Chris Poland (Megadeth) — Nuclear Messiah's Black Flame, William Shatner & Music Without a Stage

Ricky Nye has spent over 50 years preserving the sound of blues, boogie woogie, and New Orleans piano — playing everywhere from Cincinnati to the legendary Caveau de la Huchette in Paris. On this episode of Stage Vault, Ricky talks reading a room in real time, the nights that turn into unexpected magic, and a personal milestone reshaping how he steps on stage.

Singer-songwriter Steven Keene came up in the Greenwich Village folk clubs that shaped Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie — small rooms, no safety net, a different crowd every night. On this episode of Stage Vault, Keene talks about what it felt like to walk into those rooms before a show, the strange experience of songs arriving to him in the middle of the night, and the difference between performing his own material and the songs of the heroes who raised him. He also shares the one night on stage he still can't shake, and the single moment he'd preserve forever if he could seal it in the vault. Stage Vault goes behind the curtain of live music to capture what audiences never see. New episodes weekly. Photo of Steven Keene courtesy of Photo Impressions. Sponsored by Musicologie – simply delightful music lessons at ⁠⁠⁠⁠musicologie.com⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Twenty years into The Shake Ups, husband-and-wife duo Patrick and Savannah O'Connor still get nervous before every show — just not about the things you'd expect. On this episode of Stage Vault, they open up about the night Patrick lost his voice hours before going on, the terrifying first show that turned into one of their best crowds ever, and how playing conventions full of costumed, emotionally invested fans is nothing like a normal club gig. They also talk about their other bands, the Star Wars-inspired Threepios and surf-rock group The Leviathans, and why the same circle of friends keeps finding new projects to build together. The show ends. The vault opens.Sponsored by Musicologie – simply delightful music lessons at ⁠⁠⁠musicologie.com⁠⁠⁠.

He wrote the Oscar-winning song from Midnight in Paris — then played it live at the Academy Awards with Hans Zimmer conducting. Gypsy jazz guitarist Stéphane Wrembel joins Stage Vault to talk about that night, the years he spent training in Sinti gypsy camps in France, building the Django à Gogo festival, and why — after 20 years as an instrumentalist — he just sang on record for the first time on Django New Orleans II: Hors-Série. Stage Vault goes behind the curtain of live music: the rituals, the nerves, the transcendence — what musicians think and feel before, during, and after they step on stage. The show ends. The vault opens. Photo: Rob Davidson stagevaultpod.comSponsored by Musicologie — simply delightful music lessons at ⁠⁠musicologie.com⁠⁠.

Guitarist Nili Brosh lives in three musical worlds at once: Dethklok's animated-metal spectacle, Danny Elfman's orchestral theatrics, and the nightly precision of Cirque du Soleil's Michael Jackson ONE. Recorded on the road during the 2026 Amonklok Conquest tour, days after the release of her fourth solo album, Eventide, this conversation goes past the résumé and into the pre-show rituals, mid-set thoughts, and the one night on stage she'd preserve forever. Nili currently tours as Dethklok's guitarist alongside Brendon Small, Gene Hoglan, and Pete Griffin, has performed with Danny Elfman's live ensemble, and has shared stages with Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, and Guthrie Govan. Her new album Eventide is out now. Photo by Tim Salaz. Stage Vault is a music podcast about the human side of live performance — backstage stories, touring life, and the moments the audience never sees. New episodes every two weeks. The show ends. The vault opens. Sponsored by Musicologie — simply delightful music lessons at ⁠⁠musicologie.com⁠⁠.