I was listening to one of the staff members at White Oak Music & Arts as he told me about a ska show that broke capacity and a restroom sink.

That was mayhem compared to Wake Up, SFV, which floated upwards of 100 occupants shuffling between main stage and the lobby. On Sunday, the almost-nondescript music store, nestled with mechanic shops and powered by the will of 818, was host to a plethora of bands that not only called attention to the Valley's diversity, but more importantly its spirit. From 5 p.m. onwards, neighborhood youth shared cigarettes and sipped on tallboys as homespun vendors displayed their arts and crafts with decorum, beaming with a confidence and sincerity rarely felt in Los Angeles.

And I moved with the crowd through the different phases that claimed my musical adolescence — the genres that waxed and waned in popularity, but never lost their tenacity. From Tone in Georgia's well-groomed freakouts to The Aeons' feel-good maximalism, 100 Once's acapella cover of Evanescence and R!OT's dextrous remix of Shia LaBouef. The Unending Thread's toe-tapping emo-soul and those cathartic shivers of COEX, down to the fog-heavy end of the Fever The Ghost's glitched-out mecha fantasy. Every band brought their all, and the spirited youth gave back tenfold. 

Happy anniversary, White Oak Music & Arts. And thank you for wake-up call, Cesar Alas. - Ryan Mo

If last night's Steven Universe episode has reiterated anything that I already know, it's that people can always appreciate heroes who struggle in the face of adversity. DIY kind of embodies that. We work our hardest to get to a point that could make or break our hobby.

Cesar Alas, Julian Tallman-Rogantini, and Kim Reyes have musicially worked together in different capacities: Rogantini and Alas meshed well in a previous band project, while Kim and Alas both sang in choir class. While Alas made the first move to induct Rogantini and Reyes to The Unending Thread, their present state was defined by the ambition and hard work of all three members. Hailing from the San Fernando Valley, the band's history spans nearly five years, whittled down from an initial lineup of five. Warped Tours have come and gone, but their aim stays true. They still enjoy boba. I'm not sure if they popped their cosplay cherry yet. It could happen.

Big news though: after years of demos, singles, and acoustic covers (thumbs for Sinatra and Fitzgerald), The Unending Thread have finished their first album, <selftitled> the unending thread </selftitled>, out on July 25th via Little L Records digitally, and in cassette and CD format. Pre-orders are available now through Bandcamp. To celebrate the album's release, we're premiering the single "Effie", a fast-burner with swirling vocal melodies dripping '90s emo, kaleidoscopic guitars featuring Jeremy Amato (Arid & Amethyst), and push-pull rhythms. Jazzy, poppy, and more than suggestively dance-y, "Effie" shines a light through eclectic influences like The Mars Volta, Haitus Kaiyote, and Chon. 

The Unending Thread will be doing a mid-summer tour through California with stops in Nevada and Arizona and ends with Silverlake's DIY Fest. The tour kick-off starts next Monday at the White Oak Music Arts with Post Life, Celebrity Crush, and Coex. - Ryan Mo