When Silent Planet unveiled the routing for their summer 2026 European tour, fans were shocked to see dates in the Ukrainian cities of Kyiv and Lviv set for June 20 and 21. The Cali metalcore band were going to become the first American musicians to play the war-torn country since it was invaded by Russia in February 2022: an endeavour so seemingly dangerous that no touring van company let them hire a vehicle. Now home following the trek, singer Garrett Russell sat down with Hammer to talk about what it was like – and why he thinks more artists should follow suit.
What made you want to play those two shows in Ukraine?
“I think the whole world watched in horror in February 2022, when Russia started invading. One of my best friends actually lives in Ukraine with his wife and two kids. Off the bat, I had that personal connection that made it even more visceral, I guess. And I’ve always been fascinated by Ukraine. I wrote about the Holodomor [for 2025 single Wick], which is when the Russians came in [in 1932] and caused a massive famine by taking all the grain and all the food. I’m inspired by the fortitude of the Ukrainian people”
What was the response when you announced the tour plans? Did anyone advise you against going?
“Some people we work with were concerned. None of the van companies would let us take their vans to Ukraine, because I guess they have policies against going to places that are considered warzones. The Ukrainian folks picked us up in Warsaw and drove us in.”
Warsaw to Kyiv is a 10-hour drive…
“It is quite the drive, to be honest, but we stopped in several beautiful small towns. We stopped in this idyllic restaurant that had incredible art on the wall. You see moments of the violence, but the way that they do and don’t react to bomb sirens and stuff is really interesting.”
What do you mean?
“The first day, when we were in Kyiv, we got all the gear in and they started plugging everything in, and I hadn’t eaten all day. I went to this grocery store and, as I’m walking out, Oleksandra – our tour manager, an amazing person – was like, ‘There you are! All the band’s in the bomb shelter!’ There was an air alert: a couple of Russian drones were flying over Kyiv. I checked my phone and there were 50 texts, like, ‘Where the fuck are you?!’ But you look around and no one seems concerned, and there’s supposedly an explosive drone somewhere over town. The danger is very real, but there’s also kind of a casual approach that people take to it.”
How does it make you feel, that something like that has become ‘normal’?
“In the middle of Kyiv, there are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them. You see crying mothers. When I come across this piece of pro-Russian, American, right-wing propaganda [after I got home], I felt this hatred come up in me that was new. It was more than ‘I disagree with you’; it was rage this time.”
How many sirens went off during your short time over there?
“Three. The second night we were at our hotel in Kyiv, we got woken up by one, so we went down to the bomb shelter. Then we went back to bed, and apparently there was another bomb warning that same night but I just slept through it. My bandmates went back down, so they basically didn’t sleep the night after the first show.”
There are flags for every dead Ukrainian soldier. You could spend all day counting and you wouldn’t get through a 10th of them.
Were you ever legitimately scared for your safety?
“The day before we went into Ukraine, Ukraine landed a huge blow to Russian oil infrastructure [drones attacked a Moscow oil refinery on June 18]. All of us received messages saying that Moscow is going to retaliate. Oleksandra explained to us the reality: from the outside looking in, you see ‘Ukraine does something, Moscow retaliates’, but it’s a war. If one side could land a bigger blow than the other, they would.”
You’re the first American band to play Ukraine since the war started. How does that make you feel?
“It makes me sad. What breaks my heart is bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and getting paid really well to do it, and it seems fucked-up that the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows because of Moscow.”
It was probably the first time most of the people in those crowds had seen an international metal band in four-and-a-half years. The gigs themselves must have been wild.
“They really were. I was wandering around Kyiv before the show, and it felt like, every other street I was on, someone was on their way to the gig. We would hug and chat, and they’d tell me what they’ve been through. There was one gentleman [named Michael] who lost his leg in the war.”
You wrote about him on social media. Didn’t he crowd-surf?
“Yeah! Apparently his wheelchair broke because he was going so crazy, but he had a really good time. There were quite a few people who were in the military and got a day or two’s leave to catch the show. A lot of people at the show were still actively fighting Russia, or, in some cases, like Michael, were wounded and not serving anymore.”
Bands have been playing Moscow for the last few years, and the country getting invaded by Moscow is not getting shows
Would you urge other international artists to play Ukraine?
“Yeah. I really do believe, in the scheme of things, it’s safe. Touring is inherently dangerous: we went through a van flip [in November 2022] and my back’s not been the same since. I think a tour across the United States between November and February is probably more dangerous than going to Ukraine.”
So you want to go back?
“Oh, yes! We were already chatting with them about the possibility of returning next summer.”
Silent Planet will play Inkcarceration festival in Mansfield, Ohio on July 19 and support The Amity Affliction across the UK and Europe from September to October. Get tickets now.
