fabric to host fundraiser event for lighting technician Chris Binks following heart attack
Dr Banana, Enzo Siragusa and more will play at the event this Sunday to help support Banks through his recovery
London’s fabric is set to host a fundraiser event this weekend for long-time lighting technician and friend of the venue, Chris Binks, who recently suffered a heart attack while abroad.
Binks, who first began working as a lighting engineer at the legendary venue from its opening in 1999, recently suffered a “major heart attack” while in Budapest, and was without oxygen for some 30 minutes.
According to fabric, Binks then sustained “severe brain damage” and fell into a coma. Doctors believed he could not be saved and switched off his breathing support, when Binks made a recovery and began to breathe on his own.
Binks is now showing "further signs of recovery”, and will be flown back to the UK today on a specialist plane after spending two weeks in a hospital in Hungary.
The club shared that Binks’ travel insurance had lapsed, leaving a £40,000 medical bill for the treatment he received in Hungary, and a further £30,000 bill for the specialist transport.
The fabric community is now pulling together to throw an event raising money towards those bills this Sunday (October 12), featuring friends and family of both the venue and Binks himself.
The line-up includes Dr Banana, Enzo Siragusa, Voigtmann, Laidlaw, Georgia, Just Jam, Terry Francis, Karis, Mr Shiver, and many more throughout the day, running from 3:PM until midnight.
All money made through ticket sales will go directly toward medical bills, repatriation, and continued care for Binks as he recovers. Over £17,500 has been raised so far through community efforts.
“Chris is still not out of the woods,” says his sister, Barbara. “He has a long way to go and we as a family and friends will continue to be behind him all the way with encouragement and love. He is strong and determined and with all our support will continue to come back to us.”
Binks spent 18 years working as a lighting engineer at fabric, dubbed a “true legend” of the club. His “iconic” lighting designs also earned him roles with Enzo Siragusa’s FUSE party and Jamie Jones’ Paradise nights at DC-10 in Ibiza, where he’s spent the past five years working on major events.
Buy tickets for the ‘A Dance For Chris’ fundraiser event here, and check out the full line-up below.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor, follow her on Twitter