[Oxfam Blog] Leaving San Jose.

I’m on the bus. Front top bunk. Driver’s side. I just marked my name on the mini-whiteboard that has the 11 other scribbled names for this bus. One of 5 on the tour. I can hear the set frantically being wheeled out case-by-case from the loading bay, onto the shining red trucks. Drivers eager to hit the road, and crew, ready to hit the hay. I’m fascinated by how fast that whole set gets boxed up and heads for another venue. That venue waiting for us this time is the MGM Grand.. Las Vegas.

I hear it’s ‘hot’ in Las Vegas. And Crazy. I’m excited. And intrigued..

If Oxfam has a group of volunteers as good as tonight, we’ll do fine. Another night. Another raft of names signed up for Oxfam America. More people showing support for the cause. More people ready to use their power and take action on injustice. It’s exciting to meet so many people ready to do something positive. Also to meet all the people who already know about Oxfam, and want to do more.

The Coldplay show shifted a little tonight. Don’t Panic was an acoustic track, with ‘Yellow’ played in full, I think for the first time so far. No venue seems too big for this band. If anything, the bigger the better. More people = more noise from the crowd. The HP Pavillion in San Jose is a huge concrete dome. Home of the Sharks hockey team. Coldplay seem to feed off the singing voices of big crowds. Not quite like sharks though.. thankfully.

Just before I go (as my eyes are drying up with this bedlight shining at them), I just wanted to say. I went to San Francisco with a couple of old uni friends last night. Checked out the pacific and the misty Golden Gate Bridge. That thing is awesome. I got vertigo just looking at it. Apparently they never stop painting it. Imagine the guy who paints that thing all year round.. I have enough respect for the rigging guys on the tour who swing from the lights and speaker stacks every day!

Enough from me. 8 hours, 528 miles, and we’ll be in the desert. Farewell California. Viva Las Vegas*.

*I had to say it.

Source: http://www.oxfamblogs.org/coldplay/