One of the more recent support groups to establish itself in northern Nevada, Family Soup Mutual Aid (FSMA) will be hosting the “Our Streets Benefit Concert” on March 9th at Dead Ringer Analog Bar on E 4th street. Tickets are $10 for four live bands, two DJs, an online local art auction, and access to two food trucks, Reno Pink Taco Truck and Hey Hey’s Fried Chicken. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
The organization also meets every Tuesday at 5 pm at the Believe Plaza downtown to deliver hot food, winter gear, hygiene packs, and other donations to those in need. All proceeds from the Dead Ringer event will funnel into those kinds of supplies and needs. Ever since they started a few months ago they haven’t missed a Tuesday.
“It’s a bummer that us as organizers and activists in this area who are genuinely working-class people, who have had to struggle with poverty especially now in Reno with the changes over the past couple of years and the aggressive gentrification of this city, it’s f*** up that we have to do this,” Anagapesis said. “The people who are doing what we are doing, the other organizers, activists, and advocates … are doing it at a financial deficit and a labor deficit. Everybody’s exhausted. We are a very new mutual aid organization and we are already straight up tapped bro, but we’re doing it. We’re already going to be tired, might as well do something good with our exhaustion and our rage.”
Part of her anger stems from the hostile architecture, often benches you can’s lie down on, or boulders to prevent people from gathering in public spaces, she keeps seeing around Reno, which she calls “antihuman.”
“Let’s make ourselves present and bring the people back where they should be,” Russell said. “There’s a lot of connection and a lot of community behind it… We are always trying to get money from other people, that’s why we’re doing this show so we can start putting in more funds into this so we can boost this up.”
“It’s our wealth, we are all working-class people that are redistributing the things we worked really hard for, to give it back to the community where it should be,” Anagapesis said. “It should be in the hands of the working-class people, in the hands of those that are the lifeblood of this city, not the elites. The elites aren’t doing shit for us, they are quite literally backtracking all progress these activists and advocates have been doing.”
During a snowstorm this winter, they were able to raise $2,000 in less than 48 hours to acquire tarps and clothes for those whose shelters were getting destroyed. In regard to how the donations are dispersed, it is first-come, first-serve. Now you would think this would cause some issues, but Russell and Anagapesis assured me that the houseless community is quite strong and look out for one another. They even grab some for their friends that can’t risk losing their spot or leaving their belongings, as life on the streets is full of precarious situations.
The mutual aid group prides itself on being a leaderless organization that gives everyone a say. It’s either all hands in or all hands out. There are about 15 of them in a group message where they plot and plan their next venture.
“Every week we have been growing it’s so impressive,” Russell said. “Each week there’s a new face. Every week is bigger, every week is a new milestone. You don’t even realize you’re going to hit that milestone until it’s directly in front of you.”
This will be their first time hosting a benefit concert. Some of the bands on the billing that have participated in benefit concerts have helped them ease into this uncharted territory. The Truckee Meadows John Brown Gun Club will be present for security.
I was able to sit down with at least one member from each of the bands that are performing at the show.
Pussy Velour is a local rock and roll group that started in October. With zero hesitation they decided to join the Dead Ringer event once they heard the word benefit.
“We want to bring rock and roll to masses,” Wolfgang Hendrix, the lead singer of Pussy Velour said. “Music’s meant for everybody and everyone should enjoy it. We want as many people to get to the show so we can make an actual impact and really help out those in need.”
The band also expresses their frustration with how the houseless population has been treated.
“The resources in our town for the houseless population here is horrible,” Bobby Enzenberger, bassist for the band said. “It’s embarrassing. Any little thing we can do, this is very easy for us to do, but I’ve heard we’ve been able to bring a lot of support to them [Family Soup Mutual Aid]. It feels good.”
“Mutual aid is one of the most important things you can do for your community,” Clair Monteith, guitarist for the band said. “It’s very easy for us to step up, so we’re going to. I wish our council felt the same way.”
“Step up or step off really,” Wolfgang adds.
Kevin Montoya, aka Felipendejo, a punk experimental one-man band, loops drums and does guitar, vocals, and keys live. He wants to get other people to express themselves in any way possible, even if it’s not through music.
Kevin Montoya (above) has done benefit concerts before and thinks this one will have a great turnout.
“I hope they keep doing what they’re doing to get stuff for the less fortunate, get some clothes and get some donations and spread the love,” Montoya said.
Evan Lantto from Cruel Ultimatum describes his first band as, “Dorky, hardcore, middle-aged crisis nonsense I suppose.”
While this is his first band, everyone else has a bunch of experience and has been in countless bands. Simply, Lantto’s only goal is to have fun.
“I was a houseless person, and tend to be from time to time and any time you get to make music and it helps somebody out it’s a good thing,” Lantto said. “It’s excellent… Benefits are something I’m familiar with and enjoy.”
Evan Lantto from Cruel Ultimatum (left) and Skylar Lash from Action Bastard (right) who let other musicians know about the benefit as well.
Lantto has done some benefit concerts in the past and has worked with fundraising when he used to work in the gaming industry. He even once hosted a show for one of his friend's mom that was dying of cancer. He’s very excited about the turnout of this next concert.
“I want to put on the gnarliest show, all bands involved can, and also want to help people out,” Lantto said. “Houseless individuals have been particularly targeted and neglected especially during quarantine and with the deconstruction of their tent cities. I want to put on entertainment for as many people as possible and I want to help as many people as possible and help them get to the basic human rights that they deserve.”
Lantto believes FSMA is a great organization and knows they are doing great things for the community.
“I think this organization is excellent. I think Nicole and everybody involved is spectacular. I think the show is not something to be missed. Anybody that can show up should, it’s for an excellent cause and it’s worthwhile.”
Skylar Lash, a member of Action Bastard says his band plays “a lot of stupid music for the people of Reno” and describes the music as “a bunch of people blowing duck calls into buckets of water.”
In all actuality, it’s an afrobeat band that incorporates noise music into it. Lash has played for over 20 years. Music has always played a pivotal role in his life.
“The ability to let my mind stop freaking out on itself all the time and get that sense of catharsis of I’m no longer needing to think about the trials and tribulations I have in my life or the people that rely on me or the people I think rely on me,” Lash said. “When I play music I let go of all of that and I become the conduit for it, it’s not even really me making the music anymore it just comes through me.”
He used to be worried about how his music could sell, but now he says he no longer cares and can truly just express himself to the fullest.
Lash had zero hesitation to join along for the ride as well as he wants to help in any way that he can. He says he has a good relationship and trust with the people who are working for Family Soup Mutual Aid. The big thing he hopes to accomplish with the show is to inspire.
“I hope that regardless if the concert goes off well or not, [if] the meaning of intention is noticed by others in the community and maybe other venues who put all these kind of shows on, maybe [the ones that] hamstring artists that they book to play and take advantage of them,” he said. “What we’re doing is a benefit for people who have only been taken advantage of and I would like this to be a beautiful stepping stone in having the live music and performance art community, that is so alive and well in Reno even though they've been hamstrung by what has happened over the past few years, to take notice that it is worthwhile and maybe you don’t make money hand over fist like you'd expect when you book an artist. But you allow them to bring people out of the woodwork and support people who probably can’t even afford to pay for a ticket to go to some of our shows.”
“This is not something we are doing for profit because we profit off it every day, so why can’t we give a day here or there to give back,” Lash concluded. “No one is really doing it and if anything, more than anything I hope that this show opens some other business owners' and venue owners' eyes to seeing how impactful this can be.”