To Mario Gonzalez, even the most mundane of activities is a lavish affair. The living room of his nearly-famous North Garden apartment reflects this — incense burns on the windowsill overlooking the bay as Gonzalez himself cozies up on the couch, the lulling sound of his favorite electropop band playing in the background. As he hands me a concoction of lemon White Claw and white wine in a glass, he begins a narrative thus far untold: the effort behind the class, sophistication, and effervescence musicbymario injects into an otherwise grungy scene.
Known for his wine-fueled mixers, decadent parties, and crowded house shows, Gonzalez is nothing if not a gracious host. Yet his journey into becoming a venue director didn’t begin until this summer, after a particularly inspirational visit to Bluebird House.
“I really fucking loved how many people were there,” Gonzalez reminisced of the summer gig with Shimmertraps, Blood Capsules, and Iggy Poop. “They always bring a good vibe and a good crowd of people who enjoy music. Sexy people who enjoy music.”
It didn’t take long for the vocal performance major to start planning a show of his own, which would later serve as musicbymario’s debut into the local scene. The house show, scheduled for August 21st of 2021, was initially going to be a way to celebrate the venue director’s birthday with some of his musically-adept friends. But after a few posts on Twitter regarding the event, Gonzalez recalls a total attendance of nearly 100 people.
“It was a really good show,” Gonzalez laughed. “Best birthday ever.”
If Gonzalez’s birthday extravaganza didn’t catch the attention of the community, his second show most certainly did. The back-to-school event featured top Bellingham talent including Foxy Apollo and Analog Brass, and despite the uncooperative weather, boasted an impressive turnout. It was here that Gonzalez learned the true difficulties of hosting a house show, from keeping his showgoers out of the rain to dealing with disrespectful stragglers.
“It’s so stressful,” Gonzalez commented. “I think I’m a good person with stress, I can handle it pretty well. But my friend told me that event planners are one of the most stressful jobs on the Forbes list. I believe it.”
But despite the trials and tribulations faced by Gonzalez, he continues to prepare and execute seamless performances enjoyed by any and all who stumble across the multi-family complex. And according to Gonzalez himself, there’s no plan to stop anytime soon.
A BREAKOUT Q&A WITH MARIO GONZALEZ
What makes a successful show, in your opinion?
The turnout has to be good. A good team; I could not do it without all my besties who help me out. I know for the birthday show, it was like, three of us who did everything. It’s a lot of depending on who you have around you at all times. The crowd, and the bands, obviously, have to be good. Safety, in all meanings of the word. COVID precautions, the safety of people in the venue space itself.
What’s the most memorable show you’ve been to in Bellingham?
I always tell people during my shows that if this wasn’t my show, I’d be getting so fucking lit right now. So mine. But I think my most memorable [show] was one of the Bluebird ones. I really liked the first one I went to, the Shimmertraps one.
What’s your dream bill?
Parcels, God I love them so much. Rhye, an R&B electronic band. Absolutely Lady Gaga. And Johann Sebastian Bach. He’s underground.
What’s your dream BELLINGHAM bill?
CHRVNS, absolutely. I really want to get Hockey Teeth and Harbor Day. Ebony, obviously.
What are some of the do’s and don’t’s of attending house shows that you wish more people knew?
Don’t fucking shake anything! Don’t shake anything around the venue. Don’t move it, don’t touch it. At the [second] show, I told the showgoers, ‘You guys, slay boots the house down. Do not move the canopies because the house will come down.’ Listen to what the directors, the people who are running it are saying. If you can’t go inside, don’t go inside. Don’t be annoyed at people, and don’t be a bad person to other people who are in the audience. Keep your hands to yourselves, besties. Just be respectful, pay, and adhere to everything. Respect the venue, respect the artists, and respect everyone there. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
What can we expect from musicbymario going forward?
I want to keep doing shows, obviously. I want to do something too! The whole point was for me to perform, and I’ve been working on some stuff, so expect a Mario-something debut. Expect the next house show to just be insane. I’ve also been wanting to throw an event, I want to throw something smaller. I’ve been thinking of doing a ball.