Jason-DeBord

Being late to the topic has it's advantages - I got to read it all in one sitting. :) Angie, thanks so much for sharing your adventure in such detail and in a candid manner. I enjoyed the journey vicariously! Jason

Wow! That is awesome. :) Jason

Thanks for posting the pics, Oz. That piano is awesome! IMO one of the coolest pieces they auctioned. Love the writing inside! Congrats! Very cool too that you saw the first and last shows. Jason

That is awesome! :) Jason

I'm not sure - I'll probably e-mail them in the next few days to get an idea on timing and such. Honestly, I don't think it will really sink in for me what has happened until it gets here... still seems very surreal... I'm still planning to put together a little website, so I'll be sharing lots of nice photos! Jason

Awesome! Thanks so much for the pic - that is great! :) Unfortunately, timing was bad for me, so I was not able to make any of the Latin America gigs (was trying to get to Guadalajara, but just couldn't get away). So I really appreciate the pic! Also, I know Oz outside of Coldplay (we both collect original movie props), so I just dropped him an e-mail to inspire him to post some more pics here... ;) Jason

For me, two things always come to mind... One is a more technical explanation like some here have already said better than I could (about post production, mixing, etc.). The other is to consider a song as recorded on an album, and then comparing to how the same band plays the same song live. A great example has already been mentioned in this thread - comparing "The Hardest Part" on the X&Y album with the same song played live on LRLRL. There is a huge difference. Some bands sound exactly the same on their albums as they do live. As an example, one of my other favorite bands, The Pixies. They recorded their albums just as they would play live (at least as far as I can tell). Just very natural with the band members singing, playing acoustic and electric guitars, bass, and drums. Nothing else was generally added. I really love a lot of the songs on X&Y, but there are a few I don't like as much, but I could say the same thing about any Coldplay album. It is definitely a different sound from their other albums, and some of the songs are very similar to one another on the same album. As far as "overproduced" goes, you could probably say the same thing about a few of the tracks on Viva la Vida, like the title track. Obviously, you hear string instruments in the song, but there are not any such instruments on stage in the live show. I think X&Y just gets the label more because it is more "electronic" sounding with samples, rather than layers of sounds from physical instruments. Personally, I wish more bands would release alternate versions of their original studio albums, because I really love the more "live" sound of certain bands and performers. As an example, if you've ever listened to Dido's concert DVD, in my opinion it blows away the studio recordings found on her albums - I would love to have a version of that sans the audience and cheering. I would love it if someday Coldplay released some kind of box set with new, stripped down versions of all of their albums, recorded in a studio setting. Not that it would be better, just different. Jason

I thought I would bump this topic, since the last gig is tonight... Anyone receive any of their items since the last update? Any new pics? :) I was so thrilled to see the Viva guitar get a mention in this video in one of Roadie #42's blog posts: DIRECT VIDEO LINK Jason

Are tickets still available for this show? I tried Ticketmaster.com.mx and nothing was coming up... Are there any sites selling tix? Thanks, Jason

Brilliant! Jason

Congrats, Rick - that is beautiful!!! Jason

Carrie, that is so awesome! Congrats! I love the case - that is incredible! Jason

Love them! Their "live sound" was much better than what was recorded in the studio, IMO. :) Really underrated band, but I think Danny Elfman is doing okay regardless... ;) Jason

Usually when bands/performers do live CDs, they do them from a venue that they play twice - then they can mix and match the best bits from two performances. If you watch the "MTV World Stage" broadcast from the Tokyo, Saitama Super Arena concerts, you'll notice that Chris' jacket changes between performances, and that had two dates... Like with the Oingo Boingo "Farewell" DVD, that was from their last two performances at the same place (Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles). I had seen their very last show on Halloween '95, and when the DVD came out, I could tell which bits were from the show I saw and which were from the night before... In any event, I had the same thought - maybe if they are still looking to get footage for a live video, it would be from the two Mexico City shows in March. Jason

I noticed the same thing... I'd have to imagine they get cycled through the cleaners as they go along - being a rock star (I know they don't like that term :laugh3:) has got to be sweaty, stinky work... Jason

I would recommend really staying on top of DHL and being present at all costs (or even better, arrange to pick it up at their facility). I've received packages from the UK via DHL before and it was not a good experience. Two boxes were sent at the same time, and one got lost for about a week... when it finally was delivered, it came in an unmarked truck... very amateur hour. This was several years ago. I always look at it as trying to reduce the number of opportunities that something can get lost or damaged with these carriers, so tend to request that they be held at my local facility and I just go get it... Jason

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be feasible (which I completely understand) - just got word back today. I still may try to get down to one of the final gigs regardless to see the "VIVA" guitar in performance one last time... Jason

Great price - it is a really good book - lots of helpful information! Jason

Awesome - thanks for the info and all the pics. :) What a great piece! Jason

I just came across that too - very cool set, and awesome of the band to donate. Jason

Awesome - thanks for posting the photo, Sirhc. Very nice! By the way, you might want to pick up a book called "Saving Stuff" written by the conservator of the Smithsonian - lots of great tips in there that might be of help to winners of pieces from the auction. I did a little review of it here: LINK It's only $14 on Amazon... sabesie - congrats on receiving your Telecaster! I am curious about how it was shipped - did they box it up in the case, or just send it in it's case? Jason

Awesome photos! I love the drum! Talk is one of my favorite Coldplay songs and I love the video (Anton Corbijn is the man - he did all of Depeche Mode's best videos, and they are my other favorite band). That autoharp is outstanding. Life in Technicolor/II are some of my favs off the last album. Did it come in a case? Any chance of seeing a photo of it? Thanks for sharing. :) Jason

Oz, thanks for posting all those photos - fantastic! Love all the little "bonuses"... That guitar case is awesome! Congrats! Jason

Definitely sounds like a Kodak moment, Oz. ;)

:P