Coldplay’s efforts to “go green” on tour had an impact on the design team, which had to pivot in how they put together a production. In this issue, we talk to the creatives about complying with the sustainability mantra on one of the most talked about tours, Music of the Spheres.
The idea of reducing one’s impact on the environment in a festival or on tour is not new. But Coldplay’s actions are taking it further and sending ripple effects across the industry. The Newport Folk Festival just recently did something similar to an element in Coldplay’s show. They set up a smaller stage powered by festival-goers on stationary bicycles, providing pedal power to supplement the solar panels that feed most of the power to this stage. Ironically, in 1965, Bob Dylan made history at this same site for “going electric” when he traded out his folk guitar for one that plugged in. It’s interesting how, decades later, power issues are a recurrent theme, but in a slightly different form.
Speaking of festivals… When Woodstock Co-Founder Michael Lang sadly passed away in January this year, I reached out to Lighting Designer Chip Monck about working with the legend. Woodstock stories were flying left and right, the personal photo album opened up and an article was born. Who doesn’t love a behind-the-scenes look at the festival that defined a generation? It’s fun to share his stories during its August anniversary month.
While the technology has certainly evolved from Woodstock in 1969 to Coldplay today, one thing weaves itself through time and binds it all together: The shared joy of music. Isn’t that at the heart of why we’re in this business? It is for me. Peace and music, everyone.
Debi Moen, Co-Editor of PLSN
