The First Sunset Beats — Pacifica, California

Sunset Beats began with a simple setup: a Pioneer DDJ-400, a laptop, a JBL PartyBox, and about a dozen friends by the ocean in Pacifica.

On June 13, 2020, we gathered to listen to music and enjoy the sunset. I played while friends hung out, the light changed over the water, and paragliders floated overhead.

I’d started DJing the year before, and this was a chance to share the music I loved in a different setting. A table overlooking the Pacific became the DJ booth, with everything we needed right there.

Looking back, that small gathering was the beginning of Sunset Beats. More parties would follow, but the idea started here: friends, music, and a sunset by the ocean.