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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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 1 of albums you should hear from 2025. Part two is coming soon.

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!

Slow Funeral - Conditions Of Trust listen here

Naturalist - You Don't Have To Worry listen here

Semler - Revival In My Mind listen here

For Your Health - This Bitter Garden listen here

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Being a creator often means creating through change. Changes in technology, in inspiration, in teammates, and more. Creating music can be a perfect example, but if you love creating music, you figure out how to work with the change.

In this episode, I catch up with Chris Berseth of Elowel (title makes more sense now). Chris and I have known each other since the days of the Bad Christian Club. Over the years, I have come to know Chris as both a creative individual and a passionate music lover. I first came to see him as someone who had good taste in the heavier genres, but over time, I have learned that his tastes in music are vast. We discuss this love of music and how it has evolved over the years. We also discuss forming a band over the internet, having a fondness for a full house, and transitioning to a solo act. Chris also shares news on his upcoming album being released on the new record label, Limestone Records! Catch it all in this great conversation. Capiche?!

Elowel on Bandcamp

Limestone Records on Instagram

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Metal is a musical genre that many know of, but not many really know. Are you a metal head or a novice? Do you know the sub-genres of thrash, death, black, doom, etc?

I know some metal, but not a lot, and over the years the sub-genres have confused me. That is why I brought on my cousin Codi to help me better understand the world of metal. Codi is a metal head that used to host a YouTube channel with his father called Metal Miners. With his guidance we dip our toes into the world of metal, and discuss some of the different genres that many find when they journey into this world. Join me as I get an education on some of the heaviest music out there. Along the way Codi is sure to piss off some metal heads, because just like there are many sub-genres, there are also many opinions. HORNS UP!

Check out Metal Miners on YouTube

Check out Metal Miners on Instagram

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Sometimes life can feel like a lot of L's. Then out of nowhere, a single decision can lead to a string of W's that feels like you are in a movie, a movie with a soundtrack of breakdowns and punk rock chants. That is the story of Jon Ringer's 2023 Furnace Fest experience.

I am happy to welcome back my friend Jon Ringer to the podcast for the anticipated part 2 episode as he shares with us his 2023 Furnace Fest experience. I first met Jon when he joined the Airbnb community that I have been a part of for the last four years. I knew part of his story, but I did not know just how crazy it all fell into place for him. Listen as Jon tells us how a somewhat last-minute decision to commit to Furnace Fest led to a movie-like experience. From plans to sleeping in a car to being in a viral video, this story is one that only the music community can foster! We also talk about the recent free Turnstile concert and more. Enjoy!

Jon Ringer on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

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Music is a powerful art form. It can hype us up, calm us down, make us feel understood, and the list goes on. Music does many things. For some of us, music can act like therapy and help us process our emotions.

Josh Patterson is a deep thinker who often discusses life, faith, and more on his podcast Rethinking Faith. He is also a hardcore and emo fan, or as he and former guest Jed Payne like to call themselves, Emogelicals. In this episode, Josh and I discuss the common occurrence of church kid to emo adult that many in the scene can relate to. We also discuss how music can be therapeutic and help us process our emotions. All of this, how to stop a concert mid-set, and more get discussed as Josh takes the conversation to a deeper level.

Rethinking Faith on ⁠Instagram⁠

Rethinking Faith Podcast

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