“The Hustle Season” podcast whips through topics like a severed firehose, you can’t tell where it’s going but you know in the end everything is going to get covered.
At heart, it’s an informal, RVA-centric immersion in pop culture, food, the arts, laden with in-jokes and looping explorations of whatever subject bubbles to the surface. In other words, it’s a hangout conversation, albeit one between four people deeply embedded in the local music scene. They are probably the only podcast that could also form a credible band.
Kelli Strawbridge drums with a wide range of bands, but he is best known as the James Brown avatar in The Big Payback. Reggie Pace, co-leader of NoBS! Brass Band is one of the foremost ambassadors for the local scene. Bassist Gabe Santamaria lays down the basslines for Dance Candy and the Sam Reed Syndicate in addition to leading The Flavor Product. James Seretis is a jazz guitarist turned custom audio entrepreneur. The core group is frequently augmented with a wildcard guest musician from the local scene.
It’s the creative-turned-cool kids table, and everybody can pull up a chair (or sit close anyway) when they do the show live at the Firehouse, 7:30 p.m. on May 2nd. Guest musician Chance Fischer gets a seat on the stage. Tickets are $10 Advance, $15 day of the show.