2019
A glance at my phone. That’s all it took to find some sort of divine intervention on a random Tuesday night in the hub of Hermosa Beach. We all want to believe in some sort of higher frequency, a bigger meaning to life, a higher consciousness, and that’s all it takes, believing, trusting the process, growing pains and all. That’s what makes us human.
There I was, in the middle of the dance floor, high as a kite, writing notes on my phone to capture the essence of the night. Graduating from Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, I was surrounded by my old classmates. From the cute guys I saw down the hall, to the guy who had a locker right next to me, from the girls who I didn’t “click” with, it felt like a high school reunion. That didn’t stop me from having a good time. I was there for a reason. People from my hometown have made impacts in the dance music world. From one high school classmate turned Dj/producer touring worldwide and releasing multiple tracks on Deadmau5’s label, to a middle school classmate who became a Dj/producer with his own record label, and plays all over the world, tonight was created by a former class mate.
Alex Norocea started throwing House Tuesdays, dance music curated events in the epicenter of bar mania, Tower 12 Hermosa Beach in the Summer of 2019. Every Tuesday night acts like Kill Frenzy, Gene Farris and even John Summit would tear the place apart! This time they had local DJ legend, Doc Martin. When I saw a name like that, in my hometown, where there are no real dance music nightclubs, I had to check it out.
The environment consisted of partiers, drinkers, old frat bros, just fucking around. I thought to myself, were they really listening to the music? Were they there for the actual music? Were they there to support the homie throwing the event? Did they know who Doc Martin was or about Chicago house? Did they know where this all came from? Most likely not, but that’s the beauty of music, we all gather as one. The music brings us together, from privileged white students who have lived all their lives in the bubble of Manhattan Beach, to the ones who dedicate their lives to the sound. When dance music has such a special place in ones heart, it guides one through life. The connection of souls through a higher vibration of sound is music medicine. There’s reasons dopamine is released into the brain when we listen to music.
I felt like a techno snob, while others would just coin this another night out drinking, it was by far more extraordinary than ordinary.
That night was crazy, in a metaphysical way. I wasn’t on any psychedelic, but there was something about the last full moon that set something off. Energies and frequencies aligned. I knew I needed to be there that night, not only because I love house music and Doc Martin, but because I had an intuition that good things would happen. I didn’t know what would happen, but it manifested itself, unfolding right in front of my eyes, almost like a dream.
Our energies must have found each other. Although he could’ve been the age of my dad, something clicked. I was there to listen, to open my mind, in ways I didn’t think was possible. I knew he knew Doc Martin. I knew he was there for a reason too. Maybe to restore faith in my writing, to send a story out into the world, open to interpretation, yet grounding and dear to the heart.
Ryan was his name and his business trip in the South Bay happened to occur when Doc Martin was playing in Hermosa. A vulnerability vail was brought down. Anything and everything was up for discussion. I listened as if this was all a dream teaching me a life lesson, or many lessons in that case. I asked if you were a Burner and you explained you were there for the first 3 burns. I hadn’t experienced Burning Man yet but yearned to go.
Although it seemed odd from a strangers point of view, a young 26 year old surrounded by the same aged folks, talking to a man twice her age. But I didn’t care, because I knew I was living in the moment, and connections like this are rare. To bounce off each other’s frequency is something so powerful, you don’t know it until you feel it. When he told me he used to promote for Mark Farina and Derrick May, I knew I needed to know more about this man.
He told me his life as if it was a movie. A book really, stories so beyond me, they enlightened me. I wanted to know more as if I had an open book in front of me that I needed to take notes to teach people, and myself, about life. This is what people can say was a spiritual connection. Real recognizing real.
Thoughts would easily roll off the tongue. Our minds in sync. You would say things about life that just made sense in that time. You told stories you’d never tell anyone. There was something that showed our true souls to each other, and that was magical.
“It all started with two guys in college having a radio show, no phones, no iPads, no podcasts. Old school. One thing led to another and a club opened up called Crobar in Chicago, all thanks to Ryan’s discover card!” We spoke about his involvement in the dance music scene back in the days, and I cherished the knowledge he fed me.
He spoke about the ocean and how we relax by absorbing our minds in a place that is peaceful. I had been getting this sign so frequently, this time I literally ran into it. I had been struggling to cope with my Mother getting older, health being a main factor, but everyone told her to just breathe. I told my mom, “just pretend you’re at the beach, the waves crashing back and forth on your feet, birds in the sky, dolphins jumping.” Ryan said this word for word.
We have our own struggles. Sometimes we must hit hard times, to teach us how grateful we should be. These moments remind us to get our life back in order, when we feel like we can’t try anymore. These instances happen for a reason. When you think your world is literally falling apart, it’s just creating a new foundation for your new life, and a new you.
2023
Reading this excerpt from myself from 4 years ago feels so serendipitous. I ended up going to Tower 12 very often, even working as the ticket check-in for a couple of events. John Summit even played one night! 2 months after the Doc Martin show, I met my future husband who had worked at the bar at the time. We have been married for two years now. I finally went to Burning Man this year and it was everything I could have asked for and more. The best part is that I am writing again. Although I wrote this 4 years ago, it struck a chord in me. What truly makes me happy? I used to get tired of writing. I now know it’s because I had some sort of expectation. When there are no deadlines, no expectations, you can write about anything you want, and from the heart, that’s exciting.
Always trust your intuition. If I hadn’t gone out that night, my life would have been completely different. Thanks to the past, the present now has a new article, and the future holds more motivation for written stories.
-Sativa Diva