Joe Rinaldi

President of NIVA California and Managing Partner of Music Box in San Diego

Joe Rinaldi is a distinguished veteran of the concert and venue operations industry, currently serving as the President of NIVA California and Managing Partner of Music Box in San Diego. A graduate of UC San Diego with an MBA from Pepperdine University, Rinaldi has spent over two decades shaping the West Coast music landscape. Under his leadership, Music Box has become San Diego’s premier 700-capacity independent venue, famously hosting early career milestones for artists like Billie Eilish and legendary sets from Snoop Dogg and Rufus Du Sol.

Rinaldi also serves as the National Buyer for Mission Bayfest, a premier three-day festival drawing 45,000 attendees to the San Diego waterfront. The festival's landmark 2025 lineup, headlined by Sublime, Rebelution, and Slightly Stoopid, stands as a testament to his deep-rooted influence in the California music scene. His career is built on a foundation of high-profile roles, including tenures as a Talent Buyer and General Manager for the legendary Viper Room on the Sunset Strip, as well as roles with House of Blues West Hollywood and the 1,500-capacity 4th & B in downtown San Diego. Now at the helm of NIVA CA, Rinaldi is dedicated to uniting California’s 630+ independent venues and promoters, championing fair ticketing legislation, and establishing a state music office to ensure the long-term sustainability of the state’s cultural ecosystem.