Endless Fest lands at TV Eye in Brooklyn on June 12, 13 and 14 with twenty-six bands playing for free across three nights to raise money for ABC No Rio. The Lower East Side community centre is months away from finishing the building it has been working towards since its old home was demolished in 2016, with construction expected to wrap up this autumn and a planned opening in late October or early November. The money raised at Endless goes directly into the PA and AV system in the new space at 156 Rivington. Without it, the venue side of the building stays unfinished.
ABC No Rio has been a volunteer-led, all-ages community centre since 1980. The old building was vacated in 2016 to make way for the purpose-built one going up now. What was supposed to be a two or three year project has taken almost ten, and the collective has run “in exile” the whole time through partnerships with C Squat, Umbrella House, Bullet Space, The Clemente, Silent Barn and others. The new building will house the venue for Saturday matinees and shows, the skill-sharing silkscreen printshop, the black and white darkroom, the zine library, the computer lab, the gallery and the communal kitchen Food Not Bombs has used for decades. Same mission, same collectives, same address, new walls.
Aeryn Santillan (recently of Massa Nera) and Anaรฏs from Genuine Connection put the benefit together with Gavin and the ABC No Rio Hardcore Collective on one side and the team at TV Eye, where Anaรฏs works, on the other.
Anaรฏs brought Aeryn to an ABC Hardcore Collective meeting in early November. The collective was working on fundraiser shows for the reopening. Aeryn left thinking about how to give back to a community Aeryn had spent years inside, and was sketching out a list of bands by the time the train home pulled in. Lord Snow said yes. Saetia said yes. Anaรฏs got Uniform. Steve from Saetia mentioned, in passing, that The State Secedes were quietly reuniting, and put her in touch with Bob. From there the rest came together fast.
The State Secedes’ first show in 27 years sits at the centre of the lineup. Their last set was at ABC No Rio itself on June 7, 1997, with Ire, Facade Burned Black, Discontent and Saetia.
Bob is direct about why they are coming back: “We would not be reuniting but for this fest to benefit ABC No Rio.”
They are drawing on songs from their 1998 album, with line-up additions for this iteration including Mike Treff (Closure, Baby Teeth) and Vincent Roseboom (Helen of Troy, Gospel, Medicinal, Supervoid Coral Ensemble).
They play right before Saetia on June 13. Antonio describes the ABC backyard as he remembers it from the early 1990s: “The backyard was like a Bruegel painting with punks lying here and there amongst the grass, filth, and boxed in graffitied concrete walls. Like a pastoral, idyllic, bucolic, end of the world hall of Valhalla that you were somehow lucky enough to be included in.”
Saetia’s history at ABC runs decades deep. Steve volunteered there from 1997 to 2002 and booked shows from 1999. Billy started earlier, with Food Not Bombs on Saturday mornings in 1994, staying for the hardcore shows after: “my life was changed pretty quickly and I was there weekly.”
Colin tells a story from Saetia’s first ABC show in late 1997. The basement had a single lightbulb. The band swapped it for a purple one for mood lighting. The purple one was not bright enough to actually see anything. Colin smacked Billy in the face with the headstock of his bass during “Notres Langues Nous Trompes,” the opener. ABC volunteer Dave Powell started shouting that Billy’s eye was swollen shut and they would have to cut it open. Dave was joking. Billy pulled through. They finished the set, after putting the original lightbulb back in.
The bands who weighed in for this piece are Saetia (Steve, Billy, Colin), Lord Snow (Steph), Hundreds of AU (Tom), Nรธ Man (Matt), Uniform (Michael), Sunrot (Lex) and The State Secedes (Bob, Antonio).
The full schedule runs heavy on the back half of every night. June 12 closes with The Saddest Landscape, Hundreds of AU and Commitment.
June 13 closes with Saetia, The State Secedes and Lord Snow.
June 14 closes with Uniform, Nรธ Man and Sunrot. Genuine Connection, Burial Dance, Forever, Sharkswimmer, New Forms, Silk, Stress Spells, Reds, Venus Twins, Vacant Company, Ultra Deluxe, Wellness, Trophy Hunt, Respirator, Cryptic Swarm, Kirkby Kiss and Gre/ay fill out the rest of the three days.
First wave screamo names from the late 1990s share nights with bands that formed in the post-2020 resurgence. Tom from Hundreds of AU notes that the credit for the genre’s recent moment belongs to younger people who came up after 2020 and stayed.
Four labels are working the fest. C86’d, who dub all their cassettes in real time, hand-stamp them and hand-cut the j-cards, are putting together a benefit press of Forever’s 2026 demo and bringing reissues of Aspartame’s “Inevitably… Hesitation” alongside the debut EP “You Have to Stay” by Las Vegas band Fulsails.
Larry Records is running distro with custom clear slip covers made for the show and a stash of his catalogue, including Catalyst, Life, Widowdusk and Gillian Carter.
Iodine Recordings, which Casey started in a small Boston apartment almost thirty years ago and now runs a full-time warehouse, donated records to the raffle and has releases coming this year from Piebald and The Saddest Landscape plus a new book publishing arm.
Sunken Temple Records is putting out a fest-exclusive cassette of Saetia’s “Tendrils” EP, drawn from a misprinted first run of 100 tapes the plant let the label keep after repressing the corrected version.
Persistent Vision also sent a box of records for the raffle.
Limited to One is the only record shop at the fest. Owner Kristian bought a 7-inch collection specifically for Endless from the younger brother of a friend who used to run the Spiritfall label, the New York imprint that put out records by The Assistant and Neil Perry among others.
He is also pulling personal items from his own collection, including one of the Orchid Skull Sessions discs and an original Pg.99 test press, with three or four crates of rare punk, hardcore, emo and screamo set aside for the three days.
PM Press and Food Not Bombs are tabling alongside the labels. Steven from PM Press on what tabling a hardcore fest does that other outreach doesn’t: “When we first started going to shows as teenagers, almost thirty years ago, there were always books and zines and radical literature. We’re trying to bring that back as much as we can because music and books and social change go hand in hand.”
Gavin, speaking for ABC No Rio: “Endless Fest reconnects us with a broader community that has supported ABC No Rio across multiple generations. It feels timely and special to be able to do this on a scale this big, especially in the run-up to us moving back to 156 Rivington.” He credits the fest as a direct expression of how ABC has always worked, which is to say that volunteers come in with their interests and skills and build what they want to build. His contribution, he says, was connecting a few people, covering a couple of cross-country plane tickets, and printing the fest merch with Ru, Garry and Miriam from the ABC No Rio printshop. The rest is Aeryn and Anaรฏs.
What follows is the full interview, in everyone’s own words.
Aeryn and Anaรฏs (Endless Fest)
Where did this start? Cause first and then the lineup pulled together around it, or the lineup first and ABC followed? Walk us through the actual sequence.
Aeryn: Anaรฏs took me to my first ABC Hardcore Collective meeting where they were discussing fundraiser shows they had in the works with all the proceeds going toward the space’s reopening. After the meeting I left feeling inspired and reflected on how I could best get involved. The idea for a benefit festival came sometime between that meeting and our train ride home. Having recently parted ways with Massa Nera, I had been reflecting on my time with the band and the friends/bands who had helped make that project happen throughout the years and thought it’d be a great way to both give back to those bands and simultaneously an institution that lots of those bands grew up with.
Anaรฏs: I believe I took Aeryn for an ABC No Rio meeting about us re-opening and since we are friends with a lot of the bands on the fest we just offered to throw a fest.
Edition one with 26 bands, three labels, two orgs, a record shop and a venue partnership is a heavy lift. What did the booking process actually look like, and at what point did you know this was going to land?
Aeryn: I think the two bands I asked first were Lord Snow and Saetia because I know them on a much more personal level. Anaรฏs got Uniform. Shortly after we asked Sunrot, Commitment, Hundreds of AU, No Man, and Steve from Saetia mentioned that The State Seceded were reuniting and got us in touch with Bob.
With pretty much all of what we consider our 3 headlining spots per night, the rest of the bands came much more easily since we could offer a stacked lineup out of the gate. Organizing this has been a lot of just sorting information into a main spreadsheet, I know that’s boring but it’s how I’ve learned and done festival stage management and PR in the past. Anaรฏs worked on solidifying getting TV Eye as our venue since she works there and knows that a lot of their staff also has ties to ABC No Rio as well. Once we felt that we had the bands and venue solidified, we thought we should include more organizations and other community members to make this not only a big benefit but also the larger community getting together for the cause.
Anaรฏs: We started around the early november and we asked Saetia and Uniform first, Aeryn being friends with Saetia and me being friends with Ben from Uniform and then the rest just kinda snowball as us throwing bands that we like, played or just knew that they played or loved ABC No Rio as much as we do. C86’d’s always been part of the community and we always see them at shows so that was an obvious asked immediately.
ABC No Rio specifically: what’s your own history with the space? What did it mean to you before this became a project?
Aeryn: I knew the space through its hardcore legacy but it had closed down very shortly after I moved to NYC, along with a lot of other smaller DIY venues where I lived in Bushwick (Shea Stadium, the Pallisades, the Glove, Silent Barn, etc.). Anaรฏs actually introduced me to a lot more than I ever knew existed and I learned how important and impactful it was through her sharing her experiences with me.
Anaรฏs: ABC has always had a special place in my heart as a punk kid growing up in the lower east side. I believe I started going there when I was 19 going into 20.
In 2016 they announced they had to close down due to the building infrastructure when the Mazto Factory sold which was next to ABC and that was the moment I lost my home and community for the next 10 years. In 2024 they announced the ground breaking and the start of construction and that feeling of always searching for a home or community banished as I knew we finally won all the challenges the City, COVID and other things that had happened.
ABC is where I met my chosen family and long time friends, saw insane bands like THOU, Lord Snow, Capacities, Mischief Brew, DANGERS, Screaming Females, the list goes on. And it taught me how to organize, build communities, it taught me how much music is and will always be part of my life and as cliche it might sound it did save my life finding that place and just doing volunteer work every saturday matinee.
Bands like Saetia, The Saddest Landscape, Lord Snow, Nรธ Man, Uniform saying yes to play free for a first-time fest is not nothing. What do you think pulled them in?
Aeryn: I’m sure they all have much more in-depth answers and reasons but generally I think ABC has given this scene a lot and it feels like it was a no-brainer for everyone to want to support this space. Full disclaimer, bands that are coming from far do get a lil travel covered because we didn’t want people to go totally in the red here but no one is taking a performance guarantee of any kind.
Anaรฏs: I believe it is because we were all lucky enough to grow up and had volunteered or played or seen our first show there. ABC No Rio It’s such a staple of a community space in the punk and hardcore collective of I think music history. I remember meeting members of Saetia after a show in St. Vitus and how some of them used to also volunteer at ABC No Rio back in 1999. It felt like we were looking at old school year books and just having that special moment of shared memories generations later. It’s just such an amazing space that I felt they all said yes with no questions.
How did you split the work between the two of you? Where are your respective heads at right now, two weeks out?
Aeryn: I’ve taken the lead on a lot of electronic communication/organizing our spreadsheet since I’ve done PR and production management professionally, but Anaรฏs has pushed herself out of her comfort zone to help with a lot of this, especially when we were reaching out to bands at first. She’s our main communication to ABC and TV Eye.
She’s even out there flyering right now as I type this from Chicago at the moment. I think she’s going to especially shine with getting everyone organized in the space itself, that’s something I know I’ll struggle with being the more introverted half haha. I’m currently slightly frazzled and a little bit nervous to pull something this big off as a first one. There’s still a few last minute things with getting the sort of final pieces in line before the fest is happening but everything’s getting done one check off at a time.
Anaรฏs: I’m definitely the muscle as talking to everyone at abc no rio and tv eye and organizing. Aeryn is behind the screen and emailing, she’s the tech genius. I’m terrible at sending emails! Haha!
If Endless happens again next year, what changes? What stays?
Aeryn: I’d love to have more collaboration between the other ABC collectives for this since we’ll all be under one roof, and maybe do a few more bands. Otherwise just expanding on what we have started here.
Anaรฏs: As our first fest booking together we feel we have learned a lot more from booking and organizing such an event of this magnitude. The only thing that changes is that next year would be even more special as it would be held in the new walls of ABC No Rio.
Gavin (ABC No Rio)
Gavin, for anyone reading this who only knows the name, what is ABC No Rio in 2026? What does the space look like right now and what’s happening inside it?
Gavin: ABC No Rio is a volunteer-led, all-ages community center. At our core, we support cross-pollination between artists, musicians and activists committed to DIY spirit and social movements geared towards justice and liberation.
2026 marks a unique transition for ABC No Rio. We’re at the tail end of a 10-year period in exile without our building and we’re just months away from moving back into our new, purpose-built home at 156 Rivington.
For those who don’t know, we’ve been a radical community center since 1980. Our old building was demolished in 2016 to make way for the new one. It was hoped that the project would take two or three years, but has ended up taking almost ten! We’re now less than three months away from completing construction and are hopefully still on track to open in October or November of this year.
The new building will have everything our old community center had: a venue for shows and events, including the Saturday punk matinees; a skill-sharing silkscreen printshop; a black-and-white darkroom; a zine library; a computer lab; an art gallery for DIY group art shows; and a communal kitchen for mutual aid projects like Food Not Bombs.
And of course space for performers, artists, musicians, and community organizers and groups to hold events out and do their projects in.
Although it’s a brand-new building, it’s the same mission and many of the same volunteer collectives that have sustained ABC No Rio for decades.
During the last ten years, we’ve operated “in exile” through partnerships with other venues and organizations, including C Squat, Umbrella House, Bullet Space, The Clemente, and Silent Barn (RIP) and many others.
The history between ABC and hardcore goes back decades. From where you sit today, how would you describe that relationship now vs the Saturday matinee era?
Gavin: Our relationship to the punk and hardcore scene was always to offer a safe, accessible and inclusive all-ages space for the DIY scene to make their home in a setting removed from commercial pressures. And that’s still who we are and what we offer.
The Saturday matinees ended when the building was vacated in 2016. While the matinees will come back again when we move into the new space, it’ll take some time to connect to the punk and hardcore scenes that have grown and changed a lot in the last decade. For example, while we are still a household name to many who can remember coming to shows and playing No Rio, there is almost a whole generation that grew up without ABC No Rio in the last decade.
Saying that, we still have a relationship with the DIY punk scene, made stronger by the in exile benefit shows we’ve been doing every second-Saturday at the P.I.T (Property Is Theft).
What does a benefit of this size actually unlock for ABC? What does the money go toward, concretely?
Gavin: Well first, more importantly than money, Endless Fest reconnects us with a broader community that has supported ABC No Rio across multiple generations. It feels timely and special to be able to do this on a scale this big, especially in the run-up to us moving back to 156 Rivington.
The money raised through this fest will go directly towards funding our new PA and AV system in the new space, which is one of the final pieces needed to make the space fully operational for concerts, screenings, talks, performances and other community events.
While we did manage to fundraise beyond our means to get this building built, we at heart, are still a small grassroots, DIY collaborative. Which means the fundraising to help run the space never stops. So this fund from this event will go a long way!
We will of course also take donations, so if anyone reading this knows of any half-decent equipment lying around, get in touch.
How did Endless come together from your side? When did Aeryn and Anaรฏs come to you, and what was your first reaction?
Gavin: This was all Aeryn and Anaรฏs with help from the amazing folks at TV Eye. The work they have put into bringing all these bands and people together for this event is nothing short of inspiring. It’s a great representation of ABC No Rio as the volunteer-led organization it is. Volunteers are encouraged to come in and contribute where their interests, skills, and passions naturally align, and that’s exactly what happened with this benefit.
When Anaรฏs and Aeryn came to the punk and hardcore collective with the idea of putting on a 3 day benefit, there was huge excitement. Everyone was on board.
Really all I did was help connect a few people, take care of a couple plane ticket reimbursements for some cross-country band members and print the merch with Ru, Garry and Miriam (ABC No Rio printshop volunteers).
ABC has worked with PM Press, Food Not Bombs and other organizations for a long time. What does it mean to have those orgs sharing the room with hardcore bands at this specific fest?
Gavin: It’s symbolic of ABC No Rio’s mission of bringing radical, like-minded people, communities, and organizations together under one roof.
Having PM Press, Food Not Bombs, and all these bands together is a good representation that ABC No Rio has never just been about music or art, rather we’re a place where artists, musicians, punks, activists, and organizers come together in a spirit of camaraderie and mutual support. Bringing communities in conversation with one another can be a radical act. That’s what we’re proud to do.
What’s the next 12 months look like for ABC?
Gavin: The next 12 months will be transformative for ABC No Rio.
In three months, construction of our new building should be complete, and we’ll be able to move in and begin furnishing and equipping the space. If everything goes according to plan, we’re aiming to open in late October or early November.
All of our volunteer collectives are preparing to move back into their respective spaces within the building, and a tremendous amount of time and energy is going into making sure that when we open, we’ll have everything in place for ABC No Rio to be ABC No Rio again.
For the first time in nearly a decade, we’ll have our gallery, printshop, darkroom, zine library, computer lab, community kitchen, and performance space back under one roof.
While we’ve raised enough money to fully fund our construction project, we still have a little ways to go to fund all the furnishing and equipment for the new space. So look out for other fundraisers in the near future, or if you want to donate, visit this fundraiser.
Even better, if you want to organize a fundraiser for us, get in touch! abc (at) abcnorio.org.
Bands
ABC No Rio: what’s your relationship with the space, if any? If you’ve never been directly involved, what does it represent to you from outside?
Saetia (Steve): I was a volunteer from 1997 until 2002 when I moved out of NYC. I booked shows there from roughly 1999 until 2002. ABC was many things to me, it was a hub of my community. I met so many friends there that I still hold dear. I have many great and many crazy memories in that building. I learned so much about politics, screen printed many shirts and posters, developed my photos and made prints, moved impossibly heavy iron radiators, cleaned up puke, piss and spilled beer and so many other things at 156 Rivington. I feel I owe the organization a tremendous debt of gratitude. ABC shaped me as a person in so many ways.
Saetia (Billy): I volunteered with Food Not Bombs at ABC on Saturday mornings, starting in 1994. I would stay for the hardcore shows and that was it, my life was changed pretty quickly and I was there weekly. Eventually started attending hardcore collective meetings and getting directly involved with the collective when extra hands were needed and remained active as much as I could until I moved out of NYC in the early oughts.
Lord Snow (Steph): None of us are originally from the east coast so ABC No Rio was always this legendary space we hoped to share one day. We’ve been tapped into DIY since our teens, but ABC No Rio was something else, this beast of space/collective that proved punks can care about social issues, support the broader community and throw insane shows… not to mention keep a space alive for decades. They opened their doors to us back in 2015 (shout out to Dyami!) and it was one of our favorite shows, a mixed bill at that! (Thou // False // Lord Snow // YouthCrush)
Hundreds of AU (Tom): Growing up in New Jersey in the 90s, ABC No Rio had a lore to it that was unmistakable. I first played there in the winter of 1998 and it felt as though we had been asked to participate in something sacred (not be overdramatic here, but we were all teenagers).
Sure, it was a basement that probably had a few varieties of mold and at that time you were taking your chances leaving anything in the car, but to us it was like being initiated into something really special, where real grassroots DIY application could be seen and felt in real time.
Nรธ Man (Matt): I had the honor of getting to play ABC a bunch with my old band, Majority Rule, in the late 90s-early 2000s. It was always a stop I looked forward to and was an ideal of what a show space should be.
Uniform (Michael): Even though I’ve been in New York since 2003, my time at ABC almost exclusively took place while I still lived in Philly. I was very tight with Kill The Man Who Questions and R.A.M.B.O., bands who for reasons beyond my understanding always allowed me to tag along with them. We ran that circuit so many times that it became old hat and I will forever mourn my ability to drop in to Kate’s Joint on a whim.
Sunrot (Lex): I’m positive that one of the very first handful of shows we’ve ever played was ABC No Rio with HIRS, Ides, and other amazing bands and I met so many lifelong friends there and got so much cool merch like pins and patches I still don today! ABC No Rio has always represented the DIY / punk ethos that Sunrot has always tried to follow. We love them so much!
The State Secedes (Bob): All of us, current and past members, grew up on Long Island and started going to ABC No Rio shows as teenagers in the early and mid 1990s. At the time, many of us were just starting to write music in other bands and get involved in our local Long Island punk/hardcore scene. These were some of our earliest and most formative punk rock experiences as people. The influence it had on us is immeasurable. You went down a hatch on a ladder to the basement (sometimes flooded) and immediately knew you were in a special place. True authenticity, something that was missing in the NY scene at that time. Seemed like you’d actually found the source, the actual true essence of punk rock. The incredible music (too many amazing shows to list), art, the community action, politics. It was dangerously alluring and fantastic.
The State Secedes came a little later. By then, ABC No Rio had been the epicenter of the NYC punk scene for years. We played ABC No Rio once, on June 7, 1997, with Ire, Facade Burned Black, Discontent and Saetia. We walked around Manhattan with buckets of wheat paste putting up flyers for the show from the LES to the 59th Street bridge. That kind of conviction and madness probably speaks to our belief in what we were doing as a band, and was a nod to the importance of playing the most important punk venue of its time.
Our current and past members played ABC No Rio many times with our other bands, including Halfman, Closure, Helen of Troy, I Am The Resurrection, Books Lie and Mara’akate. Every one of us holds that place close in our hearts.
The State Secedes (Antonio): The backyard was like a Bruegel painting with punks lying here and there amongst the grass, filth, and boxed in graffitied concrete walls. Like a pastoral, idyllic, bucolic, end of the world hall of Valhalla that you were somehow lucky enough to be included in.
Why this benefit? You’ve got plenty of other booking offers in any given year. What made yes the answer here?
Saetia (Steve): ABC is special to us all as a band, we have all played and attended so many shows there. Saetia’s first show was there, I attended, and I believe the band played there more than any other venue by far. I think we all feel we owe ABC a debt of gratitude. We would jump at the chance to give back any way we can.
Lord Snow (Steph): Nothing changes. We’ve played and hosted several benefit shows and we go into them with the same earnestness and energy as any other. Sure there are some folks in attendance that just want to see their favorite bands, but the vast majority show up actually caring for the cause. And those folks bring a level of connectedness that is incredibly humbling and so unique to benefit shows.
Preserving DIY spaces is so important to us and should be important to everyone that has stepped foot into one. These spaces are sacred and survive on reciprocity. It’s an honor to contribute to the revival of ABC No Rio and we were so geeked on the offer!
Hundreds of AU (Tom): To be able to give back in any small way to a place like ABC No Rio is a no brainer for me. In addition to see amazing bands, it was one of the first real examples of successful collective cooperation that stood defiant in a city that seemed bent on erasing in favor of a more sanitized future.
Nรธ Man (Matt): I am a big fan of Aeryn and so many of the bands that are playing. That combined with an ABC benefit made this show something we had to do.
Uniform (Michael): The decision was a no-brainer. I’m not gonna say that money isn’t important to ensuring the sustainability of a 7-piece band who don’t all reside in the same time zone, but when it’s logistically feasible we’ll always prioritize a meaningful gig over a high paying one. We’re a bit on the older side and even though Uniform never had the opportunity to play ABC proper, each of us spent time at the space during our formative years. Doing this show is a great way for us to honor those memories and hopefully raise some funding so that the upcoming generations get the opportunity to have similar experiences.
Sunrot (Lex): We love playing benefits for causes we believe in or to help friends / spaces we adore. It’s an honor to be asked to play this one, we are so excited to be on this amazing bill!
The State Secedes (Bob): This is our first show in 27 years, and we have not been an active band since then. Playing this benefit fest, with both old and new friends, is the reason we are doing this. The fact that it is a benefit for ABC No Rio is the most important part for us.
What goes through your head playing a free set for a benefit vs a regular show? Does anything change in how you approach the set itself?
Saetia (Steve): Not at all. Every show is important to us. People often travel to see us since we don’t play very often. And logistics involved in us playing are a bit complicated since we live all over the country. We are incredibly grateful that we still get to do this as punk senior citizens. We owe this community (and ABC especially) a great deal and we always hope to put on a great and heartfelt show.
Lord Snow (Steph): For us, Lord Snow has always fell at an intersection of genres. We owe our early success to the screamo community but over the years we’ve found ourselves resonating with the broader DIY punk/hardcore scene… and now even the electronic noise and dance scene. We love a mixed bill!!
Hundreds of AU (Tom): One of the things that existing as a DIY entity affords us is the recognition that playing music is a privilege, usually secondary to the lifelong friendships and substantive ideas that we get exposed to through doing this. In this regard, we don’t really approach any show expecting much of a monetary gain, it’s never at the forefront. Benefit shows/festivals are baked into the blueprint of diy/punk/hc for us so I never feel much different about the approach. Though, there is a certain amount of honor we can’t help but feel when we’re asked to be a part of a benefit like this.
Nรธ Man (Matt): We bug friends in DC to play benefits all the time and they always come through. Always happy to do our part to help and it doesn’t affect how we approach a set.
Uniform (Michael): If we’re playing for free, that means proceeds are going to something we give a shit about. Spiritual resonance will always inspire us to play harder.
Sunrot (Lex): We just try to play our guts out at any and every show we get on. Benefits though can be even more special because of the comradery that all the bands have around the cause.
The State Secedes (Bob): This doesn’t really apply to us, see response to Q2.
The Endless lineup pulls together first-wave screamo names with newer heavy bands across multiple lanes. Where do you sit on that spectrum, and what does it feel like to be on a bill that connects those threads?
Saetia (Billy): As one of the ‘first wavers’, it’s a joy to share space with newer bands and learn about the way the community has changed (or stayed the same!) since we were first active 30 years ago. We love meeting and speaking with younger artists, it helps center us in our understanding of where Saetia fits into the current scene and what we can do to best support the hard work of those keeping DIY culture a revolutionary platform for marginalized voices.
Lord Snow (Steph): Cross-generational friendships and a love for community. And honestly, just bad ass people who give a damn and take action.
Hundreds of AU (Tom): We’re definitely on the “old person” part of the spectrum there. Traditionally I think punk/hc is viewed as a young person’s scene, but as we get further away from the origin point I do see more old heads sticking around, starting bands, doing shows, etc. I think credit has to be given to young folks for the resurgence of screamo and screamo related music post 2020. It’s pretty clear that the genre is having a moment among that demographic.
Nรธ Man (Matt): Nร MAN isn’t first wave but we are so old we participated in it. It’s always inspiring to see what new bands are doing and happy we are still around to be a part of it.
Uniform (Michael): Speaking as someone who didn’t grow up here, it’s funny that I used to see Saetia and The State Secedes play at ABC before knowing any of them personally. Through avenues more seedy than punk (tattoo supplies, it’s a long story) Billy and Myles wound up becoming two of my first and best friends in New York. They are my brothers and even though we’re not playing on the same day, it means a lot to know that we’re working towards the same goal. As for where Uniform sits musically on a lineup like this, I have no fucking clue but I’m honored that we get to be here.
Sunrot (Lex): Multi genre bills are the best in my humble opinion. We definitely sit on the sludgy loud and noisy part of the spectrum and we are in great company there!
The State Secedes (Bob): Being a 90s band puts us in the first wave category. We were active between 1997 and 1999 and not since then. While we, as a band, do not have experience playing with newer generation bands, as people, many of us have been active in other bands more recently and love the mix of young and old punks. This was not really a thing when we were young. There were always a few “old” punks at shows, but nothing like the generational mix you see today, both with bands and fans. We love it.
Sonically, we always aimed for a diverse sound driven by our varied individual influences. Punk and screamy hardcore music has always been a part of that, but we do think it fully describes us. The more variety of sounds and styles that can be brought together the better.
New York DIY in 2026: what’s actually keeping the scene alive right now from your vantage? What’s under threat?
Saetia (Steve): I don’t know that I’m the best one to answer this since I haven’t lived in NYC in almost 25 years. Though I am sure some things are the same everywhere. This community would not continue to thrive and exist if it weren’t for the constant influx and hard work of young people getting involved.
Lord Snow (Steph): Our second time in NYC as a four piece we’re excited to play some new material ๐
Hundreds of AU (Tom): To name a few, people like Dyami at Collective Effort, Max from Ultra Deluxe, the C86 folks; I see those folks putting together great lineups and supporting touring bands. Young folks have injected an enthusiasm into the genre over the past five years that I think took things to a new level. The difference I suppose is that there is a lack of DIY/arts spaces that aren’t profit driven. While it’s great that venues and bars are open to hosting shows, it would be great to see all ages/arts driven spaces exist again.
Sunrot (Lex): Venues are absolutely under threat, the have been for a long time. What keeps the scene alive is the people who still go to the shows, the bands who are working their asses off to put out good music, the bookers who are tirelessly finding spaces for the shows, and the culture of DIY that is still alive and well in NYC and the other boros.
One thing you’d want a reader to know about what your set at Endless is going to look like.
Saetia (Billy): Having experienced ABC in the 90s, when it was my home away from home, it will be a gratifying, full circle moment. And also sweaty.
Hundreds of AU (Tom): Gratitude is not lost on us. We understand how lucky we are to get to do this and with that comes an appreciation for the interactions and experiences that come with it. We hope we can communicate that.
Nรธ Man (Matt): We’re gonna try to play a few new songs. I’ll probably fuck up a lot but be happy while doing it.
Uniform (Michael): It’s gonna be cold, it’s gonna be grey, and it’s gonna last you for the rest of your life.
Sunrot (Lex): Sweaty hahaha. For real though, catharsis is what we hope to bring to every show. And solidarity too, especially for this show in this moment of time. Also, just a ton of love for everyone who comes through and for ABC No Rio as a whole.
The State Secedes (Bob): We are incredibly honored to reunite for this show as a benefit for ABC No Rio. Playing right before Saetia will feel like old times. I expect it will be emotional for many of us. Our music is all mood, and we will lean heavily into that for this set.
Reunions for benefit sets are rare. Why this fest, why this set, why now?
Bob: We would not be reuniting but for this fest to benefit ABC No Rio. Playing a show with friends, especially our dear friends in Saetia, is very important to us, but doing it as a benefit makes this more than just a show, and that really matters to us. We are so very grateful to be included.
What does it take to get the band into one room again after this long, even for one show? What was the conversation when Aeryn reached out, and what’s the catalog you’re actually pulling from for this set?
Bob: It’s been 27 years since we last played as a band, so it took quite a bit to pull this together. Thankfully, we’ve all remained friends and more or less in touch. When this opportunity came along, it immediately felt like the right time and right situation for us.
We’ve loved revisiting and retooling these songs for the show. Our music was always more of a living work that we would express differently at every show. Even when we recorded our album in 1998 most of the songs came together for the first time in the studio. We are pulling from that material for the show, but with new life and energy, as will always be the case when we perform live. There are some line-up changes too. We’ve always been a collective of musicians and for this iteration we have Mike Treff (Closure/Baby Teeth) and Vincent Roseboom (Helen of Troy/Gospel/Medicinal/Supervoid Coral Ensemble) with us for the first time.
Saetia and ABC No Rio: did your paths cross at the space back in the day? Any memory worth sharing here?
Steve: I spent almost every Saturday of my life there for the better part of 1997 to 2002. It was a ritual. There were so many incredible shows.
Colin: I played my first ABC show with Saetia in late 1997. This was when shows were still being done in the basement. If memory serves, there was one lightbulb for the entire space. We had the bright idea to replace it with a purple lightbulb for some mood lighting. The problem is that this one purple light was not bright enough to illuminate the room. We started our set with “Notres Langues Nous Trompes” and we couldn’t see anything. I smacked Billy in the face with the headstock of my bass and we stopped playing. I couldn’t see anything, I just heard people shouting that Billy was down. I remember ABC volunteer Dave Powell yelling that Billy’s eye was swollen shut and we’ll have to cut it open. I was freaking out. Not only did I hurt my bandmate but I was sure that I was going to get kicked out of the band during my second show with them. Luckily, Dave was joking around and Billy pulled through. We continued the rest of our set. After we replaced the purple lightbulb, of course.
You’re playing free and dropping exclusive fest merch. What went into the merch piece specifically?
Colin: Except for our last 7″, we never set out to make limited versions of our records. There were only so many versions of our LP because of issues with printing presses.
Our “Endless Fest exclusive” merch came about the same way. Our buddy, Matt Messina who runs Sunken Temple Records approached us about doing a cassette version of our “Tendrils” EP.
When the cassettes came in, Matt noticed a slight mistake (the kind only he would notice) on them. The plant repressed them but let Matt keep the original set. He came up with the idea of using them for an exclusive version for the fest. This way they won’t go to waste and we can kick the proceeds to ABC.
Labels
Exclusive fest merch or donated raffle stock is a different kind of gesture than a cash donation. Why this approach for this fest?
Larry Records (Larry): I started my label as just a massive fan of both screamo and collecting records. I always enjoyed the hunt for rare records especially. As a kid when a band had a special show edition vinyl or whatever, I would always do my best to snag. Therefore when I found out I was able to distro this show, it only makes sense that I make an exclusive merch design. For this show I had custom made clear slip covers made for my vinyl, they look great and I won’t be charging any extra for them.
C86’d (Tom / Jon): We basically run C86’d as a non-profit label where it’s self-sustaining for our shows & releases (all of our time is donated). While the label itself doesn’t have actual money to donate we can afford to donate supplies to make something special that can raise more money than we could on our own. Cash donations are something we can & often do participate in as individuals, but with the label it’s more about giving back in a way that makes sense for the event.
People can support ABC No Rio according to their means, be that buying a ticket to Endless Fest, purchasing a limited edition release to commemorate the event, or donating additional money to the cause.
Iodine Recordings (Casey): I love supporting small festivals as they were an important part of my youth, heavily influencing my taste in music. I feel that giving away music to support an event like this just helps grow the community by keeping everyone connected to the music, and also possibly exposing people to new artists.
It just feels full circle in that way.
Sunken Temple Records (Matthew): The Saetia cassette was actually misprinted on the first 100 tapes so we wound up with a number of misprint tapes that we were able to do an endless fest exclusive version with. We were blessed to have a couple of things to throw together and make a sexy release that is exclusive to the festival and supports ABC no Rio 100% with the proceeds, with love from the band and the label. Supporting and building our community is everything. Apes together strong.
What does the label do day to day right now, and what’s the connection between that work and ABC No Rio as a cause?
Larry Records (Larry): As much as I would love to make a screamo record label my main source of income, I am unable, I sadly have a career (Blegh!). Because of this, I only ship records on Saturdays. I’m totally based out of my 2 car garage, very diy! My connection to ABC goes way back. I’m from Long island. I went to many shows in the mid 2000’s and even played a few gigs with my bands in the late 2010’s. This is an incredible venue and community that has always put music first which I greatly appreciate. One show that sticks out was Weekend Nachos in 2012. I swear I thought the floor was going to give way, people were going so nuts!
C86’d (Tom / Jon): C86’d is rooted in our friendship & our love of music; we do our best to use it as a way to book shows and create safe inclusive spaces for people who love emo / screamo / punk to gather, have a good time, and speak about their politics. We tend to think very similarly, and when something makes sense we do it – whether it be releasing a tape by a band, booking a show for touring musicians, or pulling our limited resources together to do something special for a cause. We hold DIY ethos very closely and all of our cassettes are dubbed in real time, handstamped, and jcards handcut.
ABC No Rio has been a vital part of NYC’s punk community and outlasted many other DIY spots that were founded with the same ideals we hold. NYC is extremely lacking in third spaces & ABC No Rio has for years provided a vital space for music, art, and ideas – that is something we would like to see more of, participate in, and will do what we can to help make it happen.
Iodine Recordings (Casey): I feel very lucky that Iodine has grown to what it has, which now employs a small but dedicated full time staff and warehouse operation. Iodine at its core is completely DIY and strongly preserves that ethos. I started the label in my tiny cramped apartment in Boston almost 30 years ago, and did it without having ever taken money from any large corporations. Sweat, blood, and tears built this label. We don’t have a specific connection to ABC No Rio other than our desire to support others in the community who share our values and support underground music. Having been to the original ABC No Rio as a kid in the 90s, it holds a special place in our shared history.
Sunken Temple Records (Matthew): I just continue putting work in to make physical documentation of the most proper and beautiful bands that I have contact with. I grew up playing ABC and saw so many amazing bands in that beautiful space. Supporting the present and future of this amazing thing of ours is of the upmost importance. I’m still playing in bands and trying to get behind as many amazing artists as I can, I’ve been blessed to come into contact with so many incredible people that create music and art on the high-level.
Resistance is the position. I support anyone who creates art in support of liberation.
Independent labels showing up at benefits for orgs like ABC: is that a tradition that’s holding up in 2026, or something you have to actively keep alive?
Larry Records (Larry): Due to my real life being very busy with my career and child (Baby 2 coming soon!) I dont get to go to shows so much. Even so I absolutely love what ABC represents and the shows they used to put on. When I was younger and maybe not so happy, diy shows were the best outlet and gave my life great purpose. Im proud to be a part of something so great and hope ABC continues on in perpetuity!
C86’d (Tom / Jon): We take a lot of inspiration from the late 90s / early 2000s scenes, providing social resources for deportation defence, info about political causes we are passionate about, and anything else that feels natural for the space we exist in. Just as the scene helped guide us into socially aware politics, we try to use this space to expose younger members of the scene to some of these ideas they might not encounter in life outside of punk. Fund raising is pretty natural to us as our first release & show were to benefit Palestine Children’s Relief Fund in 2024, and last year we threw a benefit with Risk Yo Life & Trans-Pecos to raise money for our good friend who has been battling cancer. We consider it a privilege to participate in Endless Fest & are very excited to work with our friends in Forever on a special release for the event!
Iodine Recordings (Casey): Supporting small organizations like this is critical for labels, artists, and everyone in the community. Sadly, I’ve seen the corporatization of independent music and festivals over the years leading to the decline in smaller independent venues and events. Iodine has taken on the dedication to support smaller festivals every year, and has been a major sponsor of over six annual underground music festivals in hopes of keeping them alive and thriving.
Sunken Temple Records (Matthew): I and we grind for everyone doing it themselves, whatever the manifestation. Making your own art and supporting your friends and other people that do the same thing is of the upmost importance. ABC no Rio has always represented a foundation of that concept, for support and a place to breathe. Punk rock is alive and well within the concept of everything ABC stands for, and I am so proud to support and get behind the future of our incredible community.
What are you releasing or working on right now that people should know about?
Larry Records (Larry): I dont like to spoil my future releases, but I have a ton of really great stuff out right now.
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Records from top bands in the scene like Catalyst, Life, Widowdusk, Gillian Carter and so much more! My 8 year anniversary is August 16th! Stay tuned for that. I have a big record I’m dropping that day and all kinds of fun sales and merch stuff.
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C86’d (Tom / Jon): We’ve already had a prolific year for a fully DIY label with releases by Ambretta (AZ), youreyesinmine (MD & PA), No Fooling (NYC), and Fortress (NYC).
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So this question comes at a very fun time for us as our primary focus at the moment is new releases! In addition to a Endless Fest x ABC No Rio Benefit press of Forever’s 2026 Demo, we are also working on a repress of NYC’s now defunct emo darlings Aspartame’s “Inevitablyโฆ Hesitation” (originally our second release) and the equally emo debut EP by Las Vegas’ Fulsails called “You Have to Stay”. Both the Aspartame & Forever cassettes will be available for the first time at the fest.
Iodine Recordings (Casey): Iodine is always working on something special! We’ve been targeting 12-15 physical releases a year with both new albums and classic reissues. This year we’ve got projects ranging from Piebald to The Saddest Landscape and beyond.
But excitingly, we have also unveiled a new book publishing arm of the label with multiple books in the pipeline! We love all of our fans for supporting both the label and underground music as a whole.
Sunken Temple Records (Matthew): The State Secedes cassette is next up, vinyl by Linkwork Records forthcoming.
Cloudkicker “Solitude” cassette, Herjaza LP co-release with Council Records. Calvary discography in the works, Kirkby Kiss/Medicinal live on WFMU cassette; The Judas Iscariot discography LP/CS combo release with Linkwork is also coming.
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Limited to One (record shop)
The fest cap is one record store and you’re it. What’s the story behind being asked, and how did it come together?
Kristian: That’s a really good question. I hope that it’s because we have been a part of this community since we opened in 2017. It could be cause we know a lot of the bands playing and that we have even done some “store exclusives” with a bunch of them (i.e. The Saddest Landscape, Nรธ Man, New Forms, Sharkswimmer, and maybe one or two more).
More than anything, I think we were asked because this music, this scene and these bands have meant a lot to me and my store for a while now.
I have always loved going to a fest or a show and there would be a little distro or a store that would be selling there. I / We are very excited to be THAT store at Endless.
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What does Limited to One look like as a shop right now, and who’s your customer base in NYC?
Kristian: Our customer base kind of started out as older hc / punk / DIY heads at first. I have always connected with that scene since moving to NYC in 1999. A friend of mine introduced me to ABC No Rio back then because he put out a few records from the Assistant, Neil Perry, (and a few more) on his tiny label Spiritfall. So I have always connected with that community and the people within it.
However as we have grown, so has our customer base. It’s been really exciting to see younger and younger people come in and be so excited about older hc / screamo / diy stuff. Then to see those same people start bands and put out records we carry.
I am so happy with our clientele. And I really feel honored that Limited to One has been welcomed as one of the shops that a younger generation has embraced.
Record stores and DIY hardcore have always had a weird, sometimes distant relationship. Where does Limited to One sit in that?
Kristian: Before opening up the shop, I have always loved going record shopping and felt that without my local record store, I would be missing out on a lot of newer (and older) music.
There was a small store that was in the LES when I first moved to NYC named Sound and Fury. I loved this shop and every time I walked in, they would know my name and would automatically be able to make suggestions on what I like, just from getting to know me.
That is exactly what I wanted LTO to be for this generation (and older ones). So I have strived to not only know about older bands and titles but be active in the newer artists performing and playing.
What are you bringing to the tables, and is anything in particular tied to the benefit?
Kristian: What am I bringing to the fest?
I intentionally went out and bought an amazing 7 inch collection from an older friend’s little brother. I mentioned him earlier, he was the one who owned the label Spiritfall. So I knew this collection would have a lot of bands and artists that everyone would be looking forโฆ (including a ton of Ebullition earlier titles, Frail, Mineral, You and I, and that sort of thing). So look out for that.
I also raided a lil bit of my personal collection including one of the Orchid Skull Sessions and an original Pg99 test press. I have about 3-4 crates of rare punk, hc, emo and screamo I have stashed aside just for the fest.
PM Press
For anyone unfamiliar with your chapter or work: a short intro to what you actually do day to day.
PM Press (Steven): PM Press is an independent, radical publisher of critically necessary books for these tumultuous times. In the years since our founding in 2007, and on a mere shoestring, PM Press has risen to the formidable challenge of publishing and distributing knowledge and entertainment for the struggles ahead. PM has published an impressive and stimulating array of literature, art, music, politics, history, and culture. Using every available medium, PM Press has succeeded in connecting those hungry for ideas and information to those putting them into practice.
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ABC No Rio: what’s the working relationship like, and why does this specific benefit matter to you?
PM Press (Steven): Many of us at PM Press and our extended family of authors, artists, activists have supported ABC No Rio over the years through benefits, attending art and music shows, playing some shows, promoting events, donating books, and more. This benefit matters because ABC No Rio is a crucial institution and space that fosters creativity and puts radical, community-driven theory into practice at a time when independent spaces are under constant attack. Ideally, every city large and small would have a place like ABC No Rio.
Tabling at a hardcore fest is a specific kind of outreach. Who do you reach this way that you don’t reach otherwise?
PM Press (Steven): Since we produce and sell books about radical politics, culture, art, music, fiction, graphic novels and much more, we reach people who are hungry for alternative ideas. When we first started going to shows as teenagers, almost thirty years ago, there were always books and zines and radical literature. We’re trying to bring that back as much as we can because music and books and social change go hand in hand.
What’s the connection between your work and the bands on this bill, beyond shared values?
PM Press (Steven): Everyone does their part to support great causes like ABC No Rio, whether it’s the bands playing, show staff working, PM Press providing radical literature, and everyone involved in making this benefit happen. We’re truly honored to be a part of it.
If someone reads this and wants to plug in to your work locally, where do they start?
PM Press (Steven): They can go to the “About” page at pmpress.org and click “Get Involved.” That’s the best way to learn about what we do and how to connect. In fact, anyone can get books of their own to table cool literature any punk and hardcore shows they want, just let us know!
Endless Fest 2026
Dates: June 12, 13 and 14, 2026
Venue: TV Eye, Brooklyn, NY
Beneficiary: ABC No Rio โ funds go directly toward the PA and AV system at 156 Rivington
Donate: abcnorio.org/support/donate
Contact ABC No Rio: abc (at) abcnorio.org
Day-by-day schedule (set times PM, subject to change)
Friday, June 12
- 11:15 โ The Saddest Landscape (@thesaddestlandscape)
- 10:30 โ Hundreds of AU (@hundredsofau)
- 9:45 โ Commitment (@commitment.phl)
- 9:00 โ Stress Spells (@stress.spells)
- 8:15 โ Reds (@redsismean)
- 7:30 โ Venus Twins (@venus_twins)
- 6:45 โ Vacant Company (@vacantcompany)
- 6:00 โ Ultra Deluxe (@ultradeluxe_)
Saturday, June 13
- 10:00 โ Saetia (@saetianyc)
- 9:15 โ The State Secedes (@thestatesecedes) โ first show in 27 years
- 8:30 โ Lord Snow (@lordsnowband)
- 7:45 โ Burial Dance (@burialdance)
- 7:00 โ Forever (@iwantedforever)
- 6:15 โ Genuine Connection (@itsagenuineconnection)
- 5:30 โ Sharkswimmer (@sharkswimmerband)
- 4:45 โ New Forms (@newforms.tv)
- 4:00 โ Silk (@hello.silkyy)
Sunday, June 14
- 10:00 โ Uniform (@uniform_nyc)
- 9:15 โ Nรธ Man (@nomanband)
- 8:30 โ Sunrot (@sunrot.music)
- 7:45 โ Wellness (@wllnssnyc)
- 7:00 โ Trophy Hunt (@trophy.hunt)
- 6:15 โ Respirator (@respirator.nyc)
- 5:30 โ Cryptic Swarm (@crypticswarmhc)
- 4:45 โ Kirkby Kiss (@kirkby_kiss)
- 4:00 โ Gre/ay (@gre.slash.ay)
Labels at the fest
- C86’d โ exclusive benefit press of Forever’s 2026 demo, plus reissues of Aspartame’s “Inevitably… Hesitation” and Fulsails’ “You Have to Stay”
- Larry Records โ distro with custom clear slip covers made for the show; 8 year anniversary release dropping August 16
- Iodine Recordings โ donated records for the raffle
- Sunken Temple Records โ fest-exclusive Saetia “Tendrils” cassette, pulled from the misprinted first run
- Persistent Vision โ donated box of records for the raffle
Record shop
Limited to One โ only shop at the fest. 7-inch collection acquired specifically for Endless, including Ebullition titles, Frail, Mineral, You and I. Personal collection drops include Orchid Skull Sessions and an original Pg.99 test press.
Organisations
- PM Press โ independent radical publisher tabling at the fest
- Food Not Bombs โ tabling, longtime ABC No Rio collaborator
Organised by
Aeryn Santillan and Anaรฏs (Genuine Connection), with Gavin and the ABC No Rio Hardcore Collective, and the team at TV Eye.
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