“Hmm, what should I listen to?” We got you covered, anonymous stock photo model. Stock image via pexels.com
Podcasts are a strange medium. In 2015, the Pew Research Center reported that 36 per cent of Americans had listened to a pod- cast, but half the population of the same country hadn’t even heard of the term ‘podcasting.’ Some pod- casts, such as WTF with Marc Maron, rake in viewers by the millions, while others (like ours!) tend to attract audiences in the mid-double-digits. There’s relatively little money in the practice—in fact, even podcasters with listenership in the high thou- sands tend not to rely on it as their sole source of income.
But that hasn’t deterred the ever- growing podcasting community. Victoria is a prime spot for the platform, with several providers of quality content uploading on a regular basis.
The Martlet Podcast released the first episode of a new volume earlier this month (with the second released last week), so to celebrate, we’re sharing the love. Here are a few podcasts based in Victoria that you might not have heard before, but should definitely check out:
Created by UVic Writing under- graduates Spencer Pickles and James Weicker, this podcast began as an exploration of the university’s Creative Writing program and the many talented students and profes- sors therein (including several of the Martlet’s writers and editors). It has since devolved into a squabbling mess of half-baked business ideas, nervous impressions of David Leach (UVic Writing department chair), and mildly offensive puns. Still, it’s a fun listen and every episode (so far) has had heavy helpings of humour.
Hosted by UVic PhD student and improvisor Steven Ray Orr, and Paper Street Theatre owner and local improv guru Dave Morris, The Style Guide is a meandering podcast full of jokes and silliness. It also has a few recurring segments such as “Versus,” where the hosts pit similar movies or TV shows (i.e. The Prestige and The Illusionist) against one another.
Originally comprised of several dis- tinct shows, 29er Radio is now solely the platform of the Lisa, Gene & Eric Show. The trio includes Lisa Helps, Victoria’s current mayor; Gene Miller, the founder of Monday Magazine and Open Space; and Eric Bramble, a commercial property investor. Most episodes feature a guest—usually an influential member of the community—and explore the various issues facing the city of Victoria. If you’ve ever wanted to get a taste of Victoria’s city council or Chamber of Commerce without doing anything more than putting on your head- phones, here’s your chance.
Hosted by local comedian Elyott Ryan, this podcast explores the Victoria comedy and improv scene. A must-listen for anyone looking for insight into the comedy process, this podcast provides laughs and intro- spection in equal measure. There haven’t been any new episodes since October 2016, but the 18 episodes produced so far are all worth listening to.
Hosted by professional comedic magician Dave Attwood, this show bills itself as the “World’s #1 Magic Podcast.” However, the show covers many topics other than just magic, including a whole host of come- dic bits. Regularly joined by Steve Cleugh, Attwood’s former co-host on the Dave & Steve Show (a now discontinued podcast), as well as various other guest magicians, the production has an intense, upbeat energy. If you’re interested in magic, or simply want to relive that one awk- ward phase in your early teens, this is the podcast for you.
