Sharing Our Passion
Our mission is to create live experiences that push boundaries, inspire connection, and leave a lasting impact.
About Us
Downbeat is a premier live entertainment organization delivering concert-level musicianship and seamless production for high-end events. Trusted by leading planners, private clients, and global brands for high-profile events worldwide, we design performances that feel intentional, refined, and unforgettable, executed with precision, professionalism, and care.
Our Vision
To become the most advanced, reliable, and innovative live entertainment platform in the industry, setting the gold standard for artistic excellence, exceptional execution, and an elevated client experience.
Our Team
Executive Director
Diego De La Rosa is the Founder and CEO of Downbeat, a next-generation live entertainment company redefining what premium events can feel like. What began as a passion for music and performance has evolved into a multi-band, full-service production platform trusted by world-class planners, brands, and private clients across the country.
A drummer by trade and a graduate of Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California, Diego brings deep artistic fluency into every aspect of the business. As both a working musician and strategic operator, he leads Downbeat with a rare blend of creative intuition and systems thinking — designing experiences that feel effortless on stage while running highly structured operations behind the scenes, from talent development and production logistics to technology, automation, and scalable infrastructure.
Under his leadership, Downbeat has grown into a platform that empowers artists, elevates the client experience, and continuously pushes the standard for live entertainment. Diego is deeply focused on building durable systems, cultivating high-agency teams, and leveraging technology to unlock creativity at scale — ensuring every performance feels personal, intentional, and unforgettable.
When he’s not building the future of live events, Diego can usually be found searching for a great cappuccino and exploring new ideas in technology, design, and performance — always driven by the belief that great experiences are created at the intersection of craft, clarity, and care.
Events Director
Joel Simpson leads all event operations at Downbeat and serves as the primary point of contact for client booking and event planning. From the first conversation through event completion, Joel guides clients through pricing, contracts, timelines, and production details — ensuring every experience is clear, organized, and seamlessly executed.
In addition to his leadership role, Joel is an exceptional vocalist, front man, and DJ with a natural ability to read a room and elevate crowd energy. His hands-on performance experience gives him a unique perspective on pacing, flow, and guest engagement, allowing him to design events that feel dynamic, connected, and unforgettable. Whether commanding a stage or energizing a dance floor from the DJ booth, Joel understands what it takes to truly move a crowd.
With deep expertise in event flow, production logistics, and cross-team coordination, Joel aligns planners, coordinators, musicians, and production teams around a shared vision for each event. His calm leadership, proactive communication, and attention to detail give clients confidence that every element is handled with care.
Joel is known for building strong client relationships and delivering elevated experiences that consistently exceed expectations.
Creative Director
Adrian Alvarado leads Downbeat’s creative vision and brand expression across all marketing and media platforms. From visual identity and video production to audio assets and social storytelling, Adrian ensures every touchpoint reflects the energy, quality, and personality of the Downbeat experience.
An expert DJ and mixing engineer, Adrian brings deep technical mastery and musical sensibility into every creative project — ensuring that sound, pacing, and emotional impact are as thoughtfully crafted as the visuals and narrative.
With a strong eye for storytelling and design, Adrian shapes how clients and partners engage with the brand, translating live performance into compelling digital content and cohesive storytelling. His work brings the Downbeat experience to life long before guests step onto the dance floor.
Music Director
Dave Brunelle oversees Downbeat’s musical direction and artistic standards, ensuring every performance delivers exceptional musicianship, energy, and versatility. A world-class guitarist with extensive touring experience, Dave brings elite-level performance credibility and musical leadership to every project.
As Music Director, Dave leads the development of arrangements, orchestration, charts, and musical preparation across the organization — setting the creative framework that empowers band leaders and musicians to perform confidently and dynamically in live environments. His oversight ensures that every musical detail is thoughtfully crafted, tightly executed, and aligned with both client vision and brand standards.
Dave’s deep musical expertise allows Downbeat to deliver performances that feel polished, expressive, and emotionally engaging across genres and formats. His commitment to excellence ensures that every event sounds as incredible as it feels.
Operations Director
Christian Pereira serves as Downbeat’s Operations Director, architecting the systems, infrastructure, and technical standards that power the company’s consistency and scalability. He designs and maintains the workflows, automation platforms, and operational tools that enable complex productions to run smoothly behind the scenes.
A brilliant musician and Berklee College of Music graduate, Christian is highly accomplished on guitar and keyboard, as well as an expert DJ and sound engineer. His deep musical fluency allows him to bridge creative vision with technical execution — ensuring that production quality, audio excellence, and operational precision remain tightly aligned across every event.
Blending engineering mindset with artistic sensitivity, Christian builds custom systems that connect production, logistics, communication, and execution across the organization. His leadership provides the operational backbone that allows Downbeat’s creative teams to perform with confidence, clarity, and reliability at scale.
Finance Director
Galo De La Rosa brings over four decades of professional accounting and financial leadership experience to Downbeat. His career spans entrepreneurship as well as senior financial roles within multinational organizations, giving him a broad and deeply practical perspective on building sustainable, well-governed businesses.
As Finance Director, Galo oversees financial reporting, accounting operations, budgeting, and payment systems — ensuring clarity, accuracy, and fiscal discipline across the organization. His steady leadership provides the company with reliable financial visibility while supporting responsible growth and long-term stability.
Galo’s extensive experience brings institutional-level rigor to Downbeat’s financial operations, allowing the organization to scale with confidence while maintaining strong stewardship and accountability.
Events Coordinator
Payson Lewis supports the day-to-day execution of Downbeat events, coordinating details across clients, planners, musicians, and production teams to ensure every experience runs smoothly and seamlessly.
In addition to his operational role, Payson is an exceptional lead vocalist and featured performer in one of Downbeat’s flagship bands. He has performed professionally for major organizations including Disney and brings world-class stage experience into every event he supports. His performer perspective allows him to anticipate timing, flow, and guest experience with remarkable intuition.
Payson’s combination of artistic excellence, attention to detail, and clear communication helps ensure that every event feels both flawlessly organized and musically extraordinary.
Technical Coordinator
Josh Sipfle leads technical preparation and on-site execution for Downbeat events, ensuring every production delivers consistent, high-quality sound, reliability, and seamless performance flow. He manages gear readiness, technical programming, and coordination with audio teams to support flawless live experiences.
In addition to his technical leadership, Josh is an accomplished vocalist and keyboardist who actively performs in Downbeat’s bands. He also serves as a lead sound engineer, bringing deep musical sensitivity and real-time performance awareness into every mix and system design. Josh holds a degree in music from Azusa Pacific University, reinforcing his strong foundation in both musicianship and audio excellence.
Josh’s rare blend of formal training, live performance experience, and engineering expertise ensures that every event sounds exceptional while supporting artists and guests with clarity, impact, and consistency.
Music & Travel Coordinator
Andrew Reyes supports Downbeat’s music operations and oversees all event travel logistics, ensuring artists and teams are fully prepared and seamlessly supported across every engagement. He manages flights, accommodations, itineraries, and travel coordination while also assisting with music production and content initiatives.
A multi-talented musician, Andrew is highly accomplished on both keyboard and guitar and is a sought-after vocalist known for his versatility and musicality. His performer experience allows him to anticipate the real-world needs of artists and production teams, helping every event run smoothly from preparation through performance.
Andrew’s combination of logistical precision and artistic excellence helps ensure Downbeat productions operate with efficiency, consistency, and creative integrity.
Client Relations Coordinator
Gabriel Ramirez supports client relationships and partner engagement across the Downbeat ecosystem, ensuring every interaction feels thoughtful, professional, and personal from inquiry through event execution.
In addition to his client-facing role, Gabriel is a professional model and actor and one of Downbeat’s most requested vocalists. His on-stage presence, charisma, and performance versatility translate directly into elevated guest engagement and memorable live experiences. Gabriel brings a strong understanding of presentation, storytelling, and audience connection into every event he supports.
Gabriel’s blend of relationship-building, creative instinct, and performance excellence strengthens Downbeat’s partnerships and enhances the overall client experience both on and off the stage.