The British band performed at the famous Spanish bull ring, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid on 26 October 2011. The performance was filmed by Anton Corbijn and streamed live on You Tube, where it was viewed by millions worldwide.
The band performed on a specially crafted circular 25m by 17m Stageco stage which was adjoined to an 'X' shaped catwalk to imitate the 'X' symbol from the new album - giving a special touch to the design.
Stageco also provided four single PA/Spot towers and a custom designed, transparent bandroof, which complimented the stunning backdrop of the venue and protected the artists from unpredictable weather conditions.
Stageco director Hedwig De Meyer started the 12 day project on 18 October and led a team of six supervisors working closely with client Live Nation Spain and their production manager, Wob Roberts. The entire production required five trucks load of Stageco equipment.
De Meyer comments, "We worked on Coldplay's tour in 2009, which has given us a mutual understanding as to what the set designers and producers want to achieve. This was a very interesting project for us. The location, Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas is normally a stadium where bullfights are held so has a sandy floor. This was an additional consideration as rain turned the surface into mud. However, our team worked tirelessly to ensure all load out deadlines were met."
(Jim Evans)
