Watch U2’S Bono And The Edge Perform With Ukrainian Group Antytila In London

U2‘s Bono and the Edge joined Ukrainian group Antytila during its concert last night (Feb. 26) at London’s Electric Brixton for a performance of “Mothers of the Disappeared” from 1987’s The Joshua Tree. Proceeds from the event will benefit humanitarian aid in war-torn Ukraine.

As Bono said of the musicians from the stage, “They want peace. But they do not want peace without freedom. Never pick a fight with someone who is ready to lose everything. I would not mess with the Ukrainians, ever! So we want to say this is not just a war about territory or sovereignty — it’s a war about decency and dignity, confronting domination and darkness. And we want decency and dignity to win for all of us, and that’s why we are here.”

“This song is for the mothers of Ukraine, and so many, who have lost so much. Don’t give up, don’t give up,” U2 later wrote on Instagram.

Bono and the Edge previously performed with Antytila last year at the Khreshchatyk Metro Station in Kiev and recorded a new version of the U2 song “Walk On” for the April 2022 Stand Up for Ukraine benefit concert. That version will be released March 17 on the album Songs of Surrender, featuring 40 re-recordings of past U2 favorites.

The group is also returning to live performance later this year to help open Las Vegas’ new MSG Sphere entertainment venue. “U2:UV Achtung Baby Live at the Sphere” will take place over multiple nights at the new, state-of-the-art MSG Sphere at the Venetian this fall. The run will mark the band’s first concerts in four years and, as the name indicates, will focus on material from U2’s beloved 1991 album.

This article was first published on spin.com by Jonathan Cohen