Daniel Joseph, a San Diego DJ who went viral for hosting free sets in Golden Hill Park, has been signed to local music label Maison Sonics — and his new label is now paying for the permits that once shut his events down.
The free DJ set returns to Golden Hill Park on Friday, July 10.
Daniel first made waves last summer when he began hosting free DJ sets in Golden Hill Park in 2025. Then, the city asked Daniel to obtain a permit for the events before continuing at a cost of over $1,000. A local production company sponsored the next event, but the cost was too much for the sets to happen regularly.
The news did not sit well with the community.
"It was like a viva la resistance. People were like already up in arms about the parking meters," Daniel said.
But the story did not end there.
Daniel says he ran into San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria at a pop-up bagel shop.
"I tapped on his shoulder and shook his hand and told him, you know, what we had going on here," Daniel said. "He gave me the right people to reach out to."
Within the year, a local music label came calling. Maison Sonics signed Daniel, and Daniel says the label is now covering the cost of the permits. The city worked with Daniel on the permitting process to make the event possible.
Daniel's wife, Marina, has supported him throughout the journey.
"It's so exciting, it's such a full circle moment," Marina said about the sets returning to Golden Hill, where Daniel was raised.
The team is hoping to host more sets in the future.
A spokesperson for the City of San Diego confirmed this information in a statement, saying that they also helped with "operational considerations," like parking, sound management and cleanup:
After learning about the permitting questions related to Daniel's DJ events, Mayor Todd Gloria's office connected him with the appropriate City staff and provided guidance on the permitting process.
A permit was issued by the Parks and Recreation Department, which included the payment of appropriate fees for the event. The Parks and Recreation Department worked directly with Daniel to identify a path forward consistent with City requirements. A permit was issued after the applicable permit requirements and fees were met. The permit for this event, however, was permitted based on a lower expected attendee count, so the requirement to provide a portable restroom was not necessary.
City staff also worked with the event organizer on operational considerations, including parking, directing amplified sound away from nearby residences, and post-event cleanup.
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