Classic City Vibes

Send us Fan Mail Author Raquel Durden joins us to talk about her new book Dial Down.  Dial Down: Holistic Strategies to Move from Chaos to Calm is a practical guide focused on holistic wellness techniques to help individuals manage stress and find calmness in their lives. The book integrates evidence-based wellness practices with personal stories and poems aimed at offering readers actionable tool...

Send us Fan Mail Join host Zakk, Anthony, and James as they talk about the first 100 episodes of Classic City Vibes.  Thanks to all our amazing guests, to everyone who has worked on making the podcast a success and finally most of all for those of you who listen.  Hope you enjoy the next 100.

Send us Fan Mail Game Designer Alec Nelson stop by to talk about his new game Scrap Heap and also his journey in the gaming world. Bio: Alec is a tabletop game enthusiast and landscape ecology researcher. His work seeks to recognize and honor human values, foster consensus around work and play, and bring curiosity and thoughtfulness to all settings. His most recent design, SCRAP//HEAP, is a tradin...

Send us Fan Mail Aidan of Bayou Princess stops by to talk about his musical journey, the band, and their upcoming release.  It was a fun conversation that spanned from disco to post-modern philosophy.   Bio: Bayou Princess makes weirdo dance rock about consumption, existence, love, and violence with moments of swampy sedation.  You can find Bayou Princess at https://bayouprincess.bandcamp.com/

Send us Fan Mail Cara Sullivan drops in to discuss her journey as a Theater Director, her role at Athens Creative Theater, and some upcoming shows including a Shakespeare in the Park production.  You can find info about upcoming shows at: https://www.accgov.com/646/Shows BIO: Cara Rose Sullivan is the Program Specialist (Artistic Director) for Athens Creative Theatre. Cara holds an MFA in Theatre...

Send us Fan Mail We talk with the founder of one of Athen's most popular new festivals Hauntfest.  Learn from Roseann Harpold  how it all got started and what you can expect at this year's event! For more information about Hauntfest please go to www.hauntfest.net.  

Send us Fan Mail This week Niké and Dana join James to discuss the most popular books of 2025, our favorites, and what we are looking forward to in 2026.

Send us Fan Mail This week we are joined by poet, editor and translator Gerald Maa.  Gerald talks about his origins and rise in the literary world and about his current role as editor of The Georgia Review. Enjoyed this conversation? Follow, subscribe, and leave a review to help others find the show.  Gerald Maa began as editor and director of the Georgia Review in 2019. Since then, the Review has...

Send us Fan Mail This week we have a conversation with poet Karla Kelsey who was recently the featured poet for the UGA Diann Blakely Visiting Poet Series.  Karla was a delight to talk with and we hope you will enjoy this conversation as much as we did! Karla Kelsey’s books of poetry books include On Certainty (Omnidawn, 2023), Blood Feather (Tupelo Press, 2020), A Conjoined Book (Omnidawn, 2014),...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about Vtubing, Resin art and more with local artist Mothrea Immortalis. Bio: "this bug knows some stuff or something like that"

Send us Fan Mail Ixian is a one man tour de force of Post Cyber Grinding Noisey Sludge Techno Industrial Blackened doom based out of Athens, GA. His live shows consist of many machines, and masked mystique. There is an unreasonable amount of music for the amount of time the project has been active that can be found at https://ixian.bandcamp.com .

Send us Fan Mail Novelist and entrepreneur Alissa Huelsman-Bell discusses her journey from Star Trek-inspired storyteller to owner of Thunderfoot Studio, a new film production facility at Wire Park in Watkinsville. Her creative path spans writing 20 published books across multiple genres to building a space where both established and emerging filmmakers can create high-quality content. Bio: Calm l...

Send us Fan Mail Step into the vibrant world of independent cinema as the Athens Film Festival makes its triumphant return for a second year! Founder Chuck Griffin and PR coordinator Blaire Mars take us behind the scenes of this rapidly growing celebration of film that's quickly becoming a cultural cornerstone in the Classic City. For more information on the festival go to athensfilm.com Bio:...

Send us Fan Mail Our guest today is Tara Heaton — a published author, keynote speaker, and master storyteller whose unforgettable memoir invites readers into a world few can imagine. In Life Minutes: Igniting Joy from the Fire of Heartache, Tara shares her journey as a mother navigating trauma, weaving together raw emotion, surprising humor, and heartfelt insight. Her ability to turn deeply person...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever walked out of a movie theater feeling betrayed by what filmmakers did to your favorite book? Or discovered an incredible novel only after falling in love with its screen adaptation? Our fascinating conversation with Athens librarians Niké and Britton explores the delicate art of transforming written words into visual stories. Britton is also one of the host for the p...

Send us Fan Mail Meet Caleb Zane Hewitt, the creative force behind Triangle Agency, a groundbreaking tabletop role-playing game that's redefining how we think about narrative control and power dynamics at the gaming table. In this wide-ranging conversation, Caleb shares how his unexpected journey from theater kid to professional game master to acclaimed game designer has shaped his unique cre...

Send us Fan Mail Learn about local up and coming filmmaker Chris Pendry.  Chris Pendry is a talented multi-hyphenate artist. From acting on stage, writing new works, and making short films in the UGA Masters in Film Arts program, Chris Pendry has had a busy year making art and adding to our beautiful creative scene. Check out his latest films Chase and This Body is a Test (here are the links to wa...

Send us Fan Mail Kendra Collier shares her journey from horseback riding enthusiast to published children's book author. Her book "Amber's Equestrian Alphabet" began as a high school senior project but quickly became a passion project combining her love for animals with new writing skills. • First fell in love with horses during a trail ride in Tennessee just three years ago •...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when classical elegance meets modern storytelling? Join us as we sit down with the incredibly talented Eva Elarbee, whose journey from a three-year-old in ballet slippers at the Joan Mann Dance Studio to a multifaceted dancer, choreographer, and living history interpreter, is nothing short of inspiring.  Bio : Eva Elarbee is an Athens native with a passion for vintage...

Send us Fan Mail Set Lighting Technician Miles Grier share his journey into the film industry.  From essential roles and safety on set to sharing invaluable career advice, the discussion emphasizes the importance of collaboration and respect in the film industry.  • Understanding the structure and roles in the lighting department  • Importance of lighting for mood and visual storytelling  • Anecdo...

Send us Fan Mail Join us on Classic City Vibes as we welcome back Anthony Zuniga, who takes us on his journey from a church worship team to middle school band, eventually stepping into the world of theater and dance at Brightstone Productions. Despite initial doubts from his family, Anthony's breakthrough moment arrived when his father attended his performance in "Catch Me If You Can,&qu...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you take an alternate history Earth, sprinkle it with alien curses, and wrap it all in the creative chaos of the Old School Renaissance? Wayne and Dee from Kismet Games join us on Classic City Vibes to answer just that. Kismet Games is the brainchild of Wayne Peacock. Together with writing partner Dee McKinney, they crafted the world of Rustwater, Kismet’s signat...

Send us Fan Mail We talk books with some of ARLS's own.  Lindsay, Jen, and Niké join us to talk about the NY Times Greatest Books of the 21st Century list as well as some of the books coming out this fall.  Video Games, Cher, and much more find their way into the conversation.  Hope you enjoy.  

Send us Fan Mail   This week we talk with Director Mac Escalante about his new film “Aubrey’s Understanding”.  You can catch the film at the Georgia Museum of Art on October 19th at 2pm.   You can find Mac Escalante at: email: escalantemac@gmail.com Instagram: @Spongemac99 Aubrey's Understandings Instagram: @aubreysunderstandings 

Send us Fan Mail The Comedy community has really taken off in the last four years and a lot of that has to do with Flying Squid Comedy which offers classes, shows, and a community for local comedians.  This week we talk with founder and comedian Kelly Petronis about his career as a comedian, the origins and evolution of Flying Squid Comedy and the local Comedy community. Kelly Petronis is the foun...