If This Is True with Chris Hall

Whatever stormed through the ‘90s and early 2000s with a relentless barrage of punk rock anthems fueled by disillusionment, isolation, and raw fury. Now, nearly 25 years later, original members Ben Wrecked (vocals/guitar)and Matt Fish (drums) are back, louder and sharper than ever, joined by Brett Moore (guitar) and Peter Woodward (bass/vocals) to resurrect one of the Midwest’s most fierce punk acts. Their latest album, Into Darker Days, marks the band’s first full-length release since 1997’s Youngsters (DSR 69), delivering 12 new tracks that hit with the same melodic urgency and unapologetic edge fans have always loved. Leaning into the existential unrest of today’s world, Whatever channels decades of frustration into a sound that’s both familiar and freshly ferocious. This isn’t a reunion. It’s a reckoning.Check this one out, and don't miss them on tour!September 18, 2025Marky Ramone plays the Ramones and Whatever...Beachland BallroomCleveland, OHhttps://app.opendate.io/e/marky-ramone-plays-the-ramones-september-19-2025-598040October 18, 2025Whatever... and The GluttonsFive O'Clock LoungeLakewood, OHOctober 22, 2025Decry, Whatever.., The Situations, and Future ConfusionThe RedwoodLos Angeles, CAOctober 23, 2025Rhythm Collision, Whatever..., For Closure, and The Heart RaceThe SardineSan Pedro, CAOctober 24, 2025Dr. Strange Records Freaky FridayThe Radolescents, The Bollweevils, Whatever..., Rhythm Collision, and The MaxiesThe GlasshousePomona, CAhttps://dice.fm/event/nvbgq9-dr-strange-37th-with-radolescents-the-bollweevils-24th-oct-the-glass-house-pomona-tickets?pid=a1331df1&_branch_match_id=1475983283770168345&utm_medium=partners_api&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz8nMy9ZLyUxO1UvL1a9ITTI1TE02MTZLMbUvyEyxTTQ0NjZMSTNUqytKTUstKsrMS49PKsovL04tsg1OTEssygQAK4FHYkgAAAA%3D

Katherine Davis-Gibbon is an award-winning children’s book author, publisher, certified yoga and Pilates teacher, and mother of two Generation Alpha kids. She founded Riverlet Press in 2021, as a platform for books that illuminate and enrich the child’s inner life. Her debut book, My Old Friend, Then, received praise from critics, teachers, therapists, and parents, as well as the following awards recognition: Distinguished Favorite in the 2022 New York City Big Book Awards; Finalist in the 2022 American Book Fest’s Best Book Awards; and Distinguished Favorite in the 2023 Independent Press Awards. Her forthcoming book, Words, is already receiving high praise from multiple outlets, including being selected as an Editor’s Pick by Publishers Weekly BookLife Reviews.Prior to becoming a children’s book author, Davis-Gibbon was a contemporary dancer and choreographer for many years, performing in New York City, St. Louis, Albuquerque, and throughout California. By day, she taught Pilates and yoga—initially at Performing Arts Physical Therapy, in Los Angeles, where she worked with a diverse clientele ranging from seriously injured people to Olympic athletes and Hollywood stars—and ultimately opening her own studio. She has a B.A. in Dance from Scripps College, a Pilates Teaching Certificate from Joseph Pilates’ lifelong protégé, Romana Kryzanowska, and more yoga certifications than she can count.You can find her books at her imprint, Riverlet Press, https://riverletpress.com.Don't miss this episode!

"Real American Space Folk" band Electric Blue Yonder was praised by longtime Boston Gobe senior rock critic, the late Steve Morse, for its “meditative mashup of trippy folk-rock psychedelia, cut with a raw Alabama flavor befitting their roots.” Slant Magazine called EBY “a diamond-bright exploration of rock’s past, present, and hopeful future.” Electric Blue Yonder has released three critically-praised albums, drawing inspiration from the psychedelic folk, surf, and cosmic country rock of the ‘60s and the Space Age prog/art rock explorations of David Bowie and Pink Floyd, all while shifting time to the early roots and parlour style guitar of the 20th century. Now EBY is spreading its wings, inviting the young and young at heart to step into a world of color, wonder, and nature's magic with the band’s first album for kids and families, MicroPARTY, set for release on April 25.Beth Hataway and Johnny Veres are at the heart of Electric Blue Yonder. You can learn more about their music and touring at https://electricblueyonder.com.Don't miss this one!

Paul Vaillancourt is a writer, actor, director, producer but most of all an improvisor who has been teaching and performing improv across the country for more than 30 years. He is a graduate of the Comedy Sportz Training Program in Virginia, the Second City Training Center in Chicago as well as the legendary Improv Olympic in Chicago where he had the rare opportunity to study under the legendary Del Close. After his group, Bitter Noah, was selected to perform their signature piece, the Improvised Movie, at the US Comedy Arts festival in Aspen, Paul moved to Los Angeles and co-founded the iO West where he has been teaching, directing and performing (both written and improvised shows) ever since. During his time in Hollywood, Paul has become a sought after improv coach, producer and consultant working with many TV networks including CMT, Fox, MTV, VH1, Oxygen and Bravo to name a few. He now lives in Los Angeles with his wife Lindsey and their two children Isabelle and Paul junior (or Bro as his friends call him).You can find Paul's teachings on Instagram at @whatsupwithpv, on TikTok at Paul Vaillancourt. You can also buy his book, The Triangle of the Scene at https://www.amazon.com/Triangle-Scene-practical-approaching-improvisation/dp/1539733718/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SEMV48BEEJN1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.pA6gDbth8dKGjlppk9t73A.qcyrQBHeTwr9rlM1ijnLEGk5sscDB_RexfjXovWO8y4&dib_tag=se&keywords=paul+vaillancourt+book+triangle&qid=1746289681&sprefix=paul+vaillancourt+book+triangle%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1

Gillian Bellinger is an SAG character actor. To watch her character bits, follow her on Instagram @gillianbellinger.She has played roles on Hulu's "How I Met Your Father", "Disney's "Just Roll with It" as well as being a principal in commercials for Harris Bank, Time Warner, NorthShore Healthcare, and Unitrin Auto Insurance. She's also rocked out a bunch of short films, industrials, and starred in Red Letter Media's Feeding Frenzy, a comedic horror flick. So if you're watching TV late at night and think, "Was that...?" Probably. Gillian studied improv in Chicago at The Second City, I.O. Theater, The Annoyance Theater, and The Groundlings. Gillian is very fancy and attended The London Academy of Theatre, The National Theater Institute, and Hamline University.She was an ensemble member on Second City House teams in LA and Chicago, ComedySportz Chicago and Minneapolis, the Del Tones at I.O. West, Laugh Out Loud Theater in Chicago, Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica, and Improv Acadia in Bar Harbor, Maine.She has taught improv & acting at The Second City Hollywood, Intentional Acting Studio, Improv Utopia, AMDA, and Westside Comedy Theater. She has been a guest teacher at Finest City Improv, All Out Comedy Theater, Alchemy Comedy Theater, Think Fast Theater, Asheville Improv Collective, and Curious Comedy Theater.She is now the Artistic Director of Misfit Improv in Asheville, NC.

The Artistic Director and Founder of Improv Training Hub, Amey was the Artistic Director of E-MPROV.com, produced and hosted Indie Cage Match at UCB Theatre East Village from 2011-2016.She started at UCB NY in 2001. You can see her work on ucbcomedy.com, Funny or Die, The Food Network, IFC Channel and YouTube. Amey moved to LA in 2016 and taught improv at MI Westside Comedy in Los Angeles. Currently, she is the Training Center Director and Co-Creative Director at Chaos Bloom Theater in Denver.She performed at Westside Comedy every month in Improv Famous, Women Aren’t Funny and the Faculty Show.She has been on a million teams like Lucy, Krompf, Wicked Fuckin Queeah, Spoiled Space Monkeys, and so many more across the country.Amey has directed and/or coached more than 500 improv and sketch teams across the country. She also teaches teams online. Don't miss this one!

For over a decade, Harold Phifer served in a war-zone as a contract air-controller in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Guantanamo Bay. He even survived a suicide bombing by the Taliban. But none of that was as dangerous or stressful as his upbringing. Phifer was a black kid growing up in the south during the tumultuous 1960s, dealing with racism and bullying in the streets, and abuse at home from his schizophrenic mother and dysfunctional, violent aunt. He felt like an outsider in and out of the house. He tells a moving story in his newest book, My Bully, My Aunt, and Her Final Gift. It comes on the heels of publishing his earlier book, Surviving Chaos: How I Found Peace At A Beach Bar, which exposed a lot of people that affected the life of the author. Besides his problematic mother, his aunt left a lasting imprint.This is a one of a kind story. Don't miss it!

Join Liz Allen, John Bolger, Susan Messing, Steve Plock and me as we discuss why Chicago is such a touchstone for the art of improvisation! We discuss what's happening in the city, particularly coming out of the pandemic, and what's new and exciting. We also discussed the importance of the history of the art form and Chicago's place in it. If you love improv the way I do, this is a must listen episode!

Joe Bill is widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Improvisation in America today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago, was the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago for 15 years, and a Teacher & Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Conservatory & Training Center for another 15 years. Joe first practiced improvisation in 1977 and studied and worked with Del Close from 1985 through the mid 90’s.Joe is also a Senior Facilitator for The Ariel Group, specializing in Leadership & Personal Presence and Storytelling for Business People. He was the Master Facilitator of the Western U.S. for Ferrazzi Greenlight in their Trusted Advisor Initiative with General Motors from 2015-2016. His clients range from C Level to new hires, in a number of vastly different industries. He is just as comfortable coaching Creative Teams, Corporate Leaders, and Television Stars as he is coaching Engineers, Analysts, and Actuaries.Joe has also been touring internationally as an improvisational performer, teacher, and director for more than 20 years. You can reach him at integratedimprovisation.com. He also has a book coming out soon, called, "Maybe It's Your Fault." Our conversation ranged from basketball theory to CageMatch victories! Don't miss this one!