Traveling Haüs to bring DJ Susan to San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo entertainment collectives Traveling Haüs and SubSessions have partnered together to host the highly-followed DJ Susan at The Siren El Chorro on June 8. The event will also feature performances by local DJs, including Tarzan, Sam Stearns, Mackē, ZAHN and Traveling Haüs’ co-founders from 4-10 p.m.
Co-founder of Traveling Haüs and Cal Poly journalism senior Luke Garcia said the show will be a “groovy house music event” that overlooks the rolling green hills of Dairy Creek Golf Course. Attendees can expect a “top-notch” audio system, with sufficient lighting after sunset.
There will be a lot of breathing room, along with a jungle-themed stage. Attendees should also be excited to experience the energy from the performers, Garcia said.
Garcia said he is most excited about working with DJ Susan this weekend since this is the first time Traveling Haüs was able to book such a large name.
“He loves this town, and he loves the energy here,” Garcia said.
DJ Susan is a San Diego-based DJ who has performed at Miami Music Week, Ultra Music Festival, Coachella and 2023’s Shabang Live Music & Arts Festival, according to a press release by Traveling Haüs.
One theme central to all of DJ Susan’s events is a sense of community and love. He carries on this energy within his music label, Hood Politics — which he described as “one big family that supports each other unconditionally,” in an interview with EDM Identity.
He has created the motto “Good Vibes Worldwide,” with a mission to spread positivity and love in an industry that commonly lacks it. He emphasizes the importance of inclusiveness, with his label containing over 200 releases from over 50 countries worldwide, according to the EDM Identity interview.
Various vendors will also offer food, jewelry, clothing and accessories at the event. An indoor bar will also be available for those 21 and over.
Tickets can be purchased here.
About the collectives
Traveling Haüs has hosted pop-up raves, house shows and local events since the spring of 2022, according to the event press release. Founded in 2017, SubSessions sets out on a very similar journey, intending to inspire others with a cultivated connection through art, music and movement, according to their website.
“When I was old enough to go, I started going to music festivals when I was, like, 15. My first one was Outside Lands,” Garcia said. “It’s a passion for sure.”
Since then, he has gone to 31 festivals.
The COVID-19 pandemic quarantine may have very well been the catalyst that kickstarted Garcia’s DJ career. He missed many things, including his high school graduation, but he focused his time on his passion, which was music.
“I just watched so many YouTube videos and just got super into it, which led me to purchase a DJ board and teach myself how to DJ,” he said.
It took Garcia until his sophomore year at Cal Poly to gain the confidence to start performing, and when he did, his career took off. He would go on to perform on live streams, as well as at various house shows and Shabang’s 2024 festival campsite.
One of Garcia’s most groundbreaking shows was at Pirate’s Cove.
“Like 200 people came and it was just like, you know, there’s people here for it,” Garcia said.
After being introduced to more of the DJ scene in his sophomore year, Traveling Haüs founder and business administration senior Kaia Aldridge decided to learn how to mix at his friend’s house. He fell in love with the music and started to practice mixing different tracks, sometimes until 4 a.m.
Aldridge started getting good feedback at house shows, which encouraged him to do more. He loved seeing others enjoy and dance to his music and wanted to establish a comfortable environment for people.
“It takes one person to start that fire in a crowd to let people be comfortable with themselves. To shamelessly let themselves free,” Aldridge said.
With some speakers and lasers from Amazon, Aldrige successfully transformed his backyard into a venue. He believes the energy a DJ presents is the energy the crowd reciprocates.
“It’s the feedback loop,” Aldridge said. “I’m smiling, we smile at each other, and now you’re smiling.”
Garcia and Aldridge met in the on-campus dorms. Both shared a love for music and decided to collaborate.
“We kind of established a company and we’re like, okay, let’s put the pedal down. Let’s become an LLC,” Garcia said.
Garcia made this collaboration his senior project, making Traveling Haüs an official company. After establishing Traveling Haüs, the duo was able to book more and more shows, growing as a team and organization. This year, they started to host larger shows and receive consistent payment.
“We’ve had some events that have failed, and a lot that have succeeded,” Garcia said. “We still have fun with it, because I’m working with my friends. It makes it 10 times more enjoyable.”
As more money has come in, the organization has been able to update equipment and grow a consistent following, with about 1,800 Instagram followers.
Garcia said his favorite part about his job is seeing the result of their hard work come to fruition. It takes a lot of sweat and energy to get the proper permits, insurance and set-up for shows, but seeing it come together into one product at the end makes it all worth it, he said.
“We’re always working towards one central thing, and seeing the smiles on people’s faces at our events, and just people dancing, having a good time, knowing that we were able to create this experience for them is 100 percent the most fulfilling part,” Garcia said.
Knowing that people enjoy the shows makes every moment worth it for Garcia, he said.
Garcia and Aldridge plan to continue working with each other after graduating in June. For more information on Traveling Haüs and upcoming events, follow @travelinghaus on Instagram.
