Blogpost: Punk and Hardcore related podcasts

Posted by T • April 7, 2020

Posted by T • April 7, 2020

Punk and Hardcore related podcasts

Chances are you've got a favourite one. Maybe you are making one. A pod of your own. A medium that has democratized the talk-audio space by offering exposure for niche creators.

Listeners and makers of immersive, intimate and, in some cases, life-changing qualities of audio storytelling are on the increase, thanks in no small part to easy-to-navigate apps and affordable home recording equipment.

With the bigger guns of corporate media having come to the table, the quality and production value of podcasts has gradually increased, yet gems are still to be found amongst the DIY and lo-fi end of the spectrum offering a forum for armchair pundits, bedroom storytellers or first-person narrators.

If I had to simmer down what makes an enjoyable podcast, I’d simmer it down to the following common denominators: Interesting angle or theme, likeable hosts with and a good format.

Someone who got the second criterion nailed by default is someone who most might be familiar with because he fronts the band Fucked Up, i.e. Damian Abraham. Over the years, Damian has incarnated in a range of media and eventually made it to host shows on Vice TV.

His podcast is an audio ode to a lifelong obsession with punk. Each week, he sits down and chats with a person to find out how their life was changed by the discovery of what started as a novelty genre.

The fact that Damian gained exposure outside the confines of underground music certainly helps in getting some of the bigger players in front of the mic and the interesting conversations that result from his genuine passion for the genre provide hours of engaging content that often reveal facts that had not been revealed before and more often than not, culminate in the equivalent to “how was this made” and add a new dimension to classic records and recordings:

www.damianabraham.com/

Another one I am listening to frequently is Jamey Jasta’ s podcast. Not only known for his musical endeavours but also having honed his presentation skills as the former host of MTV's Headbanger's Ball, Jasta not only entertains by interviewing his peers but also provides insights behind the scenes and the logistics that went and still go into fuelling his career.  The fact that it is peppered with segments and Jasta having evolved since the first episode of the podcast into a considered and well-reflected voice, makes it for an enjoyable listen – especially when he gets together with closer friends and shares his take on day-to-day occurrences as well as how his horizon has broadened over the years.

https://www.thejastashow.com/

 

The Hard Times Podcast is ostensibly about two comically on-point and never not self-deprecating commentators, i.e. Hard Times co-founders Bill Conway and Matt Saincome, who not only indulge in (bad) jokes but also elicit interesting facts from interviews with scenesters, comics and other colourful characters from their universe, which adds depth and dimensions to their personas. The fact that the podcast essentially rests on the foundation that is the satirical outlet Hard Times seems to help with the guests’ willingness to lower their guard a bit and not take themselves too seriously.

https://thehardtimes.net/podcasts/

T • April 7, 2020

More recent blogposts

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday and Foxing

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 27, 2025

Coheed and Cambria, Taking Back Sunday, Foxing Budweiser Stage Toronto, Canada August 24, 2025 What a treat catching two great bands Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria co-headlining on their 2025 North American tour. Special guest Foxing, from St. Louis, Missouri, opened the night with a 30 minute set, weaving delicate melodies into explosive waves of emotion that filled … Read more

Chevelle – Bright as Blasphemy tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • August 23, 2025

Chevelle @ Great Canadian Casino Resort Toronto, Canada August 20, 2025 That feeling, when you’re having the best experience ever, and you don’t want it to end! Chevelle delivered a powerful headlining performance marking a high-energy stop on their 38-date North American Bright as Blasphemy tour, with supporting acts Dead Poet Society and Asking Alexandria setting the stage. A wall … Read more

Less Than Jake Summer Circus @ RMA 8/1/25

Posted by Aaron H • August 6, 2025

Less Than Jake - Credit: AMH The circus is in town. Less Than Jake are currently on their Summer Circus Tour promoting their latest EP, Uncharted. They've brought along ska and punk legends Fishbone and The Suicide Machines and ska newcomers, Catbite. Together, they've melded a perfect mish-mash of bands suitable for all ages. Riverside was in for a good … Read more

The Hives @ Enmore Theatre

Posted by T • July 26, 2025

The Hives Enmore Theatre Sydney, Australia July 23, 2025 Let’s be clear: The Hives didn’t play a show. They detonated one. On a cool Sydney night at the Enmore Theatre, the Swedish kings of garage rock stormed the stage like tuxedoed insurgents, staging a velvet-clad coup d’état against anything remotely resembling restraint. It wasn’t a concert. It was controlled chaos … Read more

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 22, 2025

Gob @ Peterborough Music Festival Peterborough, Ontario, Canada July 19, 2025 Gob nailed their set, energizing both die‑hard and casual fans alike. The band’s punchy hooks and raw performance had the crowd bouncing throughout the 90‑minute set, delivering both nostalgia and vitality. A perfect addition to a summer night in Peterborough! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Murder City Devils/Animal Self @ GHCH 7/12/25

Posted by Aaron H • July 17, 2025

Murder City Devils - Credit: AMH The Murder City Devils don't get out much anymore, so when the opportunity presented itself, I made my way down to Pomona to catch one of the 2 shows they had lined up in California. They brought along Animal Self, which features Kareem Karam and Coady Willis from Murder City Devils as well as … Read more

Daryl Gussin - A Year In Submission

Posted by Jiffy Marx • July 16, 2025

Can't say my review of it will be as well written or entertaining as this book of 50 poems by Daryl Gussin. Daryl is the managing editor of Razorcake. Daryl was in an awesome punk band called God Equals Genocide. Daryl is my friend but also possibly my spirit animal. Part of me wonders if the leather jacket that Daryl … Read more

Tripping Daisy North American Tour 2025

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 13, 2025

Tripping Daisy @ Lee's Palace Toronto, Canada July 11, 2025 Tripping Daisy brought us back to 1995 and sounded better than ever! When the crowd sings along 30 years later there’s no better feeling! All photos by @front.row.fans Read more

Death from Above 1979

Posted by Mirela Z. • July 6, 2025

Death from Above 1979 @ SummerStage New York, USA July 2, 2025 Death from Above 1979 tore through SummerStage with pure, unfiltered energy. The Toronto duo delivered a thunderous set packed with fuzzed-out bass, pounding drums, and raw vocals that had the crowd thrashing from the first note. From classics like “Romantic Rights” to newer bangers, the band was tight, … Read more

Sum 41 @ Scotiabank Arena

Posted by Mirela Z. • June 19, 2025

Sum 41 final shows - day 1 of 2 Scotiabank Arena Toronto Canada Jan. 28, 2025 All photos by @front.row.fans   Read more