Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel de Koekkoek and Eric Neilson.
Rachel and Eric, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
DharmaDen Sessions began growing its roots in the open mic community. I came to San Diego, hoping to pursue my own personal music endeavors. In the process, I was introduced to the popular Monday night open mic, Lestat’s. At some point, going to different open mics around the city became a weekly routine as I became well acquainted with many of the musicians who frequented those spots. I met Eric, the other founder of DharmaDen Sessions, at Lestat’s. He was the first to come up with the idea of what the project would entail, although it took some time before things came to fruition. It was the unexpected turn of events caused by the current pandemic that got the ball rolling. As soon as the stay at home order went into effect, I lost my job. At the same time, Eric was nearing the end of his service in the Navy. We had a lot of time on our hands. With live music at a standstill, it was the perfect opportunity to launch an online venue for the variety of artists here in San Diego.
-Rachel
With what Rachel said, we both frequented local venues because of the community. With the social outlets closed, we decided to bring it to us. I’ve been excited at the thought of building an artistic field of dreams. Prior to moving out to San Diego, I had a radio show at the college radio station, WNHU, where I featured local and student musicians live on-air. It was rewarding then, and I thought to revise that idea. With Rachel’s support, DharmaDen Sessions is that revision. We are striving to provide an alluring platform that can put musicians in venues or studios, local art in homes, and any local talent in the spotlight. Every week it grows, taking root. I look forward to seeing the fruit as much as seeing every local venue back open, filled with music and thriving.
-Eric
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
There have been some challenges when it comes to getting a product that looks and sounds professional. We want to make sure we are meeting the efforts of the talents we feature with a high-quality product. Although we both have prior experience with recording film and audio, there was, and still is, a lot for us to learn. Working out the kinks can be a bit difficult, but it’s absolutely worthwhile. And, based on the feedback we’ve received so far, we definitely started off on the right foot!
Besides that, COVID has been an obstacle from the start, but it has been for everyone. We are rolling with the punches, staying busy and productive so that time can pass faster.
DharmaDen Sessions – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
DharmaDen Sessions is a video series featuring a variety of talent in San Diego. The first segment, which launched our YouTube channel in May, is called “Tuned Up” which features musical talent. This August, we are starting a poetry and comedy segment called “Speak Up!” Other ideas are in the works too. We are proud to showcase art that is reflective of the individuals within the community. Every artist has a unique story to tell and DharmaDen Sessions provides an inclusive platform for all of that diversity.
Although this project is in its infancy, it will continue to grow and mature, which is the most intriguing part. In short, we are just creating good karma in hopes it will come back around. That’s what community is all about.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
We’ve already seen success in the fact that so many have been willing to share their work and participate in a project that is still getting off the ground. We have been personally scouting the majority of the talent we feature thus far. However, we now have talent finding us. That’s pretty rewarding on its own.
In the grand scheme of things, it will be nice to see all of the hours that we’ve funneled into this project reflected in the number of people enjoying the content. We’d like to get to a point where we can help the hidden gems of San Diego be heard by a larger audience. In addition, a big win would be having the opportunity to feature some of the bigger names that have come out of San Diego, such as Jason Mraz or Slightly Stoopid.
Ultimately, success for us is defined by our ability to promote and influence local talent and business in any way we can.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.youtube.com/dharmadensessions
- Email: dharmadensessions@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dharmadensessions/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dharmadensessions
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