If you’ve attended a Bassnectar show in the past few years, you’ve seen him. He’s sporting a walkie-talkie, wrangling the Ambassadors, and if you look closely enough rocking a hilarious pose in Lorin’s family photos. If you’re like myself, you wondered, “Wait a minute. Who is this guy, and how does he have the most incredible job on the planet?”
His name is Hasan Zaidi, the Coordinator for the Bassnectar Ambassador program. He’s not some agency head who has been in the business for 30 years. He’s actually probably younger than you are. Hasan is a Basshead who fell in love with the music, worked harder than anyone else in the room, and made his dreams of working with one of the biggest DJs in the world a reality.
The Bassnectar Ambassadors are a group of individuals who along with loving the music, want to make a difference at live events by creating interactive opportunities at shows, promoting responsibility in the culture, and showing compassion to all. They are the smiling faces rocking white from head to toe, armed with hugs and water whenever duty calls.
Hasan’s first experience with Bassnectar music was in Northampton, Massachusetts in 2010. He wasn’t even planning on going to the concert, and as fate would have it, bought the very last ticket in line before the show sold out.
I was attending a nearby university at the time, living in a dorm, DJing sweaty house parties on the weekends. The latter required practicing sets in my minuscule room, gracing the entire floor daily with my auditory presence. This one day led to the girl who lived in the room next to me to walk in my room, and inform me that there was a Bassnectar show going on later that night, and judging from the music I was always playing at particularly loud volumes, I would probably enjoy it. I looked up some Bassnectar videos – the first one I heard was LSD – and figured meh, it was only 10 bucks and I had nothing better going on that night, so might as well head over and check it out.
After arriving in Northampton, my group of friends and I debated whether to get pizza first or check out the line. We decided to check out the line first, a decision that later turned out to be one of the best ones ever made. For had we got in line not but a minute later, I would not have attended that show. I didn’t have a ticket, and it sold out right after I got mine – literally the group behind me couldn’t get in. That has highlighted the finicky nature of fate & pure chance to me.
All it took was one show and Hasan was hooked. And what does one naturally do next after experiencing that first life-changing Nectar show? Get as much bass in your face as possible! But Hasan took a different approach to the culture, seeking to make a difference in the scene and not just blend in with the crowd.
After that first show, I was hooked. I immediately began to travel out to Bassnectar shows anytime he was in the general vicinity – and when I say general vicinity, I mean really general. I also began to take a bigger part in the Bassnectar community & culture, conversing with Lorin on bassnectar.net, and connecting with other fans and integrating friendships made on the road into my normal life. All the while, though I genuinely loved the pursuit of knowledge and the process of learning, I had never been content with the current educational system, and eventually had a realization that I did not have to necessarily learn in that manner. I also knew I wanted to get more involved with the culture I was so enthralled with, but contribute to it in a dedicated and detailed manner. In late 2010, I managed to get in contact with a member of the Bassnectar production team, Lia Holland, and reached out to her asking how I might get involved. She eventually brought me on as an intern, and at that time was simultaneously building the Ambassador program. She began to train me in Ambassador-related duties, which after a year or so led to me leading the program.
So he lands the dream job…now what? Contrary to popular belief, working on an tour is not straight out of Almost Famous.
Daily life on tour is pretty active. I wake up early and start squaring away Ambassador logistics with our security coordinator & production managers. Around noon or early afternoons I take care of miscellaneous tasks Lorin or tour production has assigned to me, then sift through emails and prepare Ambassadors for entry. From that point until the show is over I essentially run around the venue to make sure everything goes according to plan, and deal with the various hurdles that present themselves. When the show is over I make sure all Ambassador gear is packed away, and then deal with any other extra items that are assigned to me during load out. After all items have been handled and I feel comfortable switching off the radio, I take a moment to decompress, then prepare to do it all over again.
The job doesn’t end when Lorin is taking a break from touring. Running the Ambassador program requires attention year round, but Hasan also dabbles in several side projects, if you can call helping manage ill.Gates a side project.
When Lorin isn’t touring I plan out how the Ambassador program will be conducted for the next upcoming event or tour, and read through submissions from people who want to contribute to the team. I also help an artist named ill.Gates, booking his travel, coordinating outreach, communicating with press, and assisting him in his day-to-day responsibilities & logistics while he is on tour. As summer approaches I help out smaller festivals around the country in various capacities, most often in the marketing & volunteer coordination departments. During the downtime that I am not on the road, I help plan and coordinate local shows in the Bay Area. Most recently, I have embarked on an independent venture to throw small events in different areas in the country, incorporating different elements of what I have learned throughout the years. You can check out one of these events after the first night of Bassnectar at Red Rocks.
Hasan is an inspiration to all young people, especially those looking for a foot in the door of the entertainment industry. His motivation and work ethic have not only landed him with an incredible career, but paved the way for the rest of us to strive to make our dreams a reality. I’ll never forget the day I opened my email from Hasan accepting me into the Bassnectar Ambassador program. I thought it was spam, then had to leave work because I couldn’t stop crying tears of joy.
Without Hasan the Bassnectar brand would not be what it is today. That water you needed in the pit at your last Nectar show wouldn’t have been delivered to your mouth. That dream catcher an Ambassador made with you wouldn’t be hanging above your bed. So give him a high-five of gratitude next time you see him rush the family photo at a show, and take these wise words with you on your way.
The best advice I have for young people working towards a similar career would be to work harder than anyone else in the room, know when it is time to work and not to play, acknowledge and respect the presence of each person you meet, and as cliché as it might sound, do what your heart tells you to do regardless of what anyone might tell you otherwise. This career has required a seriously dedicated effort to making dreams become reality. And while it is not the easiest, it is absolutely possible. Don’t get swayed by anyone who doesn’t dream the same dreams.
Follow Hasin at @hzaidi_ and @EnvisionedArts
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