The Chemical Brothers (Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons) are a British electronic music duo formed in 1991 in Manchester. The musicians are pioneers of the big beat genre and multiple Grammy Award winners.
The Chemical Brothers' Stance on the War in Ukraine
The British duo The Chemical Brothers have openly expressed support for Ukraine. The musicians have participated in charitable initiatives aimed at raising funds and humanitarian aid for victims of the military hostilities.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, the band does not perform in Russia.
Statement in Support of Ukraine
On March 7, 2022, a statement in support of Ukraine was published on the band's official Facebook page. Attached to the post was a photograph from their concert featuring a laser-lit banner reading «HOLD TIGHT KИЇВ» across the central stage screen. The musicians urged fans to donate to the British Red Cross (Red Cross UK) to help Ukrainians:
Watching these terrible images unfold day after day, in such total contrast to the great peaceful times we have had in Ukraine over the years, is heartbreaking. We want to send our love and solidarity to the people of Ukraine and hope for better days ahead 🇺🇦.
Participation in War Child Charity Initiatives
In July 2022, The Chemical Brothers donated a signed, numbered copy of their iconic 1997 album Dig Your Own Hole for a special charity prize draw in support of children affected by war in Ukraine, Afghanistan, and Yemen.
Questions Surrounding Participation in Park Live 2026
At the same time, an ambiguous episode arose concerning the band members' concert activities. Tom Rowlands's new project TOMORA was announced in the lineup of the Park Live 2026 festival in Almaty. The festival previously took place in Moscow, but relocated to Kazakhstan following the outbreak of the full-scale war. Despite the venue change, it continues to be organized by the Russian concert agency Melnitsa, with Russian tech giant Yandex remaining one of its primary partners. It was precisely due to these direct Russian ties that British bands Placebo and Editors previously canceled their appearances at Park Live.
At present, there is no evidence to suggest that TOMORA's participation represents any change in The Chemical Brothers' anti-war stance. Nonetheless, the very fact of performing at a festival that retains close ties with Russian corporate sponsors has raised questions among a section of their audience.
