International stars and British legend unite in hidden gig for CRISIS
Howard Lake | 8 May 2009 | News
International stars Amadou and Mariam have confirmed a very special collaboration with David Gilmour for Crisis Hidden Gigs. This unique performance will take place on Monday 25th May 2009 in an intimate venue in central London and is the only confirmed live appearance from the British legend this year. However the venue will remain “hidden” until 24-hours before the gig, when a text or email will be sent to ticket holders.
Mariam Doumbia (vocals) and Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) met whilst attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako in 1977. Following their first concert as a duo in 1980 they went on to record and tour internationally, and found worldwide success with the release of their Grammy nominated album ‘Dimanche a Bamako’. The duo’s success continues to escalate via their recent collaboration with Damon Albarn’s Africa Express project, and through support slots for Blur and Coldplay this summer.
The one-off live collaboration with David Gilmour for Crisis aims to raise awareness of and money for hidden homeless people in the UK1. The series of Crisis Hidden Gigs throughout May and June will be a fantastic opportunity to see top acts in intimate, unusual spaces – making for a unique musical experience.
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By withholding details until the last minute, Crisis aims to raise awareness of the precarious situation facing hidden homeless people, who often don’t know where they will end up each night and are often forced to move from place to place.
Talking about the forthcoming performance David Gilmour said. “The global financial crisis has led to a human crisis in the UK. Thousands of people are losing their jobs and many will see their homes repossessed. As a long-term supporter of Crisis, I have seen how its life-changing services help to transform homeless people’s lives. I am performing with Amadou and Mariam to help raise vital funds at a time when Crisis’ services are needed more than ever.”
The Crisis Hidden Gigs was officially launched by Hot Chip at Village Underground and forthcoming gigs include indie legends Dodgy and The Bluetones on Sunday 17th May, Starsailor, Bombay Bicycle Club and Portico Quartet on 2nd June and Pendulum and Zane Lowe on June 17th.
For further information visit www.crisis.org.uk/hidden and for tickets visit www.seetickets.com/hidden.
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Notes to Editors
Background on Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for single homeless people. We are dedicated to ending homelessness by delivering life-changing services and campaigning for change. Our innovative education, employment, housing and well-being services address individual needs and help people to transform their lives. We are determined campaigners, working to prevent people from becoming homeless and advocating solutions informed by research and our direct experience. We have ambitious plans for the future and are committed to help more people in more places across the UK. We know we won’t end homelessness overnight or on our own. But we take a lead, collaborate with others and, together, make change happen.
Background on Hidden Homelessness
The majority of hidden homeless people are single people who find themselves homeless for a number of reasons including unemployment and relationship breakdown. Not considered as a priority for social housing or even emergency help and advice, they are often turned away by local authorities. They are compelled to live in hostels, bed and breakfasts or sleep on the floor of family and friends. The fact that the majority do not sleep rough means that they are all too often invisible to the public and are often not regarded as a priority for decision makers.
Crisis will be launching a campaign at Crisis Hidden Gigs to uncover the truth about hidden homelessness. Currently people approaching their local authority as homeless are only entitled to housing assistance if they meet a strict set of statutory criteria. Crisis wants the statutory safety net to be widened. This will require a change in the law so that everyone who is homeless is entitled to at least short-term accommodation whilst they receive the help and support they need to get back on their feet.
Background on Mariam and Amadou
Mariam Doumbia (vocals) and Amadou Bagayoko (guitar and vocals) met whilst attending the Institute for Young Blind in Bamako in 1977. Amadou cut his teeth as a teenage guitarist in the Ambassadeurs du Motel de Bamako, one of West Africa’s hottest bands of the Seventies. Mariam had, since a young age, sung at weddings and other traditional Malian festivals. Their recent album ‘Welcome to Mali’ has been widely hailed as one of the Albums of the Year since it was released last November.
For more information on Crisis Hidden Gigs and Crisis please contact:
Rose Hobson or Jenny Richards at Kazoo:
Tel: 020 7479 4310
Email: ro**@ka***.uk / je***@ka***.uk
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.