TRANARCHY Leeds - Issue 5 Launch & Fundraiser

Featuring poetry by Cait McKenna & Loren Lepton, performances by king Cory Ander, Lidocaine, Lavender Gray, and RatPakk! More info TBC.

We encourage people to come along in the dress code 'gender anarchy', and dress as comfortably or uncomfortably as wanted <3

Loren Lepton (@lorenlepton IG) is an amazing trans* musician-come poet, 'NOT DOWN FOR THE COUNT' is featured in issue 5 - Lepton also produces music with @ereursband - performances cannot be missed!

Cait McKenna (@caitisapoet IG) is a commie trans* poet, they recently released a poetry collection 'Now Say It Back' -- McKenna is simply an unforgettable poet.

Cory Ander (@cory_ander_drag IG) is a Leeds king/thing, 1st born son of Liv Vicariously, who loves to bring silly to the stage!

Rat Pakk (@ratpakkband IG) are a scratty, DIY, post punk, queer noise five piece. No words can really describe their frenetic energy but some bloke in a pub tried, calling them “the best political punk I’ve heard since the Sex Pistols” … “the noise is causing a disturbance.”

Lavender Gray (@lavendergraymusic) is a Queer Indie Singer-Songwriter who tells personal stories with an engaging relatability. Influenced by artists such as Lizzy Mcalpine, Paramore and Demi Lovato, she blends intimate lyrics with emotive and powerful vocals. Lavender released her first single ‘Drunk Kisses’ in 2021, followed by ‘Breaking and Entering’ in early 2022. Her audience began to grow and after gigging in and around Leeds throughout 2022, Lavender began 2023 by releasing her EP ‘Bittersweet’ and her writing has gained more grit from her debut pastel ballads as she is admitting to feeling like a bad person in single ‘Villain’, as well as writing about more political topics in the unreleased track ‘Under Our Skin’.

Lidocaine (@lidocaine.band) are, as a band, a bit queer, in both the "weird," and the "LGBT+" sense of the word. Their music takes elements from places as diverse as the metalcore of Bring Me The Horizon, the space-y rock of Muse and the folk-tinged indie of Phoebe Bridgers, blending into a distinct yet cohesive whole with lyrics about the experiences of coming of age in the hellscape that is/was the late 2010s and early 20s. This includes coming into their identities (the entire band identifies as LGBT+ in some way) which, whilst almost never explicitly discussed, is often there in the background, buried in metaphor and subtext.

This sound requires a range of instruments and playing styles, meaning Riley Banks' lead vocals and Morgan Thomas' drumming are the only constants, with guitars by Riley and Phin Jones, piano by Nat Mullen, bass by Phin and Nat, and backing vocals by Morgan and Nat coming in as necessary to complete the songs.

Host or Publisher Trans_Muted