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Parachuting off the Speed of SoundIn its effort to raise more funds, YMCA is bringing the Coldplay Tribute Band to Malta. Gail Banavage finds out more by Gail Banavage  | Recreating
Sound And Passion: Coldplace believe that it is not enough to just
simply play Coldplay's songs live, but to also transmit the powerful
feeling of the songs across to the audience.
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As well as being notorious as a TV producer, Jean-Paul Mifsud bestows
considerable time to one of his top priorities in life. As chairman of
the YMCA, he is constantly fighting all odds to bring in funds for the
centre and with the Coldplay tribute band, Coldplace, due to play at
Gianpula on Thursday, Malta holds its breath and welcomes a foreign
band to its shores.
YMCA has always been in the foreground associating itself with the
local music scene. In the 1980s, the centre used to organise numerous
amounts of gigs and most of today's local and established musicians
have been allied with the centre at some point or another in their
music career. Mr Mifsud has been connected to the YMCA since he was a
child. "In the 1980s, when I was still only six or seven, I used to
distribute fliers for the YMCA at Ta' Qali promoting gigs."
He claims rather coolly: "Throughout the years with the sudden death of
Valletta as a city, experienced in the 1990s, YMCA threw themselves
into organising a whole month of events, from film festivals to gigs at
City Gate. We always wanted to be in close contact with the scene but
most importantly giving people the space and opportunity to express
themselves".
Consequently, it also made sense for Ira Losco to be chosen as a
supporting act considering that one of her very first gigs took place
at the YMCA.
YMCA's number one priority at the moment is social work. Last year, the
centre cared and gave service to 1,283 individuals and this does not
include the 2,007 persons that benefited from the EU's food programme.
"Social work is incredibly important at the moment. We need more social
work for Dar Niki Cassar and for persons who drop into the centre for
all kinds of support. Every year, there's an increase of needs in
figures but currently the centre requires circa Lm106,000 a year," said
Mr Mifsud.
The concert itself though could not have gone through without the
several sponsors and promoters, who are all making this event possible,
offering their time and services for free.
And with over 500 tickets already sold, and many more expected to be
purchased next week, the band are nothing but excited about travelling
south to our country. The band, all-hailing from the UK's northeastern
town of Grimsby, will perform over 90 minutes of Coldplay's hits such
as Speed of Sound, The Scientist, Clocks and Yellow.
Singer Shane Crofts said that they try to recreate the sound of
Coldplay as much as they can. When asked about chucking it all in
someday and considering writing and contributing their own original
songs, Mr Crofts commented, "I would like to write my own songs one
day. That would be great. It must be the best feeling in the world to
hear a crowd sing a song written by yourself."
Although the band has never performed overseas or ever been to Malta,
they have described the prospect as "amazing and one of those
experiences in life that we will remember. We think it's really good
that people are getting involved in helping others in need of housing".
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