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Oxfam volunteer Chris Rose coordinated the Make Trade Fair campaign's presence on Coldplay's European tour this autumn. This page features the blog he wrote on his travels. (The jokes on this page may be unsuitable for those of a sophisticated disposition.)
I'm back in England now, after the triumphant finale of the (continental!) European leg of the tour at Antwerp. There are 6 more gigs, starting next Wednesday in London, so keep an eye on the blog for news of them. I would just like to say a few quick thank-yous! First, to all the in-country coordinators who did a brilliant job, and welcomed me to their cities. Second, to the band and crew for their continuing support for the Make Trade Fair campaign. And finally, and most importantly, to the hundreds of wonderful wonderful volunteer campaigners all over Europe. I have some great memories, and hopefully will see you all soon. And thanks to all of you for reading the blog and leaving your comments! posted at 11:24 AM
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...with an incredible 3692 sign-ups, is Antwerp! posted at 11:22 AM
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posted at 11:18 AM ...and boy did they take that chance and run with it. And then run some more. At some points during the night it was difficult to know whether this was a Coldplay gig or a Make Trade Fair rally, such was the fervour created by the wonderful team in Antwerp. posted at 10:39 AM After the show in Paris, we hot-footed it to Antwerp...yep, the same place it all started 6 weeks ago. We were returning to Belgium for the final concert of this leg of the tour, and it was a bit wierd to be back there. The memories came flooding back - it was the first concert that I was at, and I remember standing around like a bit of a wally with my mouth wide open! So you may have noticed that there has been a certain amount of competition between the volunteer campaigning teams in the different cities to collect the most sign-ups. And in Antwerp it was no different. Of course, the first Antwerp team were the inaguaral winners of the award (by default!), but slowly they were overtaken as the Coldplay Make Trade Fair bandwagon made its way around Europe. So returning to Antwerp gave the boys and girls at Oxfam in Belgium one final chance for glory... posted at 10:34 AM
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posted at 10:30 AM Another night, another awesome gig. And another great team. Agir Ici were on hand in Paris to campaign for Make Trade Fair. It was the last gig in France, and the band were really on form. And to make things better, there was a great reaction to our volunteer campaigners, who managed to get over 1200 new sign-ups to the Make Trade Fair petition. posted at 9:07 AM
Lyon I'm in Lyon now, ready for tonight's concert here. It's been snowing all weekend, although not quite as badly as in England apparently! posted at 9:29 AM
In San Sebastian, there was one big difference from the day before in Lisbon. It was bitterly cold, and it never stopped raining. Ah well, I suppose it's just getting me prepared for my imminent return to England next week. In San Sebastian, we were playing at an old velodrome. It still is a velodrome, but it's pretty old and so the crew were having a bit of a nightmare. I was lucky to be well out of their way, with our stall, for the first time, being situated outside at the front doors. Maybe not so lucky - it was freezing! But as I've now come to expect from a team of Intermon volunteers, no-one complained and the team got down to the job in hand. Spurred on by the competition for 'most sign-ups in Spain' against previous award-holders Barcelona and Madrid, my campaigners worked overtime to break the record. Midway through the evening the total stood at a very impressive 2,000. I'm still waiting for a final count-up, so watch this space. My evening was spent bringing hot drinks out to the volunteers who were manning the stand. Oh and one other thing - Gwyneth and Apple were at the concert tonight. No introduction as yet, but I'm pretty sure she smiled at me as I walked past (Apple that is, not Gwyneth!). posted at 9:28 AM For once we were not rushing straight off after the gig, so when I'd cleared everything up I was lucky enough to be taken out to sample Lisbon's nightlife by a few of the Oikos volunteers - Luca, Carla and Isabelle. I had a great night, despite the constant teasing I suffered at the hands of the two girls. I'm not sure what I did (well, apart from when I mistakenly got their names mixed up...sorry Carla!), but they were laying into me nonetheless! Probably fully deserved I'm sure. Luca kindly gave me a lift back to the hotel as the sun was just thinking about coming up for a new day. As soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out like a light. I must be getting old, these late nights are really taking their toll! As arranged the night before, I made my way over to the Oikos office on Thursday morning (well, Thursday lunchtime by the time I got up!) via the beautiful Castelo de Sao Jorge. (Sorry, no photos as your wally of a blogger left his camera at the hotel). I met up once again with Luca, who is completing an internship at Oikos, and Carla and Isabelle (volunteers in the office), as well as Joana and Luis, who both work on the campaigning and advocacy side. After a quick tour of their beautiful, if a little tumbledown, offices which have a stunning view across Lisbon (I don't think I'd ever get any work done with that outside the window!) we went out for a spot of lunch. It was a chance to compare and contrast the work of Oxfam and Oikos, and we had a very lively discussion on the role of development organisations. After lunch, I had to hot-foot it back across town just in time to jump on the bus for the mammoth overnight journey to San Sebastian in Spain. Once again though, I felt a tinge of sadness as we left Lisbon - I'd had a great time, thanks to the Oikos staff. I hope that one day I will be able to return all this wonderful hospitality which I have received on tour. Thank you Oikos! posted at 9:27 AM
We rolled onto Lisbon and as we got off the bus on Wednesday morning the first thing to notice...blazing sun and a warm breeze. And apparently it's snowing in England?! In Lisbon I was working with a Portuguese development organisation called Oikos, which is part of GCAP. And sure enough, at 5pm, Joana and her team were waiting outside the venue. Unfortunately I was at the other side setting up the stand, and my radio battery had run out, so it was a little while before I got the message to go outside and meet them - the first of an evening of delays! Once inside, we got fully prepared and after another of my (tedious) briefings, we were ready. Unfortunately, whoever designed the venue didn't have Oxfam campaigners in mind! It was a beautiful building (the same venue as had hosted the MTV Awards earlier in the tour, and resembling the upturned hull of some huge ship, all built out of beautiful wood) but access from the concourse (where our stand was) to the floor (where most of the punters were) was via a staff lift only. And the security team in Lisbon being like all other security teams I've witnessed on this tour, the only way my volunteers could use this lift was if I accommpanied them. Cue a frustrating evening of running back and forth from stand to floor delivering anything from more action cards, pens, temporary tattoos and bottles of water to whole sections of the volunteer team. It's never easy is it?! In spite of this, the evening went really well, and once again a 'non-Oxfam' country took me by surprise and produced a whole trolley-load of completed action cards... somewhere around the 1,850 mark! Amazing. posted at 9:26 AM
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By the end of the evening, we had collected a massive 2,300 signatures - a new record! Once again, Madrid had come up trumps, and as I said goodbye to the volunteers and began to pack up the stand, I knew I didn't want to leave this special city. I'd had an incredible time here, and it's somewhere that I hope I see again in the not to distant future. I have one person to thank especially for making my time in Madrid so much fun, and that is Intermon MTF campaigner Belen. She took care of me so well during my stay - muchos gracias Belen! posted at 9:20 AM
Team Madrid
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Once everyone had been introduced, the artists made their way into the room, where the press were waiting. It was just like I imagine film premieres are - suddenly a hundred flash bulbs went off and the photographers were shouting at the stars to look their way, or smile, or move a little this way or that. Everyone wanted Chris to do something different, so that in the end he hid behind one of the Oxfam Intermon displays to get away from it all! When the photographers were happy, things calmed down a bit - we all returned to our seats and Chris, Jonny, Eva and Amparo joined Paloma (Campaign Manager for Comercio con Justicia at Intermon) on the front row of seats. The rest of the artists sat behind them, all sporting Make Trade Fair T-shirts. Paloma began proceedings, speaking passionately about the campaign, the WTO Ministerial and the involvement of artists in the campaign. Paloma is incredible - everyone in the room was hanging on her every word. Obviously it was all in Spanish, so it wasn't always easy to know what was being said, but Paloma did a great job of translating for Chris and Jonny (and the few other English speakers in the room!). Chris then spoke about his own involvement, talking about his various trips with Oxfam to Ghana and Mexico amongst others. He said that he drew his motivation for the band's involvement with the campaign from meeting people in those countries face-to-face and learning of their plight. He said that he met one young man, a sugar farmer, who was exactly the same age as Chris, but simply because of where he was born he was struggling to survive. A journalist asked him how he felt when he met people on the trips. One word: "stupid". He also felt angry, that world trade should be so unfair. Jonny echoed Chris' words. The two of them spoke so well, and are obviously very knowledgable on this subject. But what really endeared them to the Spanish press was the jokes and laughs which they managed during the press conference. Chris, in his self-deprecating way, was particularly adept at making everyone in the room feel at ease, and had us all in hysterics at some points. More about Chris' trip to Ghana >> posted at 3:00 PM
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So, finally, let me tell you about the press conference in Madrid on Tuesday. Wow, what an afternoon it was! I made my way over to the hotel where the press conference was being held with my two red boxes in tow. The room at the hotel was a hive of activity, with loads of journalists, photographers and film crews buzzing about ready for the start of the press conference. A huge array of stars of the music world were already mingling in the lobby. Eva Amaral, of the Spanish group Amaral, was looking particularly glamourous. She is a huge star in Spain and Latin America, and is a great asset to the Make Trade Fair campaign here in Spain. Amparo Llanos, of the group Dover (another huge band in Spain), was also there, along with many others. And, of course, not forgetting our very own Chris and Jonny, who turned up looking very excited, and maybe a little bemused at all the attention they were receiving. The great thing about the Coldplay boys is that they are very unassuming, and really do seem genuinely surprised to receive such attention. posted at 2:16 PM
News just in from Oxfam HQ in Oxford, and it's amazing. The Make Trade Fair petition now stands at a whopping 11.6 million signatures! That's 11.6 million people around the world who support the MTF campaign. 11.6 million people who have stopped what they're doing for a few minutes, and signed the petition. 11.6 million people who think world trade is unfair. 11.6 million people who want change. Now. So come on Mandelson, Lamy et al. Take notice, and make next month's WTO Ministerial one to remember. The people demand it. posted at 2:08 PM
Palacio Real de Madrid
This is the royal palace in Madrid. It's very big, and very impressive. I took a wander round the city after spending the afternoon with Belen from Intermon Oxfam. She is a campaigner with the Make Trade Fair team in Madrid, and showed me round the offices and even took me out for a traditional Spanish lunch! Everyone at Intermon is very excited because they have just reached the landmark of 500,000 signatures in Spain for the Make Trade Fair petition. So today there is a big press conference with Coldplay and about 30 other Spanish artists/celebrities who have also been supporting the campaign. It is the first time I will have ever attended a press conference, so I'm really looking forward to it. More news later... posted at 1:27 PM
Here's the team in Barcelona
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No it's not, it's Oxfam green!
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Goldfrapp
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posted at 8:16 AM We have a new record for number of sign-ups at a gig... on Sunday evening the superb volunteers from Intermon Oxfam managed to get a whopping 2,026 people to join the Make Trade Fair petition. Excellent work Barca! Here's some photos from the concert. posted at 8:13 AM
Here's a treat for Coldplay fans. These are the band's microphones carefully
labelled ready for the show. I would make a joke about 'Chris 2' being
me, but since there's another Chris in the crew (the very groovy Chris
Wood, monitor technician to the stars) I'm actually Chris 3 on this tour.
Well, to be honest, I'm called anything but Chris on account of being
the youngest and newest member of the crew and therefore fair game for
the rest of the crew. So far, names of choice are 'Jumble', 'half pint'
and 'Oxo-boy', but soon I'm sure they'll call me Chris. Then tour will
be over! posted at 2:54 PM We were in Barcelona yesterday as well, but today we're at the venue preparing for tonight's concert at the Palau Sant Jordi, in the Olympic Park on Montjuic Hill. There's a great view of the city from up here - I'll post a few photos later. It's the biggest venue so far on this tour - 18,000 capacity! We've got a full compliment of 20 volunteers as well from Intermon Oxfam so I'm hoping for a good result tonight. A staggering half a million Spanish people have signed up to the Comercio con justicia campaign here in Spain - congratulations to Intermon! Plans are afoot for a special celebration of this...details to follow! posted at 1:25 PM
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I'm lying in my bunk on the bus after tonight's concert in Toulouse. I'm trying to get an early night so that when we get to Barcelona tomorrow morning I can get out and about and make the most of my first visit to Spain. We only had 8 volunteers tonight (which is an improvement on the 3 we had last night in Marseille...do the French not want a free ticket to see Coldplay in return for a bit of work?!). But they did a pretty good job - I was overworked at the (temporary) tattoo parlour though...by the way, does anyone know the French for "would you like a temporary tattoo to be just like Chris Martin and support the Make Trade Fair campaign, but don't worry the tattoo comes off in the shower?" because apparently I don't! Chris was in a great mood today - I didn't see any of the show tonight but by all accounts he was on top form. After the band finish their soundcheck in the afternoon, they quite often play a bit of table tennis backstage. It was battle of the bands today, as Chris took on Davide (who plays strings in Goldfrapp). The standard was high, honestly the ball was flying across the net (which had only this morning been repaired using Oxfam cable ties!). The result is pending, but as soon as it comes through on the videprinter I'll let you know! Pride is at stake. posted at 1:12 AM
In the home of spaghetti bolognese, we provided some food for thought for the audience. The Oxfam video played out as usual before Coldplay took to the stage, and in Bologna the reaction was a new record. The crowd reacted so positively to it, and were again clamouring to sign the petition. After the show, we got back on the bus and made the long journey to Marseille. posted at 1:12 PM
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The two concerts in Italy were probably most notable for the crowds. The passion and fervour which you expect from an Italian audience was there in abundance, and when Chris started to speak in Italian... well, it was almost too much! So first we were in Milan, at the Forum. Working with the wonderful Gianluca (an Oxfam volunteer ploughing his furrow in Italy), I had another great team of volunteers, and although they arrived a bit late having got stuck in traffic, they made up for it by working extra hard. It was an interesting experience working in Italy - there is definitely an 'Italian way' of working, and I've got a lot to learn before I could fit in! posted at 1:04 PM After a concert, the crew, along with a handful of local crew as well, clear the stage quicker than you can sing the chorus to Yellow. It's an incredible sight - there's 4 different groups of people working, in 4 different colour T-shirts, and by a miracle they all know what they're doing and get it done. Then after a quick shower, everyone's back on the buses and we roll onto the next city. From Zurich we were on our way across the mountains to Italy, and the shopper's delight known as Milan. Now, anyone who knows me knows that a shopping trip for me is not much more fun than watching paint dry. So the day off in Milan was spent walking round and looking at the beautiful buildings. OK, so it was a Sunday and most of the shops were closed, and anyway, I don't have any money to spend (all those expecting exotic Christmas presents from me should be prepared for the worst). But besides the various top label shops, I saw the incredible Duomo and the Teatro della Scala. posted at 1:01 PM
What really made Zurich a special night for me was getting to go into the after show party and have a chat with the band. Chris was very relaxed (the show had been a corker after all!) and we chatted about how things were going for both him and myself on this tour. I said that we'd been getting a great response to the campaign, and people were signing the petition in their thousands. He was really pleased to hear that, and not in a rock star kind of way, but because he is genuinely interested. He's only a few years older than I am, but he has the presence and aura of someone who's been around for years, but also the energy and vitality of a kid. You notice it as soon as you enter the room. He's clearly a man with a lot going on, and being constantly in demand must really take it out of him. But there is not a hint of pretentiousness or arrogance - a genuine star! I also had a really good chat with Jonny who is one of the nicest guys I've ever met. We were comparing notes on the various European cities that we'd visited. Unfortunately, he had a bit of a cold so I did most of the talking, and I think he was pleased when I had to go and clear up the stand! posted at 12:53 PM
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posted at 9:17 AM So last Saturday Coldplay entertained another sell-out arena, this time in beautiful Zurich. Oxfam Germany were on hand to arrange everything, and as usual it all ran smoothly. It was an amazing gig - a lot of people have said that it was the best so far. Not only were the band firing on all cylinders, but Switzerland were beating Turkey one-nil in their World Cup play-off game, which was being played simultaneously as the boys were on stage. Chris got the crowd very excited by providing them with a running commentary and score updates. As if by magic, for the finale, the Swiss managed to score one more, and Chris announced it before the final song. The crowd went wild. The volunteers once again worked very hard - particularly as half the crowd spoke German, half spoke French and the other half spoke Italian. Polyglot-tastic! I spent the entire concert by our stand outside the arena counting the action cards (and also watching the footy!) - the total before the end of the concert was a staggering 1,500 so I was over the moon. posted at 8:46 AM Sorry for the complete lack of blogging over the last few days - things have been a bit manic recently. I've finally got some time free tomorrow so expect all the news from the tour you could ever want. Until then, ciao from Bologna! posted at 4:17 PM
Up close and personal with CM In Mannheim, Chris ran into the crowd to sing the last chorus of In My Place stood on top of a flight case right in the middle of the arena. And with a stroke of luck, one of the Make Trade Fair banners that I'd put up happened to be right there. Don't believe me...? Here's the proof...
posted at 12:35 PM
...you've come to the wrong concert. Chris Martin may well be the next Bono, but it was definitely Coldplay who were performing!
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I couldn't get the computer to work yesterday so here's a quick update and a few photos from Thursday night's concert in Mannheim. The venue in Mannheim was more of a huge warehouse or cattle shed than a concert arena, and the crew had a few problems fitting all the lighting and rigging in under the low roof. There were no seats at all, so it was standing room only. The German crowd turned up in their droves though, and because of the intimacy of the venue the atmosphere was great. Chris really reacted well to the crowd, and his chat lit up the evening (along with the music of course!). Only at one point, when a crazy man at the front screamed out really loud during a quiet song, did Chris appear to get a bit annoyed. But it was all a bit of fun, and the crowd loved it. Nothing like a pantomine villain to get people cheering for the hero! Once again the magnificent people from Oxfam Germany did a cracking job on the campaigning side. We had a big space at the back of the hall, so everyone saw us. Add to that the 20 volunteers with Make Trade Fair emblazoned across their chests, and the campaign was everywhere to be seen! Not sure how many sign-ups we got in the end (poor Laura from Oxfam Germany has a big count-up job awaiting her!), but we were up to at least 900 before the encore so I'm expecting another 4-figure total! A big thank you to all the volunteers from Thursday night, and to Laura and Kai for being stars. Spare a thought for Laura, who had to travel from Berlin to Mannheim, Mannheim to Zurich (Oxfam Germany are here for tonight's concert too) and then Zurich all the way back to Berlin on Monday. posted at 11:46 AM
Love it My new favourite photo!
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...behind the stage.
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posted at 4:57 PM So we're in Germany again tonight, here in Leipzig. Goldfrapp, the support band on this tour, are storming through their set as I type. Ooh la la. Another crack team of campaigners are busy collecting sign ups for the Make Trade Fair petition. Here are a few photos of them in action. posted at 7:21 PM
If you do one thing today... ...actually, make that two things. First off, sign the Make Trade Fair petition please! And second, buy the new Warchild album from the Oxfam Music download website here. Help A Day In The Life comes 10 years after the first War Child collection. War Child invited the best British artists to contribute brand new tracks to a unique on and off-line music project. The bands involved include Radiohead, Razorlight, Gorillaz, Keane and Faultline, Kaiser Chiefs, Magic Numbers, Manic Street Preachers, Zutons, Bloc Party, Antony and the Johnsons, The Coral, Damien Rice, Elbow, Maximo Park, Mylo, Hard-Fi, Emmanuel Jal, Tinariwen, Go! Team, Belle & Sebastian. And of course Coldplay! The album is a corker. Each band has recorded a brand new track - no remixes, no b-sides, no 'versions' - for the project, and did so in 24 hours bridging the 8th and 9th September. I can't get to sleep, so I'm listening to the album right now, and take it from me it's great. A beautiful collection of brilliant songs from the wealth of talent that the British music scene is boasting at the moment. So buy it! Now. A quick hello to my little sister, who told me how great the War Child album is. Nice one Pipster. Big up the Leicester crew - see you in London! posted at 12:57 AM
Just to let you know that after a long count up (with Coldplay providing the accompanying soundtrack!) the awesome total of sign-ups from Monday night in Stockholm stands at an impressive 1,907. Good stuff! Apparently that's more than we got in Norway, a fact which the Swedish volunteers were quick to point out. A bit of healthy competition never hurts! So a huge thank you to everyone from Kooperation Utan Gränser at the Rättviseakademin, a development charity like Oxfam, who are also part of the Utrota Fattigdomen Nu coalition (the Swedish MAKEPOVERTYHISTORY campaign), especially Ania who, despite looking stressed all evening was in total control and did a great job. Thanks! P.S. Happy Birthday Carrie! Hope you make it down from Everest Base Camp.x posted at 6:33 PM
Just a quick one about the video that we've been showing before Coldplay come on. Again last night, the atmosphere was incredible as the video played out. Suddenly, a loud click reverberates around the arena, everyone looks at the screen, and for the next few minutes the whole crowd is transfixed. The reaction to the video has just been getting better and better, culminating in last night in Stockholm. I really wish you could all be here at the concert to see and hear the reaction - it sends shivers up my spine everytime. It's funny really - I've seen the video so many times during the editing stage, that I know it inside out but I still get nervous when that first click sounds. I want so much for the crowd to appreciate it, and for the video to mean something to them. Like any good thing, it delivers everytime, and seems to get better with age! The best part of the whole thing is straight after the video, instead of having to ask people to sign the petition, hundreds of people come up to our volunteers demanding an action card. It's amazing. It's a hugely humbling experience to be able to be a part of all this. To see volunteers so enthusiastic, the public so excited, and everyone so keen to sign the petition is brilliant. Good on you Sweden! posted at 5:24 PM
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Just had enough time for the catalogue pose on Strombon (the bridge over to Parliament island). Please note, popular to contrary opinion (Mum!) I don't always wear T-shirts with Oxfam written on them. And don't be fooled by the rolled-up sleeves - it was freezing! posted at 1:18 PM
Last night was another cracker. We're on a mammoth bus journey now though, from Stockholm to Leipzig in Germany. Ian, our bus driver, is doing a great job. He's been driving bands around Europe for ages, so he's got some great stories. I'll put up a few photos in a bit, and tell you all about last night in Stockholm, but first a quick blog that I tried to put up yesterday (there were some technical problems). posted at 1:03 PM
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Hi everyone, After a few days break back in the UK while Coldplay were off winning awards at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon (good on you boys!), I'm on the road again. We're in Stockholm, Sweden, for tonight's concert at The Globe - apparently a venue which resembles a golf ball. Can't wait to get there! I arrived late last night from England, so didn't get a chance to see any of the city, but I'm just about to go for a quick explore of Stockholm before I'm needed at the venue. In fact, I'll leave it there and get back to you in a few hours, hopefully with a couple of photos! posted at 8:45 AM
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Back home I'm back in the office in Oxford for a few days while the band are in Lisbon for the MTV Europe Music Awards. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to write anything yesterday - it was a bit of a manic day. I'll try to bring things up to date now, and put up some photos from what was an incredible night on Monday. So we were in Oslo (capital of Norway) for the concert on Monday. We worked with the Max Havelaar Organisation who provided a team of expert campaigners, and we had a really good time. The Norwegian crowd were very enthusiastic and keen to sign the Make Trade Fair petition - we got nearly 1,000 sign-ups within the first hour - amazing! A huge thank-you to the whole team, especially Bjorn and Bodil from Max Havelaar who showed me the highlights of Oslo! I had a wonderful time in Norway, and the 1,700 sign-ups for the petition meant I had the biggest smile in all of Scandinavia on Monday night! posted at 12:27 PM
Oslo, Copenhagen We're now in Oslo (capital of Norway). Unfortunately, it's a drizzly, overcast day but at least it's preparing me for my return to England (I'm home for a few days while the tour takes a break for another award show, this time it's the MTV Europe Music Awards in Lisbon). Again we're working with the Max Havelaar Norway organisation, because there is no Oxfam presence in Scandinavia. This obviously makes the campaigning a little more difficult, because we are having to explain what Oxfam is, what the campaign is all about, and how Make Trade Fair connects to Fair Trade products that can be seen in the shops here. But 'don't panic', the campaigners are great so it's no problem! posted at 2:41 PM
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OK, last 2 photos from Copenhagen. And they're a bit special. A metre from the door of the production office (where I work) was a little place to see straight through to the back of the stage and the whole crowd. I took these two photos, but couldn't use the flash so I apologise if they're not great quality. But enjoy... posted at 1:56 PM
I managed to get up to the balcony at the back of the arena to take this photo of the crowd waiting expectantly for the triumphant arrival of Coldplay. The Danish crowd were awesome, and Chris repeatedly told them that, so the atmosphere just got better and better. The band were feeding off the crowd, and vice versa. The clapping, cheering and general woop-wooping at the end of the encore went on for ages! posted at 1:49 PM
Yep, those are portaloos. After a summer of festivals I'd hoped I'd seen my last portaloo, but at the back of the hall last night, behind a wall, was a whole row of them. And of course, wherever there's a queue, there's a campaigner. posted at 1:40 PM
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All appearing on a pre-concert film near you! Last night, the 'click' video was played before Coldplay came on. As soon as Brad Pitt appeared on screen, the crowd went wild. By the end, there was a hushed silence as the text on the film made people stop and think. At the end, a spontaneous round of applause broke out, and the number of sign-ups doubled in five minutes! It was a really nice moment. Here's a couple of photos of the video - sorry they're not very good, but I think you can just make them out. posted at 12:25 PM
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Er, who put that there?
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posted at 12:38 AM Wow! Possibly one of the best nights of my life. Tonight everything just clicked. Once again the team of volunteer campaigners were spot on. The crowd in Copenhagen were really up for it. I know it's a cliche, but you could feel the electricity in the air. The boys came on, and gave a performance worthy of last night's Best Band in the World Award. It was just amazing - I'm still on cloud nine. And the best bit of the evening - the Oxfam video was shown just after Goldfrapp came off stage, and at the end there was a spontaneous round of applause that sent shivers up my spine. I love the Danes! I'm on the bus now - there's not even a chance I'm getting to sleep anytime soon. We're on our way overnight to Oslo - as soon as we arrive the crew will start setting up for the concert that night. It's my first back-to-back gig experience! I'll try to put up some photos now, then I'll write some more tomorrow. Everything feels so special tonight - I wish you could all be here too! Thank you Coldplay! posted at 12:25 AM
Hi, I queue to support MTF
These people were in the queue when we arrived at the venue first thing this morning - now that's dedication. A quick photo shoot for the campaign didn't do any harm! posted at 8:36 PM
This is the view from behind the stage here at The Forum in Copenhagen. It's a 10,000 capacity venue, with the majority of those standing. There's a balcony at the back (you can see the multi-coloured seats) and the same along the sides. It's a cool venue - last night it hosted the Nordic Music Awards, so it's been a crazy rush today to get everything out ready for the Coldplay crew to start building the stage. As usual, they're going about it with minimum fuss and maximum calm. Some of these guys have great jobs. Hoppy, real name Craig, (who you can just see in the photo) is in charge of the guitars, and has apparently been with Coldplay since the beginning. I'll try to catch up with him sometime for a few comments for the blog. posted at 2:17 PM
posted at 9:53 AM
posted at 9:43 AM
Just a quick note about the concert on Friday night in Oberhausen. The team from Oxfam Deutschland worked so hard, and we all had a great evening. I'm not sure how many people signed the petition, but as soon as I know I'll pass it on. So a big thank you to the whole team, and especially to Paul and Jana, who put up with my terrible attempts at speaking German so graciously. There are two more concerts in Germany, and one in German-speaking Switzerland, so bedtime reading for me for the next week is a German dictionary. Thanks again everyone, and auf wiedersehen! posted at 9:27 AM
posted at 9:21 AM
Quick geography lesson there - I know some of you love your capital cities. So we're in Copenhagen, for tonight's concert at The Forum. I've never been to Denmark before so it's really exciting for me. Copenhagen is a beautiful city - this is a photo from my room looking out over the city, particularly the stunning Tivoli Gardens. posted at 9:11 AM Yesterday was a day off for some of us. But for the band there's no such thing as a day off. They were performing at the Nordic Music Awards 2005, which were held in Copenhagen last night at The Forum (the venue for tonight's concert as well), alongside Robbie Williams, The Cardigans (everyone's favourite Scandinavian band) and Pharrell Williams. Coldplay also won an award - Best International Group - and they looked over-the-moon to accept the gong. (Eminem won Best International Male, beating off stiff competition in the form of Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen and Mark Knopfler!) They played 'Fix You', and if tonight's audience is anything like last night's, we're in for a treat! Chris ended up lying on the floor in the crowd for the last few lines of the song, but managed to scramble back onto the stage to hear the unbelievable roar from the crowd as the song finished. Robbie Williams performed as well, with his new song 'Trippin'. During the chorus, he ad-libbed and sang the chorus to Coldplay's 'Yellow'. It was a magical moment. posted at 9:00 AM
Loads of sign-ups!
posted at 2:07 PM
I'm really grateful to Paul and Jana from Oxfam Deutschland - they travelled for over 6 hours from Berlin to come to the concert last night! But get this. These are Paola, Jeanine and Paloma, who came all the way from Bolivia to see Coldplay (and to sign the Make Trade Fair petition). Well, OK, they're studying here for 6 months. Great to meet them though. I managed to catch them after the concert too - if their big smiles were anything to go by, they enjoyed the concert! So that sets the standard - any more well-travelled Coldplay fans out there? Are you coming to a concert? Make sure you visit the Oxfam Make Trade Fair stall. posted at 12:49 PM
 Here's the Oxfam Deutschland team just before the doors opened. They were all so enthusiastic, and as I walked round the venue it felt like we had 200 volunteers, not 20! Everywhere you looked there was a Make Trade Fair T-shirt. Paul (on the far left of the picture) is the Director of Oxfam Deutschland, and it was a real pleasure to meet him. The whole team in fact were so welcoming and friendly, and I had a great time - thank you Oxfam Deutschland! I'm really starting to feel part of the Oxfam International family - it's so humbling to meet so many people who are working tirelessly for Oxfam's aim, to work together to overcome poverty and suffering. posted at 12:29 PM Velkommen hen til danmark Hi everyone. We've made the long journey to Denmark for tomorrow night's concert in Copenhagen. The sun's out and from my room the city looks great - I can't wait to go out and explore! But first, here's the news and pictures from another successful night, this time in Germany. posted at 12:01 PM
I took this photo of the show poster, got it onto the computer and then realised that your incompetent blogger hadn't worked out that glass is reflective. posted at 8:41 PM Getting ready
We're at the Koenig-Pilsener-Arena in Oberhausen for tonight's concert. The crew are steadily getting everything ready for the show. Everyone has a particular job to do - lighting, sound, backline, video...the list goes on. But everyone pulls together and it all goes so smoothly. It's incredible to watch, and I'm left in awe that the cables all go where they're meant to, everything is in the right place, and no-one gets cross! What a team! posted at 1:23 PM It's simple...
This isn't rocket science. If enough people sign the petition, then the politicians take notice. If the politicians take notice, we can Make Trade Fair. If we Make Trade Fair, the lives of poor communities could be transformed in a way never seen before. It takes less than a minute to join the petition. With your support, we can make this the biggest petition ever. Make Trade Fair here. P.S. The photo is a close-up of one of the Make Trade Fair T-shirts, which our volunteers wear (and which a certain Chris Martin has been known to wear). We're getting so many people asking where to buy them from. Click here to buy online. posted at 12:02 PM Guten Morgen. Morning everyone. I've just arrived at the venue here in Oberhausen in Germany. Most of the crew have been here since 6:30am (!) and the stage is really taking shape. I'll get some photos of the set-up soon. We're working with Oxfam Germany today. Oxfam Germany are the youngest member of the Oxfamily, having been set up in 1995. They do canpaigning work, as well as managing the 20 Oxfam shops here in Germany. I'm really looking forward to meeting the team later. Chris posted at 11:31 AM
News just in... Great news from last night: 1,502 people signed the Make Trade Fair petition. So well done to the magnificent team last night in Antwerp! Add that to the 8 and a half million sign-ups from around the world already and it makes for a pretty powerful expression to the world leaders at December's WTO Ministerial Summit in Hong Kong. It just shows that people have had enough of the unfair trade rules and double standards that lie behind world trade, and they want something done about it. It's a crucial few months ahead - make sure you're part of it and sign the petition here. posted at 4:17 PM
And finally, a picture of the amazing Tom Remans, from Oxfam Fair Trade in Belgium, telling some girls about Make Trade Fair (they signed the petition straight after the photo was taken). Tom helped organise things in Antwerp and was a complete star. Special thanks also to Karin, and to the whole crew - you were brilliant! See you on November 30th! posted at 2:12 PM
...of campaigners! Great work. posted at 2:05 PM
This is the inside of the venue in Antwerp before the concert started. The seats were all filled, and the standing area which you can see was absolutely packed! When 15,000 people sang along to a Coldplay classic it sent shivers down my spine. Amazing! posted at 1:59 PM We left Antwerp at about 5am this morning, still buzzing from the first concert of this tour. It was an incredible night - Coldplay were superb. It was so exciting to be there to see some of the concert, and to meet so many fans. The Belgian crowd were really interested in the Make Trade Fair campaign too - Tom and his team from Oxfam in Belgium worked so hard before the concert, talking to people about the campaign and getting sign-ups for the petition. The signatures are being counted right now, so as soon as I know the total I'll put it up on the blog. I'll also put up a few more photos from last night - don't worry, it's no 'trouble' (sorry). Chris posted at 1:02 PM
My favourite piano in the world! I managed to get this photo just minutes before the band went on stage. They're playing right now as I blog...I can hear them and they sound incredible. Woo hoo! posted at 8:36 PM
Here's the team getting briefed on the Make Trade Fair campaign, ready to take it to the masses! We'll be asking people to join the Make Trade Fair petition - you can do it here. There are 3 Oxfams in Belgium (it's not a little confusing!). Oxfam Wereldwinkels ("world shops") are the Oxfam shops here, except they don't sell second-hand clothes. They sell a whole range of Fair Trade products (under the 'Oxfam Fair Trade' mark). There are 200 shops, 7,000 volunteers and 160 different Fair Trade food products. Last year, there was a turnover of 16 million Euros. Then there's Oxfam Solidarite which does campaigning and advocacy work. See, this blog is informative - you learn something new everyday! There'll be a test on Oxfam in Belgium tomorrow - answers on a postcard. posted at 7:10 PM
Team Belgium!
Oxfam in Belgium has come up trumps! Look at the beautiful people next to the stand we've got here at the Sportspalais in Antwerp. The Oxfam stand is in a great location, right next to the front doors, so everyone's going to see us - I'm over the moon! The doors open any minute now, so I've got to get out there and try to speak some Flemish, but just had time to put a quick blog. The team is really excited - Coldplay are really popular here...the tickets sold out in 20 minutes! And we're hoping to get loads and loads of sign-ups. Tom, who's the Oxfam Belgium coordinator, is setting some very ambitious targets - I'm hoping the team live up to them. I'll take some more photos during the evening - keep an eye out for them. posted at 5:35 PM It's really sunny outside, I'm hoping it will be the same in Antwerp. Nearly there! posted at 1:00 PM
At the concerts... Actually, just time for one more blog from the office to tell you what we're doing at the concerts. It's absolutely brilliant that Coldplay give us the opportunity to raise awareness of the Make Trade Fair campaign on their tours. You can read the journal written by Najat who coordinated the Oxfam presence on the US tour here. At each concert, we have a team of volunteers who talk to the crowd about the issues behind the Make Trade Fair campaign. Wearing their Make Trade Fair T-shirts, they give the campaign a high visibility which is great. We also have a stall with information leaflets and temporary tattoos to reproduce that genuine Chris Martin 'equals-sign-on-the-hand' look. We'll be taking some awesome photos of everything that's going on at the concert too to give you a behind-the-scenes flavour! Watch this space...! posted at 4:41 PM
Just thought I'd let you know the tour schedule before I go. I'm off to Antwerp tomorrow early morning, so it'll be blogging en route from now on! 26th Oct: Antwerp
posted at 4:32 PM
2 days to go
Welcome to this blog! Coldplay have kindly agreed to allow us to take the Make Trade Fair campaign on the road with them on the European leg of their sell-out Twisted Logic tour. I'll be keeping you up to date with all the news and photos from around Europe. I'm currently just doing the final preparations in the office - I'm off on Wednesday to Antwerp for the first concert. I'm a huge Coldplay fan. I saw them at Glastonbury this year, and can't wait to see them in concert again. I'm really excited too about campaigning to Make Trade Fair - it's such a crucial time with the World Trade Organisation Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December approaching fast. Only 2 days to go before I leave - there's been loads to do, and it's only just begun! Hope you like the photo - it's me 'In My Place' at work... He he. Speak soon, Chris. posted at 4:10 PM
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That's
the view from my window on the train as we came out of the Channel Tunnel
in France. I've never been on the Eurostar before...another first for
me!
