Load-In Through The Back

Our guest on “ Load-In Through the Back ” Season 04, Episode 22 is quiet, you know. He makes a first impression. He is multi-platinum singer/songwriter Howie Day . Since emerging onto the national stage with his 2000 album “ Australia ,” he has earned acclaim as an honest, steadfast troubadour. That reputation reached new heights with 2003 " Collide ," his 4× RIAA Platinum-certified hit,...

You all have driving music, but this is a driving podcast. We’re talking with Sam Walker of Clay Street Unit on Season 04, Episode 21 of “Load-In Through the Back”! Formed in Denver, Colorado, Clay Street Unit has quickly earned a reputation as a rambunctious live act who packs an emotional punch. The group has stunned audiences across the country both as a headliner in small clubs and theaters, a...

If you want to listen to this conversation, it’s alright with me– we’re chatting with songster Eric Hutchinson on Season 04, Episode 20 of “Load-In Through the Back”! Known for his infectious blend of pop, soul, and folk, Eric rose to prominence in the late oughts with his hits “OK, It’s Alright With Me” and “Rock & Roll”. A true road warrior, Eric has continued to write, record, and perform f...

We pulled some strings, and we have Barton Davies and Ford Garrard of Breakfield on Season 04, Episode 19 of “ Load-In Through the Back ”!Operating under a brand-new moniker, Breakfield are a high-octane folk, country, rock band a la Mumford & Sons . Recently signed to the esteemed Rounder Records , the band released their self-titled debut LP and completed their first headlining tour since le...

Our guest today can’t stand to fly, but he clearly can stand Troy and Pauly enough to be our first ever three-time guest– we’re talking with John Ondrasik of Five for Fighting. Arguably the most renowned piano balladeer of the 21st Century, Five for Fighting is best known for mega-hits “Superman (It’s Not Easy),” “100 Years,” “Riddle,” and “Chances.” John joins us in the thralls of tour prep to di...

If our guest on Season 04, Episode 17 of “ Load-In Through the Back ” is going to be better when he’s older, then we definitely want to speak again. We’re chatting with Top 40 pop-folk balladeer (and arguably our new favorite human) Edwin McCain ! Whether you know him as the esteemed singer/songwriter behind the mid-’90s mega-hit “ I’ll Be ,” as the Loch Ness Monster from FOX ’s the Masked Singer...

Since bursting onto the national touring scene in 2001, North Carolina’s Steep Canyon Rangers have become one of the most successful modern bluegrass acts of all-time. GRAMMY winners and members of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame , they have shared stages with the likes of Della Mae, the Del McCoury Band, Punch Brothers , and more at esteemed venues across the globe.  They are widely recogni...

One of our favorite conversations SOFA(r) comes courtesy of Boston-based funk-pop outfit Couch . Since releasing their debut EP in 2021, the group has earned a reputation as a must-see on the festival and club circuit– supporting acts like Ripe , Cory Wong , and Sammy Rae between main-stage appearances at Levitate Music and Arts and Boston Calling .  Since releasing their debut full-length LP, the...

Imagine if the Lumineers were the TITANIC's house band, and they performed Springsteen on Broadway. That is Sons of Town Hall , and they are our guest on Season 04, Episode 14 of “ Load-In Through the Back .” A story-driven transatlantic folk duo composed of singer/songwriter David Berkley and producer Ben Parker , the pair navigates themes of love, loss, and the human experience through the l...

No, it’s not like the movies… it’s even better. We’re talking to Dryden Mitchell of Alien Ant Farm on Season 04, Episode 13 of “ Load-In Through the Back .” Since bursting onto the alternative rock scene in the early 2000s with hits like “Movies” and their iconic take on Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal,” California rockers Alien Ant Farm have been a mainstay of festival lineups and radio progra...

Humble… Kind… we can use all sorts of flattering descriptors to describe today’s guests, especially since Troy almost had them banned from the ZOOM meeting. We’re chatting with Jordan Caiola and Jeff Lucci of Mo Lowda & the Humble on “ Load-In Through the Back” Season 04, Episode 12! Formed in Philadelphia, PA, Mo Lowda & the Humble have built a ravenous and dedicated fanbase on the back o...

Chad Wolf and Brian Ulery of Carolina Liar join Troy to chat about their upcoming spring tour. Click Date for Tickets! April 17th - Taffeta Music Hall - Lowell, MA April 18th - Stowe Cider - Stowe, VT April 19th - the Bitter End - New York, NY April 20th - CONNArtists House Concert - Southbury, CT April 21st - Jammin' Java - Vienna, VA April 22nd - WaR3house 3 - Swarthmore, PA

We love Steve Poltz . Steve Poltz loves us… and Steve Poltz. Lucky for everyone, he’s our guest on Season 04, Episode 11 of “Load-In Through the Back”. Fair warning– if you’re hoping for a traditional interview episode, this one IS NOT for you. We field a phone call, and you get to listen. It’s absurd. It’s brash. It’s everything we’re thankful for about this friendship.  We chatted about his new...

Whoever said “things can only get better” clearly has never spent an afternoon chatting with New-Wave icon Howard Jones , our guest on Season 04, Episode 10 of “ Load-In Through the Back .” A pioneer of synth-driven rock music in the 1980s, Howard has enjoyed a 40-plus-year career on the back of hits such as “ New Song ,” “ What Is Love? ,” and “ Things Can Only Get Better .” His albums “ Human’s...

The other podcasts are going to know we’re tourists if we keep staring up at Damn Tall Buildings , so instead, why don’t we chat with them on Season 04, Episode 09 of “Load-In Through the Back” ? Since forming at Berklee College of Music in 2013, Damn Tall Building ’s unique three-part vocals and pop-driven folk songs has made them a perennial favorite on bluegrass and americana festivals across t...

Season 04, Episode 08 of “Load-In Through the Back” features great songs (and great conversation) by a great artist– unlike the SPIN Magazine ’s list of the “50 Worst Songs by Great Artists” that Troy and Pauly dive into during the Cold Open. Our guest today sticks your lips, loneliness, and the two coins of your eyes into his pockets and puts a helluva lot of butts in seats. We’re talking to sing...

With the record-breaking snowfall, it’s hard to be a man of the north these days, but that isn’t stopping our guest on Season 04, Episode 07 of “Load-In Through the Back” : Liam St. John . Since appearing on Season 20 of NBC’s The Voice , Liam St. John has clawed his way to the top of the Spotify and Apple Music charts with his unique blend of blues, country, and americana.  He joins us to discuss...

The 100th Episode excitement might be fading in the rearview, but not to worry (because no one likes a worrier... you’ll get that joke in a minute), we’re talking to Al Olender on Season 04, Episode 06 of “ Load-In Through the Back” ! Wielding a box of Kleenex and a narrative voice that is both conversation and confession, Al Olender is quickly rising to the forefront of the indie folk movement. H...

IT’S OUR 100TH EPISODE! Thank you so much to everyone for listening to “ Load-In Through the Back ” whether you’re joining us for the very first time, or the 100th.  Our guest on Season 04, Episode 05 is a true renaissance man of the entertainment industry– he’s a singer, songwriter, comedian, author, and one of the most successful TEDx presenters of all time– we’re talking to Stephen Kellogg . St...

We’re really just stringing them together, eh? Our 99th Episode– Season 04, Episode 04– features a conversation with the incredible singer and banjo player of one of the most beloved modern bluegrass outfits of all time: Chris Pandolfi of the Infamous Stringdusters ! Since their formation in 2005, The Infamous Stringdusters have cemented their legacy as the bridge between traditional bluegrass ala...

Today’s guest is the type of artist that makes you feel homesick for a place you’ve never been. We’re not sure of his eye color, but we can attest that he has a heart of gold. We’re talking about Zachary Williams of The Lone Bellow. Wielding one of the most powerful voices in folk music history, The Lone Bellow have built a strong, grassroots following on the back of stunning vocal harmonies, auth...

When they were young, they knew everything… and after this conversation, I’m pretty sure they still do. We’re talking with Brian Vander Ark , the esteemed songwriter and frontman of The Verve Pipe on Season 04, Episode 02 of “ Load-In Through the Back !” One of the most successful independent bands of all-time, Michigan’s The Verve Pipe broke through with their hit-studded LP “ Villains ” and the...

We’re back, baby! The holiday haze has lifted, the microphones are officially thawed, and we’re diving head-first into a brand-new season of Load-In Through the Back . Kicking off Season 04, Episode 01, we’re joined by Pittstown, New Jersey indie-rockers The Happy Fits . An unexpected overnight success, the band rocketed to the top of Spotify’s Top Viral chart with their self-released debut EP “ A...

Drum roll please– it’s the Season 3 finale of “ Load-In Through the Back ,” and it’s an absolute BANGER. Tired of drum puns yet? Too bad! Our guest on Episode 20 is iconic rocker Josh Freese . Josh has been a percussive force for over three decades, lending his unmistakable groove to artists such as A Perfect Circle , DEVO , and Bruce Springsteen . He further cemented his legacy with the Foo Fight...

Bust out your sh*ttiest guitars– wait, I mean your sh*tar! Our guest on Season 3, Episode 19 of “ Load-In Through the Back ” is the esteemed percussionist of the Wood Brothers : Jano Rix ! Beyond traveling and recording in one of the biggest Americana outfits of the modern era, Jano is also a celebrated producer and songwriter. He recently teamed up with his father Luther ( Bob Dylan’s Rolling Thu...