Official Coldplay Tour 6.5/6.02 Red Rocks
June 10, 2003 07:26 PM
"Mountains come out of the sky...and they stand there"
I honestly don't think my words can do justice for we experienced at Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado. I can try.
Just keep in mind that when I throw this stuff down, it's usually days later - in the early hours of the morning - after I've done the following: 1.) brought 5 personal bags up to a hotel room, unpacked and hooked up all the modules, usb chords, power chords to my Apple, my
video camera, my phone charger, my wacom tablet and my zirconium laced, plutonium generator (PG-620), and logged on to AOL. (it takes a while to complete this phase)
On top of that, we've just driven through 3 states (Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York), eaten enough junk food at gas stations to filled the combined bellies of 6.5 midsized, gorilla-albino mountain goats...and, of course, our skulloidial tissues are being sucked dry of the necessary hydrolomes for our reason lobes to process data at 20,000 tetra-watts, which is 2.5 times faster than a sasquatch; in essence, it's drying up out brains; seriously, there is so little activity upstairs - I can barely hold my eyes open .... only free-radical randomizers are functioning at this hour. Creative perhaps....no content. I can't do content.
So...Red Rocks; legendary, historic; My digital clips will not cover the enormous, expansive, "God Bless America - the Land I Love" visage one beholds upon seeing it's splendor. And to get to play on the same stage where U2 recorded their live record....where Led Zeppelin and all the classics played.... you guys know - that's just...it's a sic opportunity. We're still on a rocky mountain high.....(Joe, not John's version)
So, onward through the verbal visage...you're driving through these beautiful, green mountains, right?...heading further off the beat and path...narrow, two land road rolling through the twists and turns.... finally you see the sign - "Red Rocks Amphitheatre"....you look up...and there's this massive outcrop of off-red boulders scattered, layered, piled high on top of each other....what happened here? a red rock meteor shower?...it's so cool.
There are these flanking diagonal crags forcing their way into the sky - high above base camp where man has erected edifice hewn from the same, off-red stones...creating a transcendental "one-with-nature" look; both form and function in concert.
The long grey-haired, pony tailed, Red Rocks, "official" tells us to wait for the van that's now loading in to come down before we head up. (no problem....we've got time) So, after 20 minutes or so, here comes Ron's rig down the hill; "ok, you can go on up". (are you getting the feel for these descriptors? "head up"...go on up".) He say's, "once you get to the plateau, just take a hard left and back her up the hill". (I'm thinking...ok, hill.....I can do this...who cares if there's an incline) I throw it in low, push the "Tow Haul Package" button on our dashboard and begin the ascent; she wants to climb this hill....all the power I need; I plateau, crank it left, throw it in reverse.... have JUST enough room to straighten her out, begin backing up and....hmm, I can't really see where to point the trailer....these guys are motioning me on back...one of them comes to the window and says, "it's very narrow so you're gonna have to really watch both sides and the road turns up and around the hill, so you're gonna have to follow her pretty close". Turns out, I'm having to back up our 40 ft. rig almost straight up around a winding narrow road with about 5 inches on each side of the wheel wells. The mountain is leaning over the road towards the van all the way up...
Anyway, I did it and gloated like a kid who hit a home run in front of his best friends. I felt euphoric. "Dad...you're awesome"...."you did it!!"
I'm way off-course....this has nothing to do with the band. i told you there was no content...just random processing. I have ram right now, but no storage.
uhhh....ok, we did the usual....unloaded, went to the dressing room, (looked at all the posters that line the halls of all the greats who've been there....Sherri and Stacy kissed the Radiohead poster....of, I guess that was Thom), then we headed to the top of mount crumpit; gosh, I hope I can find an image that makes you feel like we did at the 7,000 feet. Even with my aging, buff body, I had to try to look like I wasn't out of breath so nobody thought I was any less than a Triathelete. It was splendorous at the top. (a word?) And much later....there was that one mistake where I left my cell phone at the top and remembered it an hour later only to have friend Ben Pasley dash to the top to retrieve it as thick crowds began to pour in.
.....the place was jammed packed; by the time Eisley took the stage, there was just this sea of people; he sound check had gone well; everything was set....UNTIL, Suddenly from nowhere:
TO BE CONTINUED...
no, I'm just kidding, but....it's 3:00am here at the Niagara Falls and I can't think anymore. We're on the fast track here toward the end of this tour and I have to get up at 8:00am. I tried to look over this - proof it, but I'm sure it's laced with mistakes...I fel asleep 3 times and woke up typing
will post pics tomorrow or as soon as i can. nothing but jibberish and random phrases....sorry . goodnight.
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We're up early...and are going by Niagra Falls on our way out this morning.
Probably we'll do a bit of barrel surfing. Check in later....from Canada.
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We left Canada the same day (late) and headed back toward New York. At 3:30, we landed in a small town somewhere in New York about 5 hours from New Jersey where our hotel is. (total trip 10 hours) The kids have been doing a "Filter" magazine shoot outside; I'm forfeiting getting video of that event so I can bring to you a bit more of the tour before it's over. Our schedule hasn't given me any time to do what I've tried so hard to make happen. sorry. Here's the first of many pics covering Red Rocks.
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Well, it was over 1000 miles from San Diego to Denver if I remember
correctly...we're almost there.
The tunnel is a symbol of our journey....very literal since we had to
tunnel under the ground with a powerful robotic arm...
The tunnel offers safe passage. As it's creator, we control the outcome
of all entrances and exits. Here, we chose to enter the dangers of wet
mountain roads as we forge our way to Denver.
If you don't think it was a treacherous drive...take a look at the
signage. This is real. We didn't create this sign. Trouble in Grizzly
Creek. Guess what else, in Vale, the road had been closed due
to rain "washout". But they changed the rules for us. We drove
straight through.
We pulled into Denver. That's exactly what we did after we saw this.
I capture shots I like. It's that simple. I am in control of what we all see.
The night before, it was scarey...they didn't have a place to park our van...so, no
problem...walk down a scary alley to a semi-safe parkinglot.
This is the 14 year old in the band.
I had to back the trailer uphill around a mountain. It was hard.
Jon is a skinny man but carefully fits into the narrow space between
the van and the mountain.
It makes it look like the girls help us unload. They unload their make up
bag...but that's not really fair. They've busted their buns over the years
moving gear; and still do back home when we load in and out. Sherri
could probably lift a small horse. She's that good.
These are actually the grandparents of the eisley girls in 1948.
Striking resemblance to their grandparents shown at almost the same
exact place decades earlier.
Just walking around after arriving.
I didn't do a panarama...but this is the venue empty. I think it's important
to always show empty venues when possible.
here's a glance from the top. I have more...
I title this shot anvil revigne.
This is a shot of the wall in the catering room. wierd huh.
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We didn't go into the big city...plans got messed up. We're just staying in Jersy tonight and are about to find something to eat here. Friend, Eric Nicholson is trapped in Manhattan walking around by himself; we're trying
to find a way to get him here. Gotta go. bd
Official Coldplay Tour 6.3.03 San Diego
June 06, 2003 06:29 AM
6.3.03 Cox Arena
I'm taking a new approach to this project...you might have noticed. I can't wait until one entire "post" is completed and ready to upload..it's destroying my carmatic vibe. (root: carma) So, I'm going to stage it. Stage one will be to post a new topic (like this one) and start journaling. As time allows, I'll add graphics.
SAN DIEGO.
The drive from LA was easy; we arrived early afternoon at the venue, unloaded, found the dressing rooms, munched, went exploring, listened to Coldplay's sound check, pulled the gear out, set it up, misc. hanging around, sound check (went great), to catering for dinner (ate with Will of CP and Jeremy - long time friend of Will's), told Will Eisley was playing a new song on the set that night, showtime, loadout, signing, drive 7 hours to arrive in Vegas at 3:30am.
This was the second show that the band went out by the merch booth to sign and meet people. dang. They were baraged. There was this cool little cage they were in...and (did I already report this?) there was a nice venue/merch guy waving cd's up in the air inside the cage, "get you Eisley CD's! right here! Eisley CD's!! - like he was selling snake poison or something...it was awesome)
to be continued....leaving for lunch. (see? it's working; note. no spell check. sorry)
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Hi! just drove from red rocks to somewhere in Nebraska....Norfolk?
It's 5:15am and we check out of this Holiday Inn Express at 9:30 am to drive 12 hours tomorrow to Chicago. I can't add, but that's not much sleep.
I worked for about 3 hours on the road tonight...started sucking in footage from San Diego. I'm catching up! right?! Sure, I'm only 3 shows behind again! ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!! This weather....crazy....Red Rocks was insane...and the drive...rain, dark...so dark you can't see to eat a moon pie...and there are semi's flying past you...leaving you choking in clouds of angry water for 15 second block outs where you hold the wheel steady and hope you're somewhere on the road. The van lights won't go out and Weston is outside in the rain working on it....Kevin and Jon are asleep. Sherri's on aol in her room....I guess I'll go check on Wes. goodnight.
Sleep........zzzzzzzz
bd
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We drove all day in the rain - from whatever town that was in Nebraska to Chicago (12 hours I think) and now we're in some tall hotel downtown...we ate at The Rain Forest a block away, came back and I've been working on video screen shots for this post...still have video to suck in...I've got to get sleep. It's 3:30am...there's no rest in me. Work all day tomorrow here at the hotel. Thanks for being patient. bd
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Hey. Been out this morning at Starbucks across the street from the hotel
working - enjoying the weirdness of being in a strange, foreign city. bd
[img]hhttp://www.eisley.com/laughingcity/images/coldplaytour/coxarenav iew.jpg[/img]
ok. That would be the "venue".
ok. That would be my fascination with empty buildings.
Pictured here are San Diego flowers. (botanical name: purple boquette)
Sherri at Eisley's warm up in San Diego. The band get's to sound check at maybe 1/3 of
the venues. Line checks are standard. But Bryan makes them sound great no matter what.
They spend about 3 minutes doing this...seriously.
This is a nicer dressing room. Not very jock.
This shot makes the dressing room seem modern and very cool.
These are up at every show by the time we arrive. Someone is on the ball.
But massages are 1 buck per minute and....it would weird us out anyway.
getting a sound check....warming up the chords. She still has a cold.
Sherri smiling at a big scary dragon.
comment goes here. you make it up. I'm just trying to be consistent.
[img]hhttp://www.eisley.com/laughingcity/images/coldplaytour/stacysand iego3.jpg[/img]
Stacy is always hard to shoot when when the lights are on...she's lit from
the top, so it casts hard shadows on her face. We've tried moving her back
and that seems to be helping.
Since it's a profile, it works....but see how harsh the lighting is on her
nose? She should jump around in a leprochanic ballet like Chris Martin...
then it wouldn't matter...but that's not probably not gonna happen until
the next tour...when, of course, she'll loosen up like she did with the
Flaming Lips, right?
Sherri...stoic...looking to a higher power...and finding it.
out of order. these guys warm up first.
Jon...emerging...jon is a hunky lurch and pound for pount - one of the
nicest guys on planet earth...there is no other bass player for Eisley.
here, sherri is scene being blown up by Coldplay's demolition crew.
Stacy picked this on one of our outdoor adventures. It had a purpose.
Chauntelle rocks it out.
doihuww..woiuhwwww...wouwwww...errrr...wahrrrrnnn...derw..wauhhw!
rock/beauty/design merge. (it's not up yet...I couldn't resolve the ftp tonight)
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I have more San Diego shots...but I had to go out with the band and shoot stuff in the Chicago rain and them getting umbrellas....and stuff. Now my long time friend Aaron Arnett is coming from an hour outside the city to eat and hang out with us...we might go hang with the Brittish bloats....then again, we might create our own little social club somewhere else.
I HAVE to get Red Rocks up and finished so I can move on...but not without staying up all night. Hi Kim. I love you! boyd out
The B-side's official posting of our LA experience
June 04, 2003 01:45 AM
I have to be quick, but I'll hit the highlights.
Saturday evening at the Bowl was surreal. There is no way to describe that place. There were not tons of people in yet when EISLEY took the stage, but people still liked them.
It is really hard to impress an LA crowd. They see so much. But us Texans where whooping and hollerin after ever song, while the LA peeps were sipping on their champaign and looking like, "dahling...listen to that little band...they aren't so bad..."
Anyway, we didn't care. We acted like true TEXANS!!!
The sound wasn't that great for that show. They had STacy's vocal's too loud at times, and of all things...the mains went out on the finale song TREE TOPS! ugh!
Still, they sold lots of CD's and Gwyneth and Chris watch their show every night, and tell them how much they love their band.
That's surreal.
The next night we went to Dave Holmes wedding. (their managar from Nettwerk, as well as COLDPLAY'S manager).
Again, surreal. I turned to Chauntelle as we and the band EISLEY were sandwiched in between the COLDPLAY band and crew, and said, "what are we doing sitting at a wedding in LA where Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltow are sitting arm and arm two rows ahead of us?" We both just shook our heads and said we couldn't figure it out.
Weston told Gwyneth that his favorite movie of her's was Shallow Hal? I think that was the title. The one where she plays a fat person. Her and Chris cracked up laughing. They knew he was being sarcastic.
So, during the reception, we were graced by Chris Martin's father. He kept looking over at the girls all evening and finally made his way over to speak with us. He poured on the compliments, as well as tons of questions for me about how this all came about. He was such a distinquished man. As in the words of Sherri, "you felt like you had just met Prince Charles or something." Actually, Mr. Martin had more class than Prince Charles. But, you get the idea.
We also found out through COLDPLAY'S lighting guy, that this was one of the last few shows in the original HOLLYWOOD BOWL before the scrape it down to the ground and rebuild it. WOW! That freaked us out. What an amazing present from God that EISLEY was able to play in such an historic building before it was demolished.
Later, as we were leaving, we ran into Chris and Gwyneth. They stopped the band to speak to them. Chris shook my hand and introduced himself again, and Gywneth introduced herself. I had had other opportunities to meet her, but never wanted to bother her. They are both very nice.
She stepped over to speak to me about the kid's. She had tons of questions. She just absolutely loves their band.
Then, Chris asked the band, "are you having a good time?" And they all said yes, and I said, "we just want to thank you for this opportunity that you have given the band.We don't take it litely, and consider it a real blessing."
His humble reply, "I didn't have anything to do with it. 
"
I said, "no...you really did. It was because you liked their music that they are here."
Chris, "hell...I never said I liked their music...I just wanted someone younger than me on the tour since I'm getting old 
"
We all laughed and then left.
This is getting long, but I'll try to be brief...
The next night was Monday at the bowl.
This was wonderful. Their were lots more people in this time when they went on, and the sound was perfect. Gwyneth and some of her friends watched from out front, and she rocked out to every song. She is so enthusiastic about them and for them. It floors us all.
Later, as Chautelle was walking through the rows to find her seat to watch the COLDPLAY show, someone grabbed her and started telling her how much she loved their music.....that person was Sheryl Crow!
She gave Chauntelle her producer's card after chatting a bit, and then ran off to buy their CD! Crazy!
After their show, they went over to sign cd's and meet people
There were other cool things that happened, like seeing some of our friends from Texas there, and lots more, but I don't have the time, and I'm sure you are bored by now.
I have to run...no time to correct spelling errors.
Gotta go....oh, yeah...Christie got searched on the airport on the way home....those darn belt buckles from ebay 