UK Rock Band to Embark on Ukrainian Charity Concert Tour
Carlisle-based rock band Hardwicke Circus is about to set off on its “Songs of Freedom” tour which, after playing several dates in the Czech Republic beginning on Sunday, will move to Ukraine. Touring alongside the Kharkiv-based band Okazia they will play concerts and carry out a series of music workshops with Ukrainian youths.
Their 4,000-kilometer (2,500-mile) journey through Ukraine will start in Lviv, western Ukraine, then move eastwards through Ternopil, Vinnytsia, Dnipro and to Kharkiv. The band also has plans to perform at a military base, where they will record a live album, before a final concert in Kyiv.
All proceeds from the concerts will go directly to Mission Ukraine, a joint UK-Ukrainian charity that delivers aid to war-torn parts of the country. Information on the charity and its activities can be found here.
Jonny Foster, lead vocalist for the band, said: “Music has always been about more than just entertainment, it’s about connection, courage and community.”
“It’s our conscience taking us there, our gesture of solidarity for peace and freedom. We believe in Ukraine, so on being offered this opportunity we decided to put our money where our mouth is.”
Asked if the band was worried about entering a war zone, the band’s drummer Tom Foster, Jonny’s brother, said: “Danger is one side of it, but I think the importance and significance of what we’re aiming to do outweighs the personal danger. We were presented with the opportunity, and we weren’t going to say no.”
They told the BBC Breakfast program on Saturday that they were undertaking the tour with their eyes open and are being supported by a security team with vast experience of safeguarding journalists and others in Ukraine and in other high-risk locations.
The band is being sponsored for the trip by leading Cumbrian accountants Armstrong Watson, whose CEO Paul Dickson told local news outlet Cumbia Crack that his firm “believes access to arts and culture can have a huge positive impact on communities.”
“Supporting Hardwicke Circus on this extraordinary tour is not just about backing local talent, it’s about amplifying voices that bring hope, resilience, and unity through music.”
“We are incredibly proud to help make this tour possible and to see a band from Carlisle take such a courageous and inspiring step on the international stage to raise funds for Mission Ukraine.”
After being introduced to the British band, Okazia helped set up the tour which they say underscores the unifying power of music in times of adversity, as well as highlighting the role of the arts in fostering cross-cultural solidarity and humanitarian support.
Hardwicke Circus, known for their socially conscious song lyrics, are no strangers to playing in unusual venues – in 2021 they played a 15-date tour of UK prisons.
Source: Kyiv Post