#coldplay fans

Seven weeks ago I stepped off the plane in New York, ready to embark on an American adventure on Coldplay’s A Head Full of Dreams tour. Since then I’ve travelled with Coldplay’s crew to 19 cities in 16 states for a grand total of 23 Coldplay shows(!), campaigning alongside hundreds of inspiring Oxfam volunteers to bring the Stand As One campaign to thousands of Coldplay fans.

It’s been a whirlwind adventure in which I’ve learnt a lot about life in the USA. I’ve mastered American English (it took a while, but I now say ‘elevator’ instead of ‘lift’, ‘cilantro’ instead of ‘coriander’), found a special place in my heart for American snacks (did someone say Nutter Butter?) and seen how much diverse, natural beauty this country’s landscape has to offer.

I’ve also learnt how friendly American Coldplay fans are, and have been overwhelmed by the support they’ve shown for refugees by standing as one with us at Coldplay’s shows. From the first concert in New York to the final show in San Francisco, an amazing 8,086 Coldplay fans have showed their solidarity with refugees by signing our petition to ask world leaders to work together to solve the refugee crisis, bringing our total number of signatures on the A Head Full of Dreams tour to 22,903!

Now, as I board my flight home to London, I’m sad to leave the USA - but I’m sure I’ll be back soon. There have been so many incredible moments on tour in the states; Michael J. Fox rocking Johnny Be Goode with the band in New York, Chris Martin inviting fans on stage to propose in Las Vegas, James Corden singing Nothing Compares 2 U with the band in LA - to name just a few! - and I have memories that will stay with me forever. America, you’ve been a blast. Thank you for seven incredible weeks!

As all you Coldplayers may know, Coldplay’s worldwide tour begins tomorrow and I am happy to announce that I luckily got tickets for June 4th 2016. I wish I could explain the relief I got when I finally bargained the tickets before release day, I was ecstatic to think that I was going to see the band that I have loved or 3-5 years now. Like any music fanatic going to see their favourite band, this is a big deal for me especially as I have never experienced one of their concerts before. So, I want to mentally prepare myself for what is yet to come in 10 simple tips.

1. I think this rule applies to every single concert I go to but especially this one.DO NOT under ANY circumstance care about what anybody else thinks around you or even about the struggles of life outside of this night. Ignore the sly comments about how they cannot see through your giraffe legs and do not be afraid to push to the front, you know that view will be worth every second.

2. Remember to eat and drink before you turn up, I know your stomach will be churning with excitement but the last thing you want to do is faint as soon as Chris Martin and the gang run onto stage blasting ‘A Head Full Of Dreams.’ However, don’t drink so much that your bladder can no longer hold in, you don’t want to lose your spot.

3. Don’t be so bothered about recording everything in the moment. Just enjoy it without technology and remember the atmosphere around you even if you don’t get many videos. Maybe just capture the parts you especially want to remember. For example, Fix You.

4. Talking of Fix You, don’t even think about Coldplay singing Fix You because you know its going to be difficult to survive this mental breakdown in a swarm of people. In fact, when they start playing it, don’t even bother listening unless you want your soul purged out of your remains forever… maybe I exaggerated here.

5. Don’t even care about looking good because you know in a few hours, makeup will have been destroyed by your emotional tears because you know the flood gates are opening as soon as the band come on stage. This also includes doing anything fancy with the hair because the anticipation sweat will let loose and frizz ball here we come.

6. Do not even think about losing your mother in the hope of getting to the front. Yes, she may be more experienced than you but that doesn’t mean you’re going to be tempted to run all the way to the stage as soon Chris Martin starts to do his silly dances. Just stay calm and collect.

7. Also, speaking of calm and collect, try not to freak out as much and end up in a heap on the floor. I know that part is going to be difficult but the last thing you want to be doing is waking up in a hospital bed with a nagging mother rather than rocking out with Guy Berryman on his bass guitar.

8. Even if you desperately need the toilet, hold that bitch in because its just not the time! Unless you want to lose your spot, end up at the back and cry in a hole for the rest of your life. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll just forget the fact that you really need a wee when you are intertwined with the music.

9. Try to realise that this is real and not a dream, don’t bother pinching yourself. Just enjoy every single moment as it happens and don’t let anything go out of focus. On that night, nothing else matters.

10. Try not to think of the concert until the actual day else you will toss and turn in your bed, unable to sleep. You will also fail any possible exam and become doomed for life. Maybe, I exaggerate here too.

Hello Guys! I’ve been on Tumblr since 29th June 2011, with the amazing username “arushofcoldplaytothehead”. Since the beggining that I fell in love with another username that, at the time, was taken: “iheartcoldplay”. 

Today, I reached over 6000 followers, which is an incredible number and I’m so grateful to all of you who like my blog, who follow me, who share this passion with me. And today, is also the day that I realized that my desired username was finally available.

From now on, I’m iheartcoldplay, but in a part of my heart I will always be arushofcoldplaytothehead - because that was the moment when everything started, when I joined this amazing community.