Podcast Summary: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Playdio Day Two (Bands 37–39)

Podcast: Holmberg's Morning Sickness – Arizona (#1 Morning Radio Show)
Episode: 11-25-25 - Playdio DAY TWO - Bands 37-39
Date: November 25, 2025
Hosts: John Holmberg, Brady Bogen, Brett Vesely, Dick Toledo
Main Focus: Review and live critique of local bands Lady Strange and the Rites, Dawn of the Rising, and Without Fear as part of the annual Playdio competition.

Episode Overview

This episode captures day two of Playdio, the annual contest/showcase for local Arizona bands. The crew listens to, reacts to, and rates three of the final bands: Lady Strange and the Rites, Dawn of the Rising, and Without Fear. The signature sharp wit, inside jokes, and playful roasting abound as they critique each submission both musically and in terms of production and performance. There's also reflection on the quality of this year’s entrants, discussion of the upcoming live show, and celebration of the stronger bands.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Listener Engagement and Playdio Atmosphere (01:13–03:07)

• Email from Rob Menino, whose band was featured ("didn't hear the critiques. Didn't really care. Got in my work truck and rode over").
• Hosts banter about the historic difficulty of Playdio, noting this year's overall improvement:
  • “For the most part, this has been a really good one. We've had some high highs.” (Toledo, 02:49)
  • “40 bands seems like… the second day is more difficult. This year it seemed like the first day was more difficult.” (Brett Vesely, 02:58)

2. Band 1: Lady Strange and the Rites – “Stuck in Motion” (03:07–06:13)

Intro & Expectations:

• Classic/modern rock mix with an "occult" flair; they've toured and released an album with less than a year together.

Hosts’ Immediate Reactions:

• Aggressively negative, especially about production:
  • “I feel like I've been stabbed in the heart.” (Toledo, 04:12)
  • “Who produced that? They threw everything at the wall. There was the word 'no' never said in production. Not once.” (Toledo, 05:24)

Notable Quotes:

• “That was just like, murder sounds better.” (Brett Vesely, 05:21)
• “They did give Brady a free hearing test at the start.” (Toledo, 05:29)
• “Is this how Brady hears all the time? Sorry, Brady, that was awful for you.” (Toledo, 06:30)
• “Sounded like a cat in the dryer. I'm sorry? A gay cat in the dryer to keep the theme alive.” (Toledo quoting listener email, 06:59)

Ratings:

• Scores given: Two (Toledo, 08:23), another "deuce" (Byron, 08:34), 1 from Brett, for a total score of 5.
• “That was a mess… they need to start over. That was a mess.” (Toledo, 06:03/06:14)
• The hosts lampoon the band’s name and play with social commentary (“Lady Strange and the Rites make me wish ladies had no rights.” – Toledo, 07:21)

3. Band 2: Dawn of the Rising – “Make Your Peace” (08:36–13:24)

Band Background:

• Melodic hardcore/metal; return band with new material.

Song Commentary:

• Lyrics referenced live by Brady as the track plays.
• Various comparisons: “I felt like I was listening to Ghost Megadeth.” (Toledo, 11:03)
• “Very Alice Cooper.” (Brett, 11:12)

Listener and Host Feedback:

• Strong critical roasting, often playfully questionable:
  • “Gay Mustang.” (Brett, 13:34)
  • “Phallus Cooper… perfect.” (Toledo, 15:01)
• “Sounded like Dave Mustaine and Avenged Sevenfold had a child.” (Toledo, 13:24)
• General consensus: production was better than the previous band, but the song was not compelling.

Scores:

• John Gordon: 10 (partial bias, as he admits it via text, 14:28)
• All others: 3; total 19.
• “Even with a 10, will they make it to the final?” (Toledo, 14:49) – answer is no.

4. Band 3: Without Fear – “Gaslighter” (15:07–29:33)

Band Introduction:

• Phoenix-based; emotional grit and melodic rock.
• Formed by Justin Marbury and Dan Drago; features John Gordon, one of the show's hosts, on guitar.
• “Wait a second. What is this? Our own JG?” (Toledo, 17:19)

Song Listening & Awareness:

• John Gordon's participation is realized mid-intro—lots of ribbing ensues.

Live On-Air Reaction:

• "I'm, it's catchy tune, guys." (Toledo, 25:20)
• “Your singer's really good. I liked him a lot.” (Toledo, 25:38)
• “Nice guitar solo. Finally some talent.” (Toledo to John Gordon, 26:43)
• Minor production/arrangement critique: “Not enough, like, vocal arrangement… like when you go into that pre chorus, the backup singer should be doing some sort of ooh…” (Toledo, 27:15)
• "The singer... came at it with about an 8, and I know he's got a 10. That guy can sing." (Toledo, 27:53)
• “Kind of like that one a lot.” (Brett Vesely, 28:20)

Scores:

• Brett: 9 | Toledo: 8 | Byron: 8
• Hosts praise the song as “catchy” and agree it could play on mainstream radio.

Listener Feedback:

• “That song rocked. Not gay. Had me moving at my desk.” (Listener email read by Brett, 29:16)
• “I loved it. I could definitely, I could hear that on the radio every day. Nice job.” (Listener email read by Toledo, 29:43)
• Some noted it felt slightly incomplete: “Underdeveloped song by a good band.” (Brett, 29:41)

5. Playdio Recap and Reflections (29:33–End)

• General consensus that this year’s Playdio was the strongest ever, with notable live talent.
• “This has been a very pleasant year. Normally I walk away going, that was tragic.” (Toledo, 32:30)
• “You support local music, so screw you, West Valley music. This is all about supporting the local music and the bands that did well.” (Toledo, 30:49)
• Discourse about band selection, local music, and memorable past acts (“Gorgeous people a couple years ago…” 31:29).

Notable Quotes & Moments

• “[Lady Strange and the Rites:] Who produced that? They threw everything at the wall. There was the word 'no' never said in production. Not once.” (Toledo, 05:24)
• “[Dawn of the Rising:] Phallus Cooper is pretty perfect.” (Byron, 15:01)
• “[Without Fear:] I'm, it's catchy tune, guys.” (Toledo, 25:20)
• “Nice guitar solo. Finally some talent.” (Toledo to John Gordon, 26:43)
• “I loved it. I could definitely, I could hear that on the radio every day. Nice job.” (Read by Toledo, 29:43)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 01:13 – Listener email, Playdio mood and quality reflection
• 03:07 – Lady Strange and the Rites intro & critique
• 06:13 – Band scoring & “cat in the dryer” comment
• 08:36 – Dawn of the Rising intro & play
• 11:03 – “Ghost Megadeth” & Alice Cooper references
• 13:24 – Roasting and scoring of “Make Your Peace”
• 15:07 – Without Fear intro; realization John Gordon is in the band
• 19:16 – “Gaslighter” song begins
• 25:20 – Full-band feedback, praise for chorus & solo
• 29:33 – Final reflection on the batch and live show hype

Episode Tone & Style

• Classic irreverent Arizona radio energy.
• Rapid-fire, sharp-witted roasting; inside jokes & listener ribbing.
• Supportive of local music, even when giving harsh feedback.
• Infectiously passionate and enthusiastic about supporting successful local bands.

Conclusion

Day Two closes out with strong support for Without Fear and overall praise for this year’s Playdio batch as “the best year ever.” Despite sharp critiques and irrepressible sarcasm, the ultimate vibe is enthusiastic and celebratory of the Arizona rock scene—with emphasis on both talent and local camaraderie.

For local music lovers or hopeful Playdio bands, this episode exemplifies Hoffman’s Morning Sickness’s humor, honesty, and deep love for Arizona’s best (and sometimes worst) musical acts.