COLDPLAY’s Chris Martin and Jonny Buckland are set to return to Hackney Church next month for a winter show supporting both Crisis and War Child.
The performance highlights two causes the band has backed for years, drawing attention to the realities faced by people living through conflict and families experiencing homelessness. Instead of a general sale, fans can enter a charity prize draw for a chance to attend, with a limited number of pairs of tickets available.
The appearance follows Martin’s intimate set at the same venue last year, an evening that brought in more than £350,000 for Crisis. This new edition builds on that impact, with proceeds split between Crisis’s work helping people move out of homelessness and War Child’s programs, which focus on education, mental health support, and emergency aid for children affected by war.
Crisis and War Child Fundraiser Flyer
Rich Clarke, Head of Music at War Child UK, explains the connection behind this collaboration, “Coldplay has supported War Child since 2005 through donating music and playing shows. “This performance at Hackney Church felt like the perfect moment for the band to support both people facing homelessness in the UK and children whose lives have been torn apart by war.”
Clarke highlights how meaningful smaller, more intimate shows can be for both artists and fans, sharing, “These intimate gigs have a huge impact, especially for bands used to playing stadiums around the world.” He continues, “Fans get the rare chance to be close to their heroes, and sometimes Jonny and Chris even play requests. It creates a kind of magic that you cannot recreate in a stadium.”
The money raised goes straight into War Child’s frontline work, helping to “protect children, provide education, specialist mental health support, shelter, and more,” Clarke says. “It also supports our ongoing work standing up for their rights.”
On the connection between War Child and musicians, he says they’re often drawn to the charity for both emotional and creative reasons, explaining, “There is a heritage of incredible records and shows, which gives us credibility with artists. But the real pull is knowing that we are making a difference to children in desperate situations. Nearly one in five children globally is affected by conflict. War Child is reaching them and helping rebuild their childhoods, which inspires artists and their fans to support our work.”
As for other memorable charity gig moments, “In 2018, Arctic Monkeys played a special show for us at Royal Albert Hall that raised a huge amount,” Clarke says. “Two years later, they released a live album of that night and donated every penny to War Child. The music community came together in a remarkable way, and the project has raised nearly £1.5 million so far. That support has allowed us to reach more children and make an even bigger impact.”
As Martin and Buckland prepare to return to Hackney Church, the night highlights how music can be a powerful force for good in the lives of people in difficult circumstances. It gives Crisis and War Child vital support at a time when it is urgently needed.
by Felicity Carter