Instagram story viewer> @gon.__.zo> Posts

Gonzo

@gon.__.zo

1.4K

followers

1028

following

stage and lighting designer🛠💡
Carpenter, production lead and build director
@sub.sessions @afternoonumbrellafriends

POSTS STORIES REELS

Freakuency 2024 😮‍💨 you were hands down the most challenging event mentally and emotionally. Not only did I design the tallest standing structure I’ve set out to complete, I designed TWO of the tallest structures I’ve ever tried to pull off. One being 20ft and the other at 30ft

I sent @trippypants_music on the largest sewing project she’s had to date with 250 yards of fabric. I finally got to incorporate projections into a stage again. I also tried to complete a transforming stage which I unfortunately could not manage since I plugged the scissor lift in to charge after night 1 into a dead outlet 😅 leading @tylerdudesir to pull car batteries out of our vehicles to move the damn thing off the dance floor of the Coven’s Den during sound check

We had a 2 day load in/build, party, return for another build, party, and come back to strike it all at once. I really tested my limits with these projects and unfortunately found a ceiling. I made more mistakes and miscalculations than I have ever before which made my life hell and put a lot of extra work on our team. Some things that were out of our control and things that were 100% my fault.

With that being said the most kick ass, hardcore, metal m’er f’ers that is our production&admin team managed to pull it all off and have my back and pick up my slack where I just couldn’t in my time of feeling defeated. I couldn’t be more thankful for these freaks😮‍💨 However I can’t and won’t let this take me down or stop me from growing and breaking through the ceiling I found.

At the end of the day I am extremely happy with the outcome and what our team time after time showcases what we can pull off when we work together.

On top of all that, this event did bring people back into my life I haven’t seen in years and brought new extremely talented and passionate players onto our team. It let me share my with even more people, and along the way I got to inspire a few souls. So there’s really nothing I should complain or beat myself up about, we still completed to full large scale stages. I just need to be more methodical and efficient in my work

Til next time🫡 by @gon.__.zo

Ever since I started my career as a designer, I’ve always felt that it’s been my job to push the boundary of what a stage can be and what type of presence it can hold by straying away from industry standards and doing what feels right to me. I have to ask myself how the space I’m working in can be curated in order to make the audience think and feel a certain way or to fit a theme.

In this specific case mind control/conditioning the masses was the assignment. I wanted to take this huge space and make it more cohesive for the genre of music, to blend the crowd with the performer, and make it feel like we were all connected in a new way. Instead of making a huge spectacle of a stage everyone stares at all night I wanted to extended the stage into the dance floor to create a cozier vibe that made the whole venue feel like the perfect spot to dance.

It’s taken me over 2 years to pull this design out of my back pocket but I don’t think there could have been a more perfect night for this dream to come to life! 550’ of LEDs, 1000’ of data/power cable, 60 ratchet straps, 60 2x4x8s, months of planning, 1 week of preproduction build, 25 hours to install and a whole lot of helping hands

Being trusted to handle such a huge task like this is the reason I moved to San Diego, thanks for supporting and believing in me everyone 🙏🏽 I got more out of pocket designs I’ve been gatekeeping so I am NO where near done yet not while we got this traction going😈

Thank you to everyone who helped me make this a reality🖤 special mention’s: @mateonavarro619 @boo_sparks @yourfriendbenny @mom3ntsprod @tylerdudesir @jarglesford by @gon.__.zo

Troifalitity (troi-fuh-lih-titty)

Troika, Faculty, Stability: these are the pillars which this structure is secured by. Without these virtues in our hearts and on the field, all will crumble and nothing will last.

Troifalitity is a standing statement in the present moment that propels us as a community into the future that is influenced by our past interactions. Troifalitity is a structure created by the strong angles of triangles, a shape which represents both masculine and feminine energy. When working together, greater shapes and ideas form. A creation of limitless depth and layers that centers our focus on a moment in time to reflect upon, appreciate, and cherish.

Troifalitity is a stable entity with life crafted by several local collectives within our community who are coming together to build physically, mentally, and emotionally. A physical symbol that represents the complexities and intricacies in us all as artists uniting together to create a thought provoking stage and a mentally stimulating illusion.

The only way such art can come to be so grand and impactful is by a collective effort. A stage that allows our friends and family to have the platform to stand upon to share their love and passions with the world. Troifalitity represents us all as one larger collective breaking past the barriers that separate us, a union of peace, love, and passion. It’s a physical object that creates a portal for everyone to begin the festival season with limitless opportunities and new doors to run through.

Thank you @theafternoonumbrellafriends for allowing me the opportunity to shine with what I do best and create such a beautiful structure with and for you all. It was an honor to be this years designer and lead build director. Can’t wait for next year’s renditions to Troifalitity 😈 by @gon.__.zo

Those whole believe the road to success is a lonely one couldn’t be any more wrong. This past weekend my family and I came together after a long hiatus to make magic happen. This community @sub.sessions has cultivated over the past 5 years is nothing short of amazing. The intention and purpose behind every detail, the love and labor in the execution, support and collaboration and motivation to share it all is beyond me.

Back when I was in college grinding tooth and nail to curate a scene for music and art was a tough one, I received push back at every turn but never gave up. Then one day I was taken to SLO for a renegade where I met some amazing life long friends and was invited to work at Stoke the World where I found the community I belong to. Since then my career in this scene has skyrocketed due to the constant support I receive from these amazing people. Subsessions has always without a second thought provided me a platform to do what I do best at full throttle.

Nightlife Savings Vol. 3 was a huge step up for all of us from the art, music, merch, harm reduction, sound, lights, projections and STAGE.

I’ve never been more proud of myself and my friends for what we were able to produce. Thank you to all who contributed and supported in any capacity. I love you all and can’t wait to do it again💖💙 by @gon.__.zo

Wow what an incredible experience this was. I’m incredibly honored to have been able to be apart of this team to build my favorite stage at my favorite festival

This lib was truly a full circle experience for me. My first festival was snow globe 2015 which was my first intro to the festival scene. But it wasn’t until my first lib in 2017 that really made me realize that this was the industry I want to be apart of. The amount of love, creativity, and generosity I experienced was unreal

Back then I only knew my squad of 5 in the entire venue and this year I had no trouble finding friends in every corner, pocket and dance floor. Not only do I have friends all over the festival as attendees but I knew a staggering amount of people behind the scenes capturing and running the show

I fell in love with the event so much that my 2nd year I applied to be a volunteer which ended up in me designing and building the desert heart take over stage. Then I moved onto throwing dolab themed parties in college as my ode to inspiration the dolab lit in me. Now to finally return back to the festival after Covid was already special in itself

This year I was invited to be the carpenter for the Woogie stage personally by Glitzern grime from a reference from the dolab, and let me tell you what an absolute dream that was for me. I was literally shaking for hours after receiving that phone call.

This festival and the way I got to experience it this year was the perfect end to my 12 festival circuit for 2022. I’m still trying to puzzle together the words for what I’ve experienced this year. The existing bonds I have have grown exponentially with some of the most amazing humans on this planet. The number of new connections and friends I’ve made along the way are some of the best gifts I have ever received. The music I’ve experienced and danced to is world class. The art I’ve been able to see and create has challenged me and made me grow in so many ways. The laughs and hugs I’ve exchanged with loved ones will be cherished forever

Hard work really does pay off and the amount of energy you put out into the universe really does comes back around

time to take my work worldwide 🌍 by @gon.__.zo

Quick life appreciation post for both my little bro and I and how far we’ve come in the scene despite Covid completely shutting down our industry. I’m proud of both of us for finding our niche way to share our creations and love for dance music in as many different ways/places as possible. Started off festival season properly with @theafternoonumbrellafriends , now catch us both weekend after weekend rippin tracks and installing art with some of the biggest names in the game!

Stay tuned for some cool shit👀

📸 @storiesbysay by @gon.__.zo

So a few things, I got this projection mapping thing down, I got the live stream thing down, Tyler is back in town with the decks, I bought some new content, and I’m moving out of this house in less than 2 weeks so ima DJ about it for hours tomorrow with my little :) 8-9 @tyler__chase 9-10 yours truly and then b2b Tom foolery after that

Mind of Michélin on twitch, I’ll drop the link tomorrow✌🏽 As always, video credit to @oddromo by @gon.__.zo

Not keen on how my 5 years here abruptly ended but I’m ready as hell to gtfo and moved down to SLO and start doin bigger tings with the homies @sub.sessions
PC @oddromo by @gon.__.zo

HEY YALL, so it really starting hitting me last night and especially this morning that everything including commencement is cancelled. I’ve been at this school almost 5 years and I’m not gonna be able to walk and receive a diploma in person let alone see all the homies in one place again. Like I get it but fuck, man. So with that I want to share with you all the COTATI GRAS after movie to remind us of the great times we’ve had at this place, together. Since we can’t make it a full year without some type of disaster hopefully this reminds you of those moments we did have together. I miss all y’all for real, live streams and new mixes from remote locations coming soon🖤

shout @oddromo for always doing a bang up job on these videos by @gon.__.zo

holy shmoly Cotati Gras, we did the damn thing!!! A dream of mine since freshmen year came true this past Saturday by curating a 4 stage multi genre music festival and it went off without a hitch. Like I seriously don’t think the things we can accomplish at @bodylanguageproductions will ever truly have any limit. We dream too big and work too hard on a regular basis and don’t let anyone stop us. I am relieved and filled with so so sooOoOoOOO much happiness to see such a magical and unique event come to life and run so well especially in an area where these things never happen and aren’t encouraged. Everywhere I looked I saw dancing booties, smiling faces, and great music and I honestly can’t think of a better reward. Y’all really need to stay tuned to see what BLP gon be doing in the near future 👀 I’m kinda scared of what we’re capable of..
Thank you to all the volunteers, artist, media personnel, cotati crawl, Girl Scouts, local businesses, and all of you who attended from all parts of california, it meant everything to me to see everyone come together in one small town to party for 12 hours🖤 #cotatigras #seeyousoon
ps : I’ll be posting my 2 hour sunset mix v soon ;) pc: @oddromo by @gon.__.zo

A couple of years ago someone asked me “why are you trying so hard?” When it came to setting up these parties, and I simply answered with “because I can.” And since that day that’s been one of the driving forces that pushes my creativity to find new limits to break. Don’t ever be afraid to pick up a tool and start creating, you never know where it can take you. I genuinely felt like I was at the woogie this weekend and it took less than $200, some helping hands, and a backyard. (I hope you don’t mind but I borrowed one of your designs @thedolab @do.design ) ((hire me)) by @gon.__.zo