@realblackcoffee at the @theshellsd 🐚 was soooo good 🤩 The energy, the music, the whole atmosphere… omg, such an unforgettable night! ❤️🔥🔥✨🙌🏽🌙 Huge shoutout to @jimbo_james for opening for @realblackcoffee along with @djstevelawler 🔥 Everyone absolutely brought the heat to San Diego that night 😍 The vibes were high, the crowd was electric, and the music had everyone dancing nonstop. Being on stage capturing these moments was honestly so fun and inspiring. The lights, the sounds, the people, and the energy all together felt so magical ✨ Definitely one of those nights that reminded me why I love music and capturing these memories so much ❤️🔥📸 A night I will never forget 🙏🏽 Feeling truly grateful and humbled to have experienced it all. And omg our girl @kessap being the stage manager for this event and witnessing how hard she worked was seriously amazing! 🥹👏🏽 You go girl!!! So proud of you ❤️✨
Proud Mama getting her babies down for basically their only nap.
SSBD 2025 is in the books. My Absolute Rockstars - were my headliner. My team. I felt so supported, I had so much trust & you all pushed yourselves while making it look easy & having the best time doing it. Thank you for going above and beyond & doing more than should be asked of you, of us. For each piece that was easier and more organized we added another hour to our day, in programming & artist needs. You brought me insight and feedback so we could only improve. All I can hope is that I gave you the same support & care you showed me and each other.
I hope we can keep doing this, keep making it easier, keep having more fun & continue to be this weird little family.
I always say my favorite thing about SSBD is the people. This whole entire staff is unbelievably talented, extremely devoted, wildly creative, and unreasonably funny. I love you all and I am so proud of each and every one of you!
I left this year tired as always, but with a cup full - pride love & inspiration.
Thank you @theafghanman for passing me this tour b & @mrbradsweet & @peatsbeats for your continued trust in me.
Pt. 2 - The people, the folks, the family.
This group of knuckleheads made me feel at home, kicked butt at their jobs, worked together in unison and most of all we took care of one another. I left Sunday morning in tears of goodbye, the best part was them.
Hats off to @yourbrobigchip for the incredible staffing!
Tribute to my most honorable mention.
The other side of my brain.
Artist Hospitality Director, rider aficionado.
The green room visionary.
Keeper of all snacks & amenities.
My ride or die & stay up all night & day & night again.
@stephoyo I can’t imagine a festival without you by my side & I can’t imagine a @ssbdfest where we don’t emerge from the trenches to enjoy a sunrise set.
Your creativity is inspiring, the efforts and love you put into this project is priceless. The support you provide me is insurmountable & no detail goes unnoticed. The support guidance & care you provide to our team. I want to thank you with every fiber of my being and every piece of matter in this universe for standing in arms beside me. Bringing your best to each task, each challenge while continuing to make everyone’s day around you brighter. I vow to continue to put in the effort to make your job easier, lighten your load and give you the time and space to do the parts that fill your cup & where you shine your brightest. I will also never leave you alone at 5am to empty out a U-Haul.
Here’s to another amazing year, but let’s keep learning growing and doing it better. Making it easier on us & our team. Making sure we get more sleep & have even more fun.
I am honored & gracious I get to call you my partner in this wild world of AR.
A message from AR
@ssbdfest is a grassroots independent festival that is put on by a family of friends who are all creators with a love for music, art, magic and fun. We want to welcome these artist & teams into this circle of wonder so they can give that back to the attendees on stage. The attendees come for the artists but comeback for the love, joy and excitement that makes this place so special.
This was the mission statement I wrote to set the ethos & the tone for my team this year. I stand behind every word. I continue to be blown away by the creativity, the heart, the efforts and soul that goes into each and every piece of this festival. From the moment I stepped into this festival 3 year ago, I felt a welcomed belonging and each year these bonds grow tighter and more beautiful relationships blossom.
2024 came with a new set of challenges, I spared you the photos of a swollen blistered fire ant bitten foot, which led to an offsite trip to urgent care. A lot of key learnings to continue growing in a position of leadership. Empowering & entrusting my team. Knowing when enough is enough.
I feel so in love with this place, this space, and all the people who create it. I will continue to challenge us to make it better for them, but more importantly for us. The magic we make permeates these grounds and leaves an extra sparkle in all of the attendees eyes. Our artists always remind me how things feel different here. The family is felt, SSBD is a warm hug, uncontrollable laughter, exponential growth & I hope we always get to do it with passion.
Let’s do it exactly the same next year, but totally different.
