]
SEPTEMBER 2012
2 Paris, France @ Stade de France [discussion]
4 Cologne, Germany @ Rheinenergie Stadium [discussion]
6 The Hague, Netherlands @ Malieveld [discussion]
12 Munich, Germany @ Olympiastadion [discussion]
14 Leipzig, Germany @ Red Bull Stadium [discussion]
16 Prague, Czech Republic @ Slavia Eden Stadium [discussion]
19 Warsaw, Poland @ National Stadium [discussion]
22 Hannover, Germany @ AWD Arena [discussion]
Read also: European Stadium Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the Europe tour)
Read also: North America Tour announced! (general discussion thread for the US/Canada tour)
Read also: 2012: Live Appearances - Easy Thread Finder (last updated - 12th January 2012)
Read also: 2012 tour date rumours (please post dates for ALL countries in here)
Kit yourself up for the forthcoming MX tour and get spotted with Coldplaying's new range of merchandise! [click on the items for the full shop]
The new range of Coldplaying merchanise (unofficial of course to the official shop) has hit our stores, with our biggest range of goods so far. Prices are as low as they can be for a Cafepress shop so more people will be able to afford them. We don't take any profits for the sale of the merchandise as a result. Take a browse in one of the online stores nearest to you: UK | US | Canada | Australia | European (shipping is worldwide, but you can choose what currency to pay in) - simply alter the country dropdown menu at the top of the shop page. [thanks to TracieMorgan and zzz]
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