CINCINNATI — A group of punk house residents organized a large benefit show last weekend to raise money for their former roommate Mike Medina, who died unexpectedly and still owes rent money, grieving sources said.
“It was so sad when Mikey died… completely out of nowhere. We’re still recovering from the shock,” said Reed Marshall, one of the roommates who helped put the show together. “And since rent was due and he hadn’t paid up yet, it was the worst possible time for him to be crushed to death by a falling full stack. Fucking super tragic on so many levels.”
Fellow housemate-cum-organizer Sonya Larson agreed the timing “really fucking sucked.” However, they noted the idea to organize a benefit show sprang up “organically, right away, because we needed to come up with a lot of cash in a very short time, thanks to Mike.”
“Yeah, so he still owed $350 for rent, but we set the fundraising goal at $700 to cover utilities, and a few other things,” explained Larson. “We have a communal fridge, which means we’re low on food now since Mike isn’t contributing anymore. And I know, wherever he is, he wouldn’t want us to go without beer.”
“It was cool of him to leave us with his portion of the security deposit, too. What a solid dude,” they added.
Attendee Marla Burov didn’t know Medina personally, but saw flyers for the show in her local record store 20 miles away.
“I think it’s touching that they advertised the show all over the entire city,” said Burov. “It shows they really wanted to memorialize their friend the right way by getting tons of people through the door. It was kinda confusing because the flyer said ‘suggested donation,’ but then they just charged $10 to get in. I guess it was for a good cause, though?”
Burov’s highlight from the show was when the organizers played in one of the bands on the lineup, too. “It was really sweet they came out and performed for their friend,” Burov said. “Even though it was distracting that they kept passing around a tip jar.”
Photo by Matt Gill.