Today we’d like to introduce you to Nik Bates.
Nik, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I like to think of myself as a sort of ‘shapeshifter’ when it comes to creating digital content. It began with graphic design and website building when I was 8 years old. I started off illustrating and designing forum layouts for a now-defunct South Park discussion forum, City Wok. The first time I designed a website was in the 7th grade. It was a rudimentary tribute to my favorite punk rock band at the time, The Adicts. In the 8th grade, I picked up rapping and producing music. And finally, in the 9th grade, I made my first YouTube sketch comedy video, all self-taught. These skills ended up being the foundation for the work I do today.
I started hanging out with Andy Internets (Andy M. Coronado) in the 11th grade at Olympian High School. We ended up meeting a group of kids just like ourselves, who went to the neighboring Otay Ranch High. They called themselves the Travelers Club. Through mutual friends, we all started hanging out together heading into college. As a crew 20+ deep, we shared common bonds over photography, skateboarding, music and design.
Thanks to the entire crew, The Travelers Club grew into what it is today, a San Diego events and culture company. We spent most of the early years driving up to Los Angeles to attend warehouse parties and concerts (and in my case, for work and school). This was when we recognized the gap in San Diego’s music and arts scene for people at our age, with our interests. There is strength in numbers, and we saw the untapped potential in stripping away the scene/clique mentality of San Diego’s youth culture.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
As a collective, we’ve seen our fair share of hard faceplants. Whether it was money lost, shows cut short or even bouts with the police. Regardless, the ball doesn’t stop rolling.
Did it suck to have a show end with Andy (M. Coronado) in the back of a cop car in the midst of an issue he wasn’t involved in? Of course. Did we wake up the next morning and start negotiations for a headliner at the next show? You’re damn right we did.
As a person, I never knew I had been in a war with anxiety my entire life until I got to college. It hit me one night when I realized I had gone an entire day without speaking to a single person, throughout my classes and at the dorms. Completely secluded, completely alone. That’s when it’s easy to convince yourself that your dreams aren’t worth it. Luckily, when there’s a bigger picture, you have a vision and thus, meaning.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into The Traveler’s Club story. Tell us more about the business.
The Travelers Club is almost a network in itself. Graphic designers, photographers, DJs, producers, writers, event organizers–with most of us contributing to multiple verticals.
We all help out wherever it’s needed: marketing, social media, outreach to local artists or even as on-stage talent.
With Andy leading the way, I love that TC events emphasize the wants and needs of the culture that supports it. It’s as simple as booking the artists that we actually listen to (Lunice, Whereisalex and Sango to name a few). Trust me, if you were to hang out with us for a night, we’re going to ask you; “What do you think of booking (so-and-so) for the next show? What about an art installation at (so-and-so) venue?”
In my own time, I collect vintage clothing and sneakers. I am also a die-hard, longtime fan of pro wrestling, specifically the WWE. This lead to me running a YouTube channel about wrestling and fashion for about a year, before putting it on hold to re-design and finalize the channel’s format. On the music front, the most recent project I produced was singer/songwriter Kass Rose Gold’s 2017 EP titled Dedicated To You.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I think we’re lucky to be amidst a seismic shift in people’s attitudes toward art and music. The way people consume art has changed so much, even in just the past 15 years. The more we as a people express ourselves, the more we can understand one another. I can’t feel your pain if you don’t show me your scars. Art is an important pillar of our culture’s identity. And we’re lucky that city officials are starting to recognize that as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: TheTravelersClubSD.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/thetravelersclub
- Facebook: facebook.com/thetravelersclubsd
- Twitter: twitter.com/travelersclubsd
- Other: instagram.com/nikbates
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