Coldplay Announce 'Hidden' UK Gigs to Benefit the Homeless

In an effort to draw awareness to homelessness in the UK, Coldplay have announced that they will play two "hidden gigs" at 1,000-person venues in Liverpool and Newcastle the week before Christmas.

According to the band's official site, ticketholders will not know the concert details until 24 hours before Coldplay take the stage. This deliberate vagueness is an attempt by the band to give attendees "a small taste of the uncertainty faced by the thousands of homeless people who do not know where they will spend the night."

Ticket sales, which begin Nov. 12, will be used to raise funds for UK homeless charity Crisis. Passes will run fans £50 (slightly over $80 US) and will be sold to Coldplay.com users, local residents of Liverpool and Newcastle and, in the case of 200 general admission tickets for each show, via auction. There will also be an auction of 30 special tickets that promise "early entry, champagne reception, best seats in the house, meet and greet with Coldplay, photo opportunity and access to [a] VIP bar."

Coldplay's hidden-gig arrangement is reminiscent of '90s warehouse parties for which organizers would spread location information mere hours before the events began. In this case, we assume the atmosphere will be slightly more subdued than most old-school raves.