Columbia Crowdkiller hosted a benefit show on April 24 at Peste De Merde, where bands from Columbia’s underground punk scene performed to fundraise for the Legion of Black Collegians.
Mizzou students and Columbia residents gathered at the graffiti-covered building to support LBC following the University of Missouri’s decision to remove the multicultural fee.
Coscoroba, This Morning, This Evening and Find Fiona performed at the benefit because of its significance for the multicultural organizations. Mizzou student and lead guitarist for This Morning, This Evening, sophomore Samuel Blair draws a parallel between what’s happening at Mizzou and the country.
“Everything we stand for and our lyrics and like why we agreed to be a band is entirely about standing up for, for good causes,” Blair said. “We’re seeing a major issue in our country right now and all of us are very upset about how much regression is happening in our legislation and representation.”
Two of Columbia Crowdkiller’s founding members, K’ouwa Jiron and Gus Richardson, decided to organize the benefit because of its connection to the punk scene.
“We wanted to do something positive, we wanted to raise money and we thought the best way to do that was through a show,” Jiron said.