The band performed a large solo concert at Joe's Live concert venue in Rosemont. The event concluded the band's series of summer performances in the U.S. and served a charitable purpose: to raise funds for the treatment and support of Ukrainian soldiers undergoing rehabilitation in the U.S.
This was reported by the band Antytila.
They performed new songs as well as well-known compositions, including "Vdoma" (At Home), "Lovy Moment" (Seize the Moment), "Tam, de my ye" (Where We Are), "2Step," "Fortetsya Bakhmut" (Fortress Bakhmut), and others. The event's format was more intimate than festival performances, which, according to the organizers, allows for deeper immersion in creativity and creates a warm atmosphere for communication with the audience.
A charity auction was held during the performance. Four lots were presented, including artifacts reimagined from war debris: chess pieces made from shell casings and rocket remnants, knives made from armored vehicles, signed chevrons, and flags of Ukrainian units.
According reported that Maria Klimchak, executive director of the Kyiv-Mohyla Foundation of America, said the auction raised $400,000 to support and treat wounded Ukrainian defenders.
Before the concert, the band members visited patients from Revived Soldiers Ukraine who had just been discharged from the University of Illinois Hospital. The patients were undergoing rehabilitation after receiving prosthetics. The musicians met with the soldiers in an informal setting where volunteers and representatives of the Ukrainian community, including those from the Magic Jug restaurant, treated them to refreshments. The foundation acknowledged the band's continued support, as they have participated in multiple initiatives benefiting wounded soldiers.
The concert in Chicago was the last of three performances by the band in the United States. Prior to that, Antytila performed at the Souyuzivka Festival in New York (July 12) and the St. George Ukrainian Festival in Philadelphia (July 13). Charity auctions were also held, raising $20,600 and $12,900, respectively. The funds raised during the tour will support wounded Ukrainian soldiers and units carrying out missions in Crimea. Additionally, the funds will be used to purchase equipment for the Magura special forces unit.
The band's performances in the US were supported by the Revived Soldiers Ukraine Foundation and the Antytila Charitable Foundation, both of which the band has collaborated with before. In each city, the musicians performed their concert program and continued to carry out their charitable mission.
Photo: Maria Klimchak
Author: Danylo Pievchev