Fans of David Gilmour who want to broaden their musical horizons a little, whilst helping a truly deserving charity, have a great opportunity later this month. David will be performing as a special guest of Amadou & Mariam, a well-respected duo from the Republic of Mali, a West African nation. The concert takes place in central London on Monday, May 25th, and all proceeds from the show go to Crisis, the homelessness charity.
On his website, David explained how he got to know the Malian musicians a couple of years ago: "I met Amadou and Mariam at the Mojo Awards, where we expressed mutual respect for each others' music, so it was a wonderful surprise when they called recently, inviting me to collaborate with them on this special one-off occasion for Crisis. I'm looking forward to breaking down a few musical boundaries in the cause of helping the homeless."
David continued: "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."
This show, David's only official live performance this year (so far) will be one of the 'hidden' Crisis gigs being staged in London until June 17th, where details of the venues involved will be revealed to ticket-holders by text or email the day before the show - this is to draw attention to the uncertain reality of the UK's hidden homeless. This particular show will include support acts, after which Amadou & Mariam will play with their electric band for around an hour, including a portion with David Gilmour on guitar.
Tickets are NOW on sale from SeeTickets.com/hidden or by calling the ticket hotline which is (+44) (0) 871 2200260. They are priced at £25 plus booking fee, and there are a few 'VIP Tickets' in the first two rows, at £75 plus booking fee, which include a goody bag, the contents of which is still being decided. However, there are just 10 seats in each two rows, meaning with just 20 VIP tickets, you're gonna need to be quick!
If you are unable to make it along on the evening, for whatever reason, why not consider a donation to Crisis instead? It is a charity that David has supported for some time, for good reason. Your help could make a big difference to some of the most vulnerable, scared and at risk people, many of whom are homeless through no fault of their own. More details of Crisis can be found at www.Crisis.org.uk.