Pedaling for a Good Cause - The Analogues X War Child
The five-piece band “The Analogues” from the Netherlands has set itself the goal of cycling from Amsterdam to Lviv, Ukraine, in 30 days. Along the way, they’ll stop in Hamburg, Berlin, and at the Hurricane Festival, among other places, to play their songs for a good cause. With every pedal stroke and every performance along the more than 2,000 kilometers, they’re raising funds for War Child, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing psychosocial support for children in war zones around the world. To help them tackle the daily kilometers in the saddle as effectively as possible, they’re also making sure to stay refreshed and recharged. Before they set off on June 16, 2025, we spoke with the five-piece band about their fundraiser for War Child, the concert marathon, and much more.
The Analogues X War Child
The band “The Analogues” has been playing for 10 years, performing together on stages across Europe and playing mainly Beatles songs. Since then, they’ve maintained contact with War Child, a German charity dedicated to providing psychosocial support, safety, and education for children in and from war zones. The money from the merchandise stands at the band’s shows is donated to War Child, and this amount has grown steadily over the years as the band has become more popular. For the band, this is about more than just a good cause. After all, over 473 million children worldwide live in conflict zones—that’s about one in five children. With every pedal stroke, with every chord they play, they aim to raise funds for War Child. Their passion and connection to the audience are particularly important to them.
Pedaling for a Good Cause – Ticket to Ride
Starting June 16, 2025, The Analogues will ride gravel bikes from Amsterdam through Germany and Poland to Ukraine—over 2,000 kilometers in 30 days. Along the way, the band will play small, exclusive concerts where, as a five-piece ensemble, they’ll perform Beatles songs from the band’s later years—as a stripped-down version without elaborate production, but with all the more passion and a closer connection to the audience. Whether in intimate clubs like those in Hamburg and Berlin or on the main stage at the Hurricane Festival, where the band hopes to draw attention to the fundraiser once again in front of a large audience. “The shows are on the smaller side, usually with no more than 250 fans. Normally we do bigger shows with an orchestra, but here we’ve specifically chosen smaller clubs because it takes the logistical burden off us—we couldn’t possibly transport all that on our bikes (laughs). It’s more about the special atmosphere. We wanted to make sure the whole trip from Amsterdam to Lviv was feasible for us, even with the daily kilometers.” The thought of the first day makes them smile: 110 kilometers by bike, before their first show at 6:30 p.m. that evening. “We’re trying to play as many shows as possible on our way to Lviv—that’s something completely new for us, too, and we’re excited. That’s what makes it so exciting for us, because we don’t really know yet what’s going to happen. We’ll just take our equipment and instruments with us and, for example, set up in a small market square in Poland and start playing to raise money. That’s going to be cool!”
Concert Dates in Germany
June 17 – Meppen, JAM
June 20 – Bremen, Lila Eule (sold out)
June 21 – Scheeßel, Hurricane Festival
June 22 – Hamburg, Global Day of Discovery, Renaissance Hamburg Hotel
June 23 – Hamburg, Nochtspeicher
June 27 – Berlin, Frannz Club
Up-to-date information about the concerts is available here.
How the Project Came About
“We always thought it would be great to go cycling together here in the Netherlands or in the Belgian Ardennes. But that hasn’t happened yet. Then we came up with the idea of combining it with a good cause and planning a longer trip that symbolizes something much bigger and is linked to live performances. We were actually a bit surprised ourselves that we really went through with it and that everyone signed up for the trip (laughs). It’s quite a long ride for guys who don’t really cycle that much otherwise (laughs).”
Raising Funds for Children in War Zones
For the band, there’s no question about committing to this project and joining forces. “Standing up for children is very important because they’re highly impressionable at a very young age. They soak up everything they see and hear, and that shapes how they’ll develop later in life as adults. That’s why War Child’s work is so important—because it gives children a brief respite from their situation and the stress of daily life in a war zone. This allows them to feel and experience that there’s so much more to life than what they know. They don’t really realize how terrible the environment they’re growing up in is, because they don’t know any different.”
Recovery and Prevention
Without a professional approach on the tour, the band’s efforts would be unsustainable. “We’re all older musicians; we have no choice but to prioritize our sleep, ensure we get enough rest between stages, and eat well. At our stops, we’ll treat ourselves to the occasional massage and also go to the sauna. Recovery methods are very important.” Every day, the band will cover 70–80 kilometers by bike, though this won’t turn into a race—the journey is the destination. “Along the way, we’ll be in constant contact with our local base in the Netherlands, and we’ll stay connected via our Instagram channel, encouraging people to come to the shows and donate to War Child. We also have a media partner—a radio show—that we’ll stay in touch with throughout the trip, so there will be plenty of opportunities to reach out to people.”
Support from BLACKROLL
The band will be supported throughout their journey by BLACKROLL recovery products, such as the FOAM ROLLERS , to help their muscles recover before and after their daily bike rides. The RECOVERY PILLOW ensures a good night’s sleep, providing the rest needed to be fit again the next day.
Since 2023, BLACKROLL has continuously supported the work of War Child with annual monetary and product donations. Hopefully, this will continue, because according to our social impact assessment, it’s better to donate specifically, regularly, and continuously over a longer period to a certain number of organizations rather than through isolated, one-off campaigns—and it was important to us to support an organization that is currently politically relevant. It might also be worth mentioning that we’re providing financial support for the “Ticket To Ride” campaign as well?
Further information