Spotlight: Gender Crisis

Words: Eerie Rose Photographs: Jeanie Jean

For those who’ve been keeping up to date with 5.18, you’ll already be familiar with melodic post-hardcore four piece Gender Crisis, who opened for our collaboration gig at The Windmill with their promotion platform Bite Back, run by vocalist Rory and drummer Archie. Both the band and Bite Back have had an incredibly exciting year, putting on multiple DIY shows, their first headline tour, and several new releases. The latest track, Beg For Me, even got the band their first play on BBC Radio 1 Introducing Rock with Alyx Holcombe, and is supported by a great video filmed and directed by Ben Stapleton. It seems the band are on a really exciting trajectory, with a cult following of dedicated fans who support their work with a genuine care for the community built around the music as well as the band itself.

Before the year is out, Gender Crisis have one final high-octane offering - a stacked, five band lineup show at New Cross Inn on Sunday 10th November, to raise emergency funds for frontman Rory’s gender affirming surgery costs. With the surgery booked for later in November, it really is the last chance to see the band play for a couple of months while he recovers, as well as a matter of urgency to raise the funds as the deadline is more than fast approaching. I personally went through the same surgery with my partner earlier this year, including working on another emergency fundraiser for him (also organised by Bite Back!) and I can’t express how much it made a difference - one night, one gig, each ticket and each merch sale made the difference between life-changing surgery or not, and almost six months later I can safely say it has improved his quality of life in ways I can’t even imagine. With this in mind, I highly encourage all of you to join myself and the 5.18 community at the fundraiser - Sunday, 10th November, New Cross Inn. Every ticket makes a difference and no one is turned away for lack of funds, even if you can only afford a low income ticket just DM Bite Back and it can be sorted out.

Tickets are available online HERE.

If you can’t come but can support the fundraiser, please donate to Rory’s gofundme HERE.