Eight local bands performed at the Neepsend Social Club and Canteen to raise vital funds and food supplies for the S6 Food Bank.
The fundraiser was organised as a response to Sheffield’s housing and food crises, with entry requiring either a cash donation or a tin of food.
Events coordinator Eliza Kay, 24, chose to organise the charity event to support residents struggling with rising costs and “give young artists a space where they can really get their work out there”.
The winning band would win a cash prize and 100% of the donations collected at the event would go to S6 food bank.
“We are in a housing crisis and a food crisis,” Miss Kay noted. “If we can do our part and put on a little event that can help people, we’re going to do that.”
Following the showcase, the donations were delivered directly to the food bank by Miss Kay herself.
Among the performers was Psylocin, a “semi-pro” group founded by students Keegan Parsons, 19, and Max Marin, 20. While the band had previously spent years reaching out to various venues to secure shows, they were personally recruited for this specific event.
Parsons noted that being reached out to made the band “feel seen.” While the founders remain the core of the group, the lineup recently expanded to include drummer Tyler James Wood, 22, and guitarist Jacob Goose, 23. Despite the new members completing only seven practice sessions prior to the gig, the group viewed the set as a critical professional step.
Wood said it was a “real nice feeling” to give back to those “less fortunate than ourselves,” while Goose said the value of different bands “coming together behind one meaning.”
The event also reached new audiences, such as Taif Shameem, 20, who typically listens to mainstream pop. “I came in blindly and didn’t expect anything,” Shameem said. “It was so nice supporting local artists.”
By bridging the gap between Sheffield’s nightlife and social activism, the fundraiser provided both a stage for emerging talent and essential support for the city’s most vulnerable populations.
