Concerts and world tours generate not only fan entertainment and artist revenue, but also huge climate emissions. We’re talking big trailers with equipment, worldwide flights and private drivers.

Therefore, Coldplay announced in 2019 that they would be suspending touring life completely until concerts could be performed in a climate-friendly manner.

The break wasn’t long, as now the band seems to have found a solution, drummer Will Champion said in an interview with NRK.

– We will carry a large portable battery that will supply power to the concert arena for our performances. In addition, we will use local solar panels, and install kinetic floor tiles. We have to make sure that everything with this tour is good for the environment.

Dancing pushes the big screen

Kinetic floor tiles capture the energy produced when people walk on them, or in this case dance, and turn it into electricity that can power everything from street lighting to Coldplay concert screens.

Read also: Coldplay review «Music of the Spheres» – «Cracked and directionless».

Real example

The British set strict standards for themselves. For a tour to be complete, it must be sustainable and as close to emission-free as possible.

– We really hope we can finish it the way we want. But it should be much more climate friendly than before. We’ve worked a lot with technology during the period we weren’t touring.

When asked by NRK if they feel a special responsibility in the climate struggle, as role models for thousands of fans, bassist Guy Berryman replied as follows:

– We take our responsibilities seriously, but we believe that the real role models are the younger generation. They have the strongest and clearest voice here and we completely agree with them. They are the ones who took over the world after us.

Travel around Europe by train

It’s not just Coldplay making conscious climate choices while touring.

Norwegian artist Moddi did the same. He had just returned from a European tour he had completed by train and bus.

– It’s about adapting to everyday life where you can’t fly all the time. It’s also very nice! I get a lot of time, I can read, write music, create accounts, sleep, all in one go.

Like the boys at Coldplay, Moddi knows the role of a role model.

– We artists and musicians are role models. We set the standard in many ways. People follow what we do, and I know that many people follow what I do.

But Moddi also understands that this style of tournament may not suit everyone.

– I am young, healthy and have no family to support. But I’m not going to be a bothersome bus and train missionary for 32 hours. But for me it fits perfectly.