Audio Engineering
Live sound setup and front-of-house mixing, monitor and input management, signal routing, plus studio recording and mix work.
Pro Tools · Logic Pro · Reason
CH 01 · About me
Dakota "Kota" Garcia
I've been working DC's scenes since before COVID. That means clubs, warehouses, rooftops, pop-ups and the back rooms most people never see. I've worked house and techno nights, amapiano parties, open-air shows and listening events, in rooms from Culture and A.i Warehouse to Tropicalia and 18th St Music Lounge.
These days I'm running audio, lighting and lasers for shows across the city. The last couple of years have included shows with Chance the Rapper, Black Coffee, Gorgon City, Kasablanca and Prospa. I also handle installs, repairs and ongoing support for venues that need someone who already knows their system.
I trained as an audio engineer first, and it shows in how I work: tight timing, clean signal flow, and a rig that holds up until the last track. I'm not the loudest person in the room. I'm the one who got there early, checked every line and made sure the night ran clean. I've put in the years, and I know what I'm doing.
- Roles
- Audio Engineer · Lighting Designer · Laser Designer · Venue Tech
- Training
- Omega Studios' School of Applied Recording Arts & SciencesComprehensive Recording Industry Program · 900 hours · Rockville, MD
- Degree
- The Art InstituteBachelor's degree, audio / sound design
- Audio
- Avid Pro Tools · Logic Pro · Ableton
- Light & laser
- grandMA2 · grandMA3 · Resolume · Pangolin QuickShow · Pangolin BEYOND · MADRIX
- Based in
- Washington DC–Baltimore AreaThrowing a party out of range? I'm always willing to bring a tune or two, haha. Shoot us a message in the contact section.
CH 02 · Services & solutions
What I bring to the room
Book me as an engineer for your rig, or bring in a full rental package: fixtures, truss, transport, setup and an operator on the desk.
Lighting Design & Programming
L1 lighting design, busking and cue programming for DJ sets, concerts and events. Moving heads, washes, beams and LED accents.
grandMA2 · onPC
Laser Design
Laser show design and operation for club and festival stages, run with laser safety built into the plan.
Pangolin QuickShow · BEYOND
LED Pixel Mapping
Pixel-control programming and mapping for LED installs. I programmed and support the MADRIX system at Pop-Up District.
MADRIX
Venue Installations
Design help and installation of lighting and audio systems for new rooms, pop-ups and refits, from patch to final focus.
Install · Rigging · Patch
Repairs & Tech Support
Troubleshooting, maintenance and repairs for venue audio and lighting, plus ongoing technical support on show nights.
Maintenance · On-call
Rental & full-production packages
Four truss-pillar builds
Each package can be rented on its own or booked with full production: setup and strike, transport, a lighting engineer and show programming. Quotes depend on venue requirements and final scope.
Package 1 · 2 pillars
Entry
Small events, intimate venues, DJ sets
- Wash moving heads
- LED accents
Package 2 · 2 pillars
Starter
Clubs, corporate events, small weddings
- Wash + beam moving heads
- Top heads or Astera tubes
Package 3 · 3 pillars
Standard
Mid-size venues, parties, weddings
- Up to 4 wash heads
- Beams + LED tubes
Package 4 · 4 pillars
Enhanced
Larger clubs and high-end events
- Full Lighting and Trussing Setup
- 4 Astera tubes, show prep
Deposit 20–30% secures your date
Balance paid in full on event date
Payment Cash, Zelle, bank transfer, business check
Safety All fixtures mounted securely to industry standards
CH 03 · Project portfolio
Rooms I've lit & wired
Venue projects across Washington, DC and Northern Virginia, from installs and repairs to show-night operation.
Pop-Up District, Seven Corners
6763 Wilson Blvd, Falls Church, VA
Venue design assistance, lighting and audio systems, repairs and technical support.
DesignAudioLighting
BUNKER
2001 14th St NW, Washington, DC
Technical maintenance and production support.
MaintenanceProduction
El Techo
606 Florida Ave NW, Washington, DC
Venue design coordinator, plus rooftop audio and lighting operations, troubleshooting and venue support.
Venue designAudioLighting
A.i Warehouse
530 Penn St NE, Washington, DC
Lighting design and programming, live production and system support.
LightingLive production
Culture
2006 Fenwick St NE, Washington, DC
Lighting programming, laser design and production systems support.
LightingLaser
Trade (back room)
Washington, DC
Lighting, sound and technical installation and support.
InstallAudioLighting
Twelve After Twelve
1212 18th St NW, Washington, DC
Audio and lighting technical support, repairs and venue operations.
AudioRepairs
Tropicalia
2001 14th St NW, Washington, DC
Venue design coordinator, plus installation and technical support for lighting and audio systems.
Venue designInstallAudio
Local 16
1602 U St NW, Washington, DC
Venue installation, lighting and sound support and maintenance.
InstallMaintenance
Decades DC
1219 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC
Technical installations, lighting, audio and repairs.
InstallRepairs
Red Room / La Fabrica / Chop Shop
1124 Congress St NE, Washington, DC
Venue design coordinator, plus installs, lighting and audio support, maintenance and repairs across venue operations.
Venue designInstallMaintenance
CH 04 · Previous clients
Artists I've worked behind
Audio engineering and L1 / laser design for headline acts and touring DJs.
Kubera Exchange · Artists40 acts · DC & beyond
▲ = year worked · 2026 shows highlightedAudio · Lighting · Laser
Chance The Rapper, Black Coffee, Gorgon City, Dubfire, Boys Noize, The Knocks, Cordae, Kasablanca, Cash Cobain, Zach Fox, Chase West, Shimza, BUNT., TXC, A-Trak, Effy, Levi, Hamdi, Beltran, MPH, Westend, Whethan, Jai Wolf, Barclay Crenshaw, Austin Millz, Musa Keys, Lowkey, Sarz, Oppidan, Malaa, Zeemuffin, Prospa, Mall Grab, Ahmed Spins, Nils Hoffmann, Interplanetary Criminal, Maria The Scientist, DJames, Chris Luno, Tinzo & Jojo
Recent work
Latest shows
HamdiWashington, DC · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Black CoffeeAnthem Row Open Air · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Tinzo & JojoA.i Warehouse · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Chris LunoCulture · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Nils HoffmannCulture · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Gorgon CityA.i Warehouse · Audio, Lighting & Laser
Mall GrabCulture · Audio, Lighting & Laser
ProspaCulture · Audio, Lighting & Laser
CordaeRémy Martin event · Audio, Lighting & Laser
CH 05 · Contact me
Book a date or a call
Tell me about your event or venue. I'll follow up with a quote or a time to talk through the plan.
How booking works
- Send an inquiry with your date, venue and what you need.
- We set up a short call or site visit to confirm power, ceiling height and scope.
- You get a quote. A 20–30% deposit locks in the date.
- I build, run and strike the show.