Seeing Them Live

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, Charles interviews Alan Rosenberg. Alan is the creator and host of The Alan Rosenberg Show on YouTube, a channel dedicated to his lifelong passion for music. Growing up on Long Island, New York, Alan was introduced to rock and roll at an early age through his older sister, whose bedroom walls were covered in posters of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and The...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live , Charles sits down with Ben Daughtry and Jonathan Palmer of Love Jones — the Louisville-born, LA-based band that has been crafting their unique blend of lounge, soul, pop, and sharp-witted storytelling for over three decades. The conversation kicks off with a shared love of live music, as both Ben and Jonathan trace their concert-going roots back to the same un...

In this episode, Charles sits down with Mike Bernard, a Boston-area author, screenwriter, and playwright who came to writing later in life and hasn't slowed down since. Mike has published eight novels, written a stage musical, and optioned multiple screenplays through prestigious competitions including the Academy Nicholl Fellowship, the Page International Screenwriting Awards, ScreenCraft, and th...

In this episode, Charles interviews filmmaker and vinyl enthusiast Steve Herold, best known for the award-winning short film Death of an Umbrella Salesman . Steve takes us back to the summer of 1984 and his first concert — the Thompson Twins on their Into the Gap tour at the Garden State Arts Center in New Jersey. He shares how the show almost didn't happen, thanks to a failed attempt to see Van H...

In this episode, Charles sits down with Victor Gurbo, a singer-songwriter, guitarist, and guitar builder from Brooklyn, New York. Victor's musical journey began early — literally from infancy, when his father discovered that Traveling Wilburys recordings were the only thing that could calm a crying baby Victor. That early imprinting on Dylan's collaborators set the stage for a lifelong obsession w...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, host Charles sits down with brothers Matheus and Thiago Khouri of the Brazilian rock band Banda AL9. The duo shares the story of their first concert experience — seeing Paul McCartney at Morumbi Stadium in São Paulo in 2010, when Matheus was just 12 and Thiago was 10. Raised by rock-and-roll-loving parents who saw Queen at the same stadium in 1985, the brothers...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, host Charles Zona is joined by his daughter Lily for a conversation about her journey into live music — starting from the very beginning. The episode opens with a throwback to Charles's first-ever podcast test recording, where an 11-year-old Lily had never been to a concert. From there, Lily traces her love of Harry Styles back to the COVID era, when her mom pl...

This episode of "Seeing Them Live" features Eric Vollweiler, a seasoned producer, marketing consultant, and strategist in the film, festival, and entertainment industry with nearly two decades of experience. Charles explores Eric's journey from his early concert experiences to his current work helping festivals and creators connect with audiences, sponsors, and industry partners, including major f...

In this episode of "Seeing Them Live," host Charles welcomes back Paul Peterson, a retired technology manager and lifelong audiophile who hosts the podcast 'An Avid Listener.' Together, Charles and Paul explore the complex world of bands performing with significantly changed lineups. The conversation was sparked by Paul's recent concert experiences, including seeing Alan Parsons and the Doobie Bro...

Welcome to Part 2 of the second annual Seeing Them Live Year End Concert Review show, where a panel of returning guests share their favorite live music experiences from 2025. Host Charles brings together an eclectic group of music enthusiasts including Andy, Jessica, Steve, and superfan Dawn Fontaine to discuss the most memorable live music experiences of 2025. Dawn shares highlights from her incr...

Welcome to the second annual Seeing Them Live Year End Concert Review show, where a panel of returning guests shares their favorite live music experiences from 2025. Host Charles brings together an eclectic group of music enthusiasts including award-winning documentary filmmaker Eric Green, podcast host Jessica Catena, nurse practitioner Summer, antique shop owner Art Gregg, executive assistant Da...

In this episode Charles interviews the core members of the Chicago-based punk band Horace Pinker, consisting of guitarist and vocalist Scott Eastman, drummer Bryan Jones, and bassist and vocalist Greg Mytych. Charles delves into the history of the band, which was originally formed in Tempe, Arizona. Horace Pinker has toured extensively, performing in over 20 countries and sharing stages with renow...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, Charles and Doug welcome back Andy, a school teacher and avid live music fan, to share his an After Show Report on the 2025 Bonnaroo Music Festival. Despite carefully planning his trip with his friend Teddy and driving nine hours to the festival, Andy faced a series of unexpected challenges and adventures. The trip kicks off with a tense interaction with law en...

In this episode of 'Seeing Them Live,' Charles and Doug explore the intersection of True Crime and Rock and Roll with guest Jim Berkenstadt, also known as the Rock and Roll Detective. Berkenstadt has a worldwide reputation for uncovering the hidden histories and mysteries within popular music. His exhaustive investigative works span from serving as a historical consultant on several high-profile d...

This episode of Seeing Them Lives features an engaging conversation with Matt Carmichael, a seasoned live music fan and concert photographer, known for his long-term association with Poi Dog Pondering. The discussion delves into Carmichael's early concert experiences, starting with seeing the Jackson 5 at the Silver Dome in 1984. Matt shares intriguing anecdotes about the first concert he attended...

In this special anniversary episode of 'Seeing Them Live,' producer and co-host Doug takes the helm to celebrate the podcast's third year. With Charles on a break, Doug guides listeners through a curated selection of some of the most compelling and memorable moments from their library of 44 episodes. The journey begins by acknowledging the podcast's inception, inspired by Charles's book 'Ticket St...

In this episode on Seeing Them Live, Charles shares one of his ticket stub stories taken from the pages of his book, Ticket Stub Stories:  A Memoir of Live Music’. This story details his experience at a Nirvana concert in October 1993. Charles recounts the second show of a Nirvana concert he attended where the band, upset by a critical review in the Chicago Tribune, did not perform their hit 'Smel...

In this episode of 'Seeing Them Live,' Charles interviews Zach Paradis, a Cleveland-born artist now based in Los Angeles, known for blending pop, hip hop, and R&B influences. Zach discusses the overwhelming success of a viral video he did with Crash Adams, which garnered millions of views across various platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. He delves into his early music experiences, incl...

In this interview episode of Seeing Them Live, Charles interviews singer BB from BB & The Honey. BB is an American singer and songwriter who has been an integral part of the Chicago music scene for 20 years.  Audiences say her voice is a blend of Brandy Carlisle, Janice Joplin, Patsy Klein, Stevie Nicks, and Amelda May. Her powerful interpretations range from blues, funk, soul, classic country to...

This episode features an interview with the artist MEGG, who combines her love for pop music with her punk rock background to create a unique sound for a diverse audience of tomboys, romantics, and misfits. Born and raised in LA's South Bay, MEGG has achieved significant milestones such as performing at Dodgers Stadium, headlining at Saint Rocke Music Venue, and opening for bands like The Used. Th...

This episode features Benny, a musician and producer who performs under the name Muted Circus. Benny, originally from Orange County, California, is currently based in Brooklyn, New York. He spent seven years in Tokyo, Japan, and attended the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. The discussion starts with Benny sharing the story of his first rock concert at the age of 13, where he saw Th...

The podcast episode features Jesse Rifkin, the owner of Walk on the Wildside Tours NYC, a music history walking tour company in New York City, and the author of the book 'This Must Be the Place: Music, Community, and Vanishing Spaces in New York City.' Rifkin shares his background, including his consultancy roles as a pop music historian and his 12 years as a touring musician. They discuss his fir...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, we are thrilled to have Jose Rivera, founder, manager, and lead vocalist of the band Five Guys Named Moe. Jose shares his extraordinary journey from a budding musician to a prolific performer. He narrates how his fascination with the trumpet began in his early childhood and flourished during his time as a section leader and soloist for the United States Marine...

Jamie James, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, joins Charles on Seeing Them Live to discuss his musical journey and new album Straight Up , released on Oglio Records. Jamie reflects on his early musical influences, growing up in Woodstock, Ontario, and his transition from aspiring hockey player to musician after a knee injury. He shares how he taught himself guitar on a damaged acoustic and recal...

In this episode of Seeing Them Live, host Charles Berman interviews Giuliana Funkhauser, a transdisciplinary artist known for her innovative blend of digital code and synthesized audio to create immersive art installations. Giuliana, based on the U.S. East Coast, completed her graduate studies at the San Francisco Art Institute, concentrating on art and technology, with a particular interest in so...