Bono and The Edge performed a surprise acoustic concert from a Kyiv bomb shelter on Sunday in support of the Ukrainian people in the midst of their ongoing war with Russia.
“President @ZelenskyyUa invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. — Bono and The Edge #StandWithUkraine,” U2 tweeted from their official account ahead of the impromptu set, which took place in the converted Kryschatek metro station.
According to a report by The Irish Times, the rock star duo ran through a number of U2 songs, including “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” “Angel of Harlem,” “With or Without You,” and “Desire” before performing a special rendition of Ben E. King’s classic “Stand By You” alongside a golden-voiced Ukrainian soldier.
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“Stand by Ukraine/ Oh whoa, stand by Ukraine/ Won’t you stand, won’t you stand by Ukraine/ Oh darlin’, darlin’, stand by Ukraine,” Bono and the soldier belted out as The Edge accompanied them on guitar.
Watch clips from the surprise concert below.
Several days earlier, U2 gave a shoutout on social media to “Reverberate Ukraine,” the NFT aid fundraiser for the war-torn country organized by Island Records UK and Kyiv-based artist Alexey Kondakov. The initiative will raise money for World Central Kitchen’s Chefs for Ukraine fund through May 12th.
J.J. Abrams is also currently developing a scripted series for Netflix about the band with a script from Bohemian Rhapsody scribe Anthony McCarten. While Bono and co.’s involvement in the project is being kept under wraps for now, it’s expected to get not only their blessing but their discography as well.
President @ZelenskyyUa invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. — Bono and The Edge #StandWithUkraine
Advertisement— U2 (@U2) May 8, 2022
— ReaⓁegia (@Real_Legia) May 8, 2022
U2 playing a show at Kryschatek metro station now.. pic.twitter.com/plBTNmwoZP
— Expat in Kyiv (@expatua) May 8, 2022
In the epicenter of global history. Bono from @U2 on the metro station in Kyiv singing for Ukraine. Such a historical moments to show solidarity and pay global attention on putin’s invasion. Please repost and stand with Ukraine by pushing your govts to help us with weapons/money pic.twitter.com/j5aKrkPS60
— Serhiy Leshchenko (@Leshchenkos) May 8, 2022
Bono, du groupe U2, en concert dans le métro de Kiev ce dimanche a la mi-journée. Vidéo @unian pic.twitter.com/KzVaGQkQo7
— The Ukrainian Week (FR) (@Ukr_Week_FR) May 8, 2022