Hey y’all! As much as we hate asking, we feel it’s necessary to call on our community in these trying times, if at all possible.

Y’all may know The Fruit Basket for the house shows in the basement, which prioritize trans and queer led bands. For the last two years since we’ve started this project (I say “we” as it’s an ever changing collective of folks coming together to make this shit happen), we’ve tried our best to be our best for those around us. It’s more than house shows. It’s more than a bunch of sweaty punks crammed into a loud basement with shitty microphones that have been dropped way too many times. Although, that is a pretty big part of what we do!

We’ve had free harm reduction supplies ever since these doors to opened in May 2023. Safer use supplies, masks, safer sex supplies, EC, Covid tests, you name it. A bulletin board with cards for local resources such as MTUG, MoNetwork, Safe Connections, food share, sliding scale medical clinics… the list goes on, honestly. I don’t think I’d be wrong in saying this house has fed at least half of the local music scene, at some point or another. The other half has probably crashed on our couches. Or practiced in our basement.

I’ve been wanting to start something like this ever since I was a displaced trans 14 year old, who always felt like some local venues weren’t quite stepping up enough to make sure their spaces were open to people like us. We do our best to keep local abusers, creeps, and hateful souls out of our doors. It warms my heart to hear other younger trans folks and dirty trans punks say this is their favorite place to go for local music.

However… the inevitable has started. Our floor is sinking in!! Yayyyyy!!

Turns out, when this house was built in 1906 (or renovated before we moved in?), there was no main beam put in under the first floor. Have you been to the house lately? If so, you’ve probably noticed the doorway in the kitchen where the floor feels a little… spongey. The time has come where we really need to get a steel beam and support post put in. The fridge might wind up in the basement otherwise.

The absolute lowest quote we could find? $5,449.

2025 has already kicked us in the teeth, so taking a loan out isn’t really an option. Two of us got fired from our jobs at the start of the year. My car got totaled around the same time, causing me to be out of work for nearly a month. So we’re all trying to bounce back after a few months of general bullshittery, and credit scores after that? Shot. Shot like a roof on a state street in South City during New Year’s Eve. So, no financing available on this one.

We’ve been selling buttons, working our asses off, and had a repair donation jar out at shows. Hopefully, we can pull a benefit show together soon. We already got $500 towards keeping the Fruit Basket a little more structurally sound! However… that’s a very small fraction of what we need. These times are ✨real fucking difficult✨ for everyone, but if ya wanna throw $5 our way, that’ll help keep this whole shitshow going! Thanks for supporting us all this way. Thanks for supporting each other, and continuing to come together for music, art, community, and good times despite the horrible political climate we’re all trying to fight through!