Podcasts are famous for the parasocial relationships they spawn. If you have someone speaking softly into your earholes week after week, it’s easy to convince yourself you’re part of the conversation, even if you’re never actually talking.
Live podcast events break down that barrier, giving listeners a chance to be more active participants. At least that’s the hope of Mike Smith and Theo Biedler, hosts of the podcast “You Wanted a Hit.”
“I am picturing what I hope will be an enthused and somewhat revelrous audience,” says Smith. “We want to include them in the experience.”
This column first reported on “YWAH” a year ago. Every two weeks, Smith and Biedler dig deep into the history and production of songs that ended up becoming surprisingly popular. In honor of the podcast’s 100th episode, the duo are hosting a live event on Sunday, March 29 at Get Tight Lounge.
“We’re planning to use some audio and visual aids and planning for crowd interaction,” says Smith. Biedler adds, “It’s going to be a drunken fun educational experience for everyone.”
Smith and Biedler met at James Madison University and bonded over their passion for music, something they’ve both been able to integrate into their professional lives. Smith lives in Richmond, working remotely for an independent record label out of Nashville. Biedler helps run a creative production studio in Philadelphia, after nearly a decade at Dave Matthews’ Charlottesville studio, Red Light Management.
“YWAH” doesn’t exclusively feature one-hit wonders: any song that achieved an unlikely level of acclaim or even notoriety in the cultural zeitgeist is fair game, allowing the podcast to cover songs as disparate as Chuck Mangione’s “Feel So Good,” Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” and Billy Ray Cyrus’s “Achy Breaky Heart.”
The pair alternate in their hosting duties and picking a song for the live event will fall to Biedler. “When we tell people about the podcast, there’s a handful of songs that come to mind immediately,” says Biedler. “They’ll say, ‘Oh, like ‘Tubthumping from Chumbawumba.’’ So it’ll be one of those. We’ve done a couple of those songs, but there are still many we have not done.”
He adds with a laugh, “I’ll make sure to pick a very controversial song so we have a lot of crowd interaction.”
The “You Wanted a Hit” live event is at Get Tight Lounge, 1104 W Main St. on March 29. Tickets and information at https://ywahpod.com/.
Accountability and hilarity
Jana Prentiss and Nesziah Dennis see their live podcast event as an opportunity to push themselves to follow through. The pair launched “The Wonder Twins” in 2022 but only released a handful of episodes.
“We recorded stuff in the past and just sat with it,” says Dennis. “We were like, how can we do this in a way that keeps us accountable for sharing what we record?” The prospect of doing a live version was an inspiration to both create content and release it into the world.
“If we do a live show, it bridges the two perfectly, right?” continues Dennis. “It’s two birds with one loaf as my mother says.”
The concept of bringing the pair to the stage was shepherded by Tariq Karriem, artistic director at BLK VA Theatre Alliance. “When I was introduced to them, I was immediately like, I’m going to find a way to put you on our stage,” says Karriem. After a frustrating interlude reading scripts looking for a fit, he finally proposed an idea to the duo: “What if y’all ARE the show?”
His ultimate concept was a “Podcast-Cabaret” fusion that would merge music, comedy, fashion, and maybe some special guests.
Reaching back to the podcast as a vehicle made sense. “The podcast started with us just being ourselves with each other,” says Prentiss. “We were 100% raw and real and we wanted it to feel like the listener was having a conversation with us.”
Prentiss and Dennis have compiled impressive theatrical resumes in their young careers, the former appearing in musicals like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” at Virginia Repertory Theatre and the latter starring as Frank N. Furter in the collaboration between Richmond Triangle Players and the Richmond Symphony.
As professional performers, the two defy the stereotype of shy podcasters recording obscure ramblings in their garage or basement. The only thing they worry about related to being on stage is getting lost in tangents, the fruits of their own fervent creativity.
“We perform literally all the time, with or without an audience,” laughs Dennis. “Jana and I, we scream at least once a day when we’re together because our conversations are just that funny. So, I feel like everyone’s going to have a good time and get a good laugh. We just have to make sure to stay on track.”
“The Wonder Twins” will appear at The Basement, 300 East Broad St from March 19 – 22. Tickets and more information available at https://blkvatheatreallianceforyouth.ludus.com/index.php.
