'Playing in a war zone isn't for most people': the British band braving drone strikes and pneumonia to tour Ukraine

[cbabe]

Last edited Fri Jan 2, 2026, 12:46 PM - Edit history (1)

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jan/02/hardwicke-circus-interview-cumbria-rock-band-touring-ukraine

‘Playing in a war zone isn’t for most people’: the British band braving drone strikes and pneumonia to tour Ukraine

By Garth Cartwright

How did an Aussie, a Texan, an Irishman and three Cumbrians find themselves on the road on the Ukrainian frontline? For classic rock collective Hardwicke Circus, it was a no-brainer: ‘We thought they’d like to hear some rock’n’roll’

Fri 2 Jan 2026 08.00 EST

It is late October and, 10 kilometres from the frontline in Donetsk, east Ukraine, the inhabitants of a reconditioned ambulance are completely lost. While opening your phone and logging on to a maps app might appear the obvious solution, this would be extremely unwise here: Russian drones are overhead and hunting for any signals.

Inside the van are a motley crew: an 81-year-old Irish music industry veteran; a 72-year-old Texas rocker; an Australian keyboardist; a Ukrainian saxophonist; and three twenty-something musicians from Carlisle, Cumbria. Their destination is a military base where they are to perform for Ukrainian troops.

Dave Robinson, the Irishman, likens the wayward nature of the tour to when he was managing Jimi Hendrix in 1968. Joe “King” Carrasco, the ebullient Texan, compares it to “playing for the Sandinistas in Nicaragua when they were fighting the Contras”. For the younger, less experienced inhabitants of the ambulance, though, it is a mighty long way from Carlisle and Melbourne to this bleak, chilly no man’s land.

“We were more excited than anything,” reflects Jonny Foster, lead singer and guitarist of Hardwicke Circus – now safely back home in Carlisle – as he, alongside Robinson and Carrasco, discuss over a video call what it was like to traverse these real highways to hell. “We just wanted to do our bit to support Ukraine’s war effort and thought the locals might enjoy hearing a live rock’n’roll band.”

…more … scroll down for video …

Hardwicke Circus continue to fundraise for Ukraine at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/hardwicke-circus

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[tanyev]

1. Joe King Carrasco! Haven't heard that name in years.

Good for you, sir!