In any healthy, growing community, it's essential to have people who start young and mature into roles of leadership. In music communities like that of punk and hardcore, it could be someone skilled at booking tours or managing venues. Sometimes, it’s an excellent stage manager who ensures everything runs smoothly. Other times, it might be band members who take younger bands under their wing. Often in the music scene, it’s those who encompass some, if not all, of these roles. These are the individuals who keep the scene alive. Adams Hussler is one of these individuals.

Adam is a man who wears many hats in the hardcore scene. On stage, he is the lead singer of Miami's Powerplay. As an experienced leader, he owns Get In the Van Booking, where he and his team are dedicated to helping bands reach the next level. Perhaps most importantly, Adam is one of the "Stage Daddies" (a stage manager wearing the perfect short shorts) in The Shed at Furnace Fest.

In this conversation, we really cover it all. Adam has extensive knowledge of the hardcore genre, which he generously shares. He offers valuable advice drawn from his many years of experience in performing, booking, and navigating the various challenges of being in a band today. He provides us with quite the playlist made up of his band and dozens of other acts to listen to. And we, of course, discuss Furnace Fest. We even delve into politics! A man who wears many hats can engage in many topics, and for Adam and me, everything revolves around hardcore. Enjoy!

Powerplay bandcamp

Powerplay insta

Get In the Van insta

Get In the Van playlist

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The world of music is full of people who are talented, but only a handful "make it big". There are many musical artists of all genres who put in the work that never end up in Rolling Stone or AP Magazine. Yet, the artistic desire never stops burning. The temperature may change, and the colors evolve, but the fire is still there. Such artists gain respect without the fame. These are the ones that influence local scenes and entire underground movements.

For the first episode of 2026, I am joined by Jason Szeman, lead singer of Toronto-based band Burning Out. Jason is a member of the Furnace Fest Community, known for both music and a love of horror movies. This is a conversation of the former, and the story(s) of Jason's life in the hardcore and punk scene. From starting as a drummer to being possibly forced into the role of frontman, Jason is an artist forged by the underground scene that has definitely put in his time. Now a bit older and with an idea of just how valuable time is, Jason fronts Burning Out, a punk/emo band some would call a local supergroup (Jason would not), recently signed to friends of the pod Limestone Records. As we share pit calls and stories of our musical experiences, Jason talks about the journey that brought him where he is now. And where that is is a band with fellow musicians who have been through the fires and are still burning together.

Burning Out Bandcamp

Limestone Records Store

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As the year comes to an end I am working on my albums of the year list. In doing this I am listening back to albums that stood out to me, and some of them I think more people should know about. So this is part 2 of albums you should hear from 2025.

I am also posting about these on the Pit Calls Instagram feed, but here you can hear about the first four here in one short episode. Enjoy!

Eyes - Spinner ⁠listen here ⁠

The Swell Season - Forward ⁠listen here⁠

Elio - Autonomy ⁠listen here⁠⁠

Terror Management Band - Austerity Gospel ⁠listen here⁠

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