On August 31st, the music school, retail shop, and de facto DIY venue White Oak Music & Arts will shutdown indefinitely due to continued noise complaints from neighbors. In light of this situation, the annual locals event Wake Up, SFV has been moved, and there will be no further known shows held at the venue for the remainder month.
White Oak (WOMA for short) has been a staple venue of the San Fernando Valley since 2013, picking up the torch when another DIY venue, Cobalt Crane, closed its doors. Headed by two individuals Carlos Costa and Evan Lindley, WOMA has been the stomping grounds for many Valley-based music collectives like [Redacted], TwoHearts Shows, MVMNT Presents, Dog the Cat, Vale Records, and more. Despite being a nexus for the 818 to cultivate musical talent and communities, repeated acts of littering, loitering, and rowdiness prompted residents to take their complaints up with the local authorities and landlord, according to a detailed Instagram post found in the tagged posts for #WOMAismyHOMA.
Wake Up, SFV, an all-ages music and art showcase, enters its sixth iteration this year and includes Valley veterans like The Unending Thread, Young Lovers, and Kid Cadaver. It will be held on September 1st at The Grand Palace in Arleta, CA. – Ryan Mo