Heavensbee

Upload pictures of your shirt! I think all of us in the community would like to see it. Probably one of the best ways we can express ourselves as fans, and they're fun to make too! I swear, if Coldplay comes back on a second leg to North America, I'll be following them around in a Winnebago. Keeping my fingers crossed :fingersx: :lock:

I've been through this twice, and let me tell you, it is very VERY exciting. The first time was in Washington DC on July 9th, and I was with three friends in seats way up behind the stage (Verizon Center - section 424). We had no clue upgrades even existed so we didn't make shirts and didn't even get there extremely early. I think we got inside the arena around 6:30-6:40, bought some shirts at the merch table near our section, then chilled till the openers came on. After the first opener (Wolf Gang), I noticed a man dressed in black standing near the entrance to our section. I could tell he worked for Coldplay, but I was just thinking he was checking out the equipment from behind the stage to see if everything worked properly. A few minutes later he just walked up to us (we were seated in row H on the aisle) and started asking us how much we loved Coldplay, etc. Being overly ecstatic but still not knowing why this guy was up here, I started talking about how I saw Coldplay the day before from the floor seats that I had purchased, and I even got to touch Chris' hand at the B stage. One of my friends looked semi-disinterested at what was going on while my other two friends who live and breathe Coldplay were looking and acting really excited to be there. I guess he seemed turned off, because he said "I was going to give you front row seats but you don't seem like big fans" and my head just about blew off. He walked away, out into the concourse, and I knew we couldn't pass this moment up so my friend and I chased him down and pleaded for the upgrade. He said no again, so I said "here just take my two friends who are so so excited to be here, I saw it yesterday from the floor so I don't need to be down there again" and he finally gave in and took them down. Turns out his name is Brad and he's one of Coldplay's production managers. I've seen him in one of Roadie 42's pictures about all the pianos that showed up for the London show, and one of Oxfam's pictures from their blog. So right before Coldplay hit the C stage, my friends decided to switch tickets with us so that we could see the last few songs from the first row. Absolutely blew my mind! I noticed that a majority of the people around us were young girls, but a few guys here and there (me included!). So I don't think it matters if you are a guy or a girl, just as long as you have really bad seats, look very very excited, make a shirt or a poster, and get there really early. Fast forward to July 30th in Boston. The same friend who got the upgrade in DC is from the Boston area, and I just happened to be visiting him that week, so we decided what the heck let's go see Coldplay and try our luck at an upgrade! We bought seats in 322, which was once again behind the stage, and in the last row on the aisle. This time though, we wanted to prepare ourselves. Since we knew about the upgrades, what the roadies looked like, and generally how to get one, we were going all out for it. We bought black tshirts and fabric painting supplies at Michael's (may I recommend Glow-in-the-dark dimensional paints as well as the soft fabric paints) and made our own shirts. I found the Mylo Xyloto font online to make stencils with. It's called "EVERY TRUETYPE IS A WISEFONT" and even includes all the little symbols like the butterfly, spiral, and the radio transmission tower! So make stencils using the letters and symbols on cardstock paper, print them out, and have FUN! On the front of my shirt I wrote "HAPPY B-DAY WILL!" and on the back "WE'LL BE GLOWING IN THE DARK" with the glow in the dark paint (how fitting). You can see them here in a picture taken by Oxfam on their twitter: http://twitpic.com/ado0mb anyways, we got to TD Garden very early and were in line when the doors opened. Up we went from the train station into the area where they scanned tickets. Got my pink xyloband, and up we went again onto the main concourse level to find the escalators to the upper level. We were the first ones up there. Lo and behold, not 10 seconds after leaving that escalator, we plow directly into Brad and his roadie buddy Adam. They see our shirts, come up to us, and say "wow you guys must be huge Coldplay fans!!" Apparently they didn't recognize us AT ALL. They asked us when we bought our tickets, we told them July 12th, and Brad said "why so late?" We said we saw them in another city, and just had to go again so we bought tickets right after that show. Brad said, "which city?" We said DC. He said "wow, you traveled all the way up here. Where are your seats?" We told him upper level behind the stage. He said "come with me" and led us right out onto the 100 level seats right by the stage. He pointed down and said "if I gave you a choice, would you rather sit in the seats behind the stage, or wayyy down there by the stage in the front row?" WE LOST IT. The rest was a blur, I forget what we said to each other, but we exchanged tickets as they give the Oxfam volunteers our old tickets so they can watch the show. He said he'd stop by later to chat, which he did as promised when 99 Problems came on and the show was about to start. What an incredible, once in a lifetime experience! We never even made it to our original seats before being stopped! So to recap, here's some tips. - seats in the 300/400 (highest level) are absolutely required. they walk around and stop in some random section entrances to scope things out. if you get impatient, walk around up there. - buy bright colored or black tshirts from a dollar store/thrift store/heck even Michael's arts and crafts - get Tulip dimensional fabric paint from Michael's or JoAnn Fabrics to outline letters and symbols, and 'soft' paint to fill things in with color. They sell neon and glow in the dark colors, so be sure to get those. They REALLY stand out. - get cardstock paper to print the MX letters and symbols out on, using the "Every Truetype is a Wisefont" font (just google it and install it on your PC) - have fun making your shirts! personalize it any way you want but be bold and make sure it stands out! - make a poster with some song lyrics on it. be creative and unique! - get to the venue by 5:30 and get in line. you'll be noticed if you're the first ones in there. - bring a little portable speaker to plug into your iPod or smartphone to rock out with Coldplay while in line and while sitting in your seats. act excited, get pumped, because no matter where you end up sitting you'll have the greatest concert experience of your life, I promise. I did notice quite a few people around us on the floor in Boston didn't even make their own shirts, which kind of surprised me. But make your outfits creative and personalized. They will take notice, and I believe if you follow these tips, your chances at getting upgraded will go WAY up. HAVE A BLAST!!!!! :) :) :) Oh, and Brad, if you ever read this.. I think it's amazing how the band and the production team upgrades diehard fans. You made my life by doing that. Keep it up!!!

Lots of releases just came out behind the stage in Loge 17-18 and 323-324 for tomorrow's show in Boston!

Official sources (aka Coldplay.com) have encouraged the use of regular point and shoot cameras during this tour. So as long as you're not seen lugging a case of professional gear into the gate, you'll be fine!

There were a couple behind the stage for tonight's show in Boston at about 11am... surprised there haven't been more! Keep trying. I personally wouldn't buy tickets from Craigslist because of the high probability of getting scammed (especially with those printable tickets...)

wabbit you are unbelievable. Thank you so much for posting all of these amazing pictures. I actually feel like I'm there :)

This is REALLY bringing back memories. I still can't describe in words that speechless, stunned, hyper ecstatic feeling I had when we were upgraded in DC. I can't sit still tonight, I think I'm gonna watch the AMEX Unstage in Madrid concert again... AHHH YOU ALL ARE SO LUCKY GET READY FOR THE BEST NIGHT OF YOUR LIVES!

Check Ticketmaster frequently tomorrow. Another user on here reported grabbing a couple for tonight's ACC show.

Good things happen to good people :) you're gonna have the time of your life!

I was looking all morning too because I was just curious. Checked about every 20 minutes and NOTHING! Must be a huge show or they dropped them earlier than expected.

I'm just going on the 30th (sitting in 322 behind the stage) but now both shows are sold out for 2 seats together!! Watch out for my friend and I, we will be there when the gates open rocking out on a mini portable speaker with our homemade shirts on hoping for an upgrade... To anyone who still needs to get tickets, wait until the day before the show and start looking every 10-15 minutes on Ticketmaster. I can almost guarantee from experience they will release tickets, and very good ones at that. I saw two floor tickets show up for the 2nd DC show at 12AM the night before!

Ticketmaster always releases tickets the day before or the day of the show. This happens because Coldplay requests a block of tickets from the promotor (Live Nation) and returns their unfilled comp requests to the venue to be resold. I attended both shows at the Verizon Center, and the night before the 2nd show I saw Ticketmaster release 2 FLOOR seats in Section 4, Row Y (I checked at about 12AM). Just keep checking back and you will be surprised by what you find :) I know this because I work in ticketing and 99% of the time my box office will release band and venue holds the day of the show.

Glad I'm not the only one from DC traveling to Boston :) I'll see you there! Homemade shirts are in the works!

Yes sir. My friends and I were upgraded at the July 9th Verizon Center show from Section 424. Funny thing is, we weren't even acting overly excited, and instead just looking at our phones to try to find better seats in the arena somewhere when roadie Brad walked up to us. We were on the aisle about halfway up the section if that helps. It happened after Wolf Gang performed and just before Robyn came on so it didn't happen super early, but then again we were there at about 6:30 and I'm pretty sure he was scoping people out early on (but I had no idea who he was until I saw the MX credentials!). We didn't have custom shirts on but we were wearing shirts we just bought from the merchandise table outside. So I'll never know why he picked us, but I guess it was Coldplay fate, and those two DC shows were the best nights of my life :)

Looking for 2 tickets to the July 30th show in Boston!

I have one extra ticket to the Washington, DC show on Sunday July 8th (Verizon Center). It is located in Floor 3, Row U directly next to the center stage arm. My friend can no longer go, and I would hate to go solo so I'm looking to go with someone who loves Coldplay as much as me!! I'm just looking for face value, $107 + $3 facility fee + $20 live nation service fee. Thanks!!