Konnichiwa, friends! I have recently returned from my latest international travel adventure, and it was a sick one. I went to Tokyo, Japan! It has been a long time since I've set foot in a new country, and while I was slightly nervous about the trip, it ended up being an awesome experience. Inspired by this year's Star Wars Celebration, I spent a week exploring the streets, sights, and shrines of Tokyo. Oh yeah, and hit up Tokyo Disneyland! This is my full recap of the trip, taking you from the ...
Jun 20, 2025•3 hr 25 min•Ep. 28
For this episode, I am joined by my friend Ben Fowers, guitarist for the straight edge hardcore band Embrace Today. We discuss Ben's life in Boston, how he got into punk and hardcore music, and what it was like growing up in a city with serious hardcore history. We dive into his early days of picking up the guitar, starting his own bands, and eventually joining Embrace Today. Ben shares his experiences of performing and recording with the band, touring the country, and playing iconic shows and f...
Feb 19, 2025•2 hr 18 min•Ep. 27
Lunch break is over and we are back in session, so don't be tardy! That's right, people, I haven't dropped out yet. Thanks for hanging in there with me! In this episode, I am joined by my friend and fellow SLO High alumni, Diego Castañeda. Diego and I were classmates at San Luis Obispo High School, and this year (2024) marks our 20 year graduation anniversary. Talk about hardcore! We may have gone our separate ways after school but, the almighty algorithm brought us back together for our own epi...
May 24, 2024•4 hr 29 min•Ep. 26
Earlier this year, I was fortunate enough to catch Poison The Well on their anniversary tour celebrating 20 years of You Come Before You, and the show was epic! Poison The Well was one of the first hardcore bands I started listening to, and just hearing their name always takes me back to a time in my life of discovering this music. However, they were not the first, and they were not the only band in my cd player during this era. In this episode I'm sharing some of my most nostalgic heavy bands, ...
Feb 29, 2024•1 hr 27 min•Ep. 25
Happy New Year!! That's right, people, it's 2024 and we are coming in hot. For my first episode of the new year, I am catching up with the incomparable Tennisen Deakman. Tennisen and I spent the better part of a day hanging out, prattling on about pretty much everything there is. We may have actually said too much but, we had fun. And isn't that what is important. Thanks to Tennisen for joining me on this and thank you for kicking off a new year with us! Follow Tennisen on Instagram at @beenthat...
Jan 29, 2024•4 hr 6 min•Ep. 24
Before we close out 2023, I just want to say thank you so very much for listening to the podcast this year. It has been such a fun and fulfilling project, and I'm looking forward to continuing in 2024. And finally, another big thank you to my guests for spending time and talking with me. Which actually makes a great segue... In this episode I am joined by my friend Bill, given name William. Bill and I go way back at this point. In fact, there was a time when we both lived and worked together. Ta...
Dec 26, 2023•2 hr 40 min•Ep. 23
Mom, this was never a phase! I'm back from fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada after attending the second annual When We Were Young Festival. WWWYF is the ultimate emo celebration, bringing together sensitive millennials from all over the world to sing our favorite songs and relive our teen-angst glory days. But how did the second year compare to the first? I'm here to tell you all about it, in what might be my most grand soliloquy yet. After that, I share my thoughts on the new Beatles song "Now And The...
Nov 27, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Ep. 22
September has come to and end, but October is about to start! And I've got just the person to help get us in the "spirit" of things. I'm thrilled to welcome back my friend Crystal Saenz, and once again morbid curiosity has gotten the best of us. It doesn't take long for us to descend in to darkness, as we discuss the more macabre side of life. Plus, Crystal shares more supernatural encounters she has experienced over the last year. Please join us, if you dare! Listen to our previous episode toge...
Sep 30, 2023•3 hr 4 min•Ep. 21
Fall is here! Which means it's time for hoodies and hauntings. And what better way to kick off the spooky season than having monsters scream at you all night! Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights has become one of my favorite annual traditions, and the 2023 event did not disappoint. Through the mazes, scare zones, and Terror Tram, Universal puts on a frightening, yet fun experience. I also share my thoughts on a few films from director Alfred Hitchcock, who was a regular on the Universal St...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Ep. 20
It's my birthday! So you know what that means, another year older and another year wiser... or something like that! And for this special occasion I've got a special birthday guest, my bff, Stu. Stuart helped me start this madness almost two years ago as my very first guest, and now fate and friendship has brought us here together once again. Stuart and I revisit some of our most cherished adolescent memories, from backyard trampoline hijinks to running amok on the streets of SLO. We also look ba...
Aug 28, 2023•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 19
Work sucks, I know! On this episode I'm hanging out with my friend and former boss, Brendan Klein. Brendan and I met in 2011 when I was hired at Really Likeable People (RLP), a distribution company founded by Tom DeLonge. This company housed various brands such as Macbeth Footwear, LoserKids.Com, The Keep A Breast Foundation, Modlife, Atticus Clothing and more. RLP was a unique work environment, and we made some lasting memories during our time there. In the years since, not only did we keep in ...
Aug 11, 2023•2 hr 46 min•Ep. 18
Part 2 of my epic conversation with Anna! This time around we're exploring a variety of majorly important issues, discussing boy bands, classic adolescent games, tv shows, and some incredible pick-up lines. Follow Anna on Instagram @killedyoupolitely Thank you for listening! Find me on Instagram at @mattxcementina Intro/Outro music by Stuart Stock-Tucker
Jul 31, 2023•2 hr 2 min•Ep. 17
Oh my god, we're back again. Brothers, sisters, everybody sing. That's right, people, it's episode 16! In this episode I am joined by my friend Anna Miller to talk about...well, everything. Anna and I revisit some of our fondest memories, reminiscing about shows, bands, venues, and navigating adolescence within the hardcore music scene. Anna also shares her experience and perspective as a female in this male-dominated community. Due to the epic run time of this conversation, I've decided to uplo...
Jul 14, 2023•2 hr 18 min•Ep. 16
You say goodbye, and I say hello! In this episode of Showing Promise, I'm going all in on Beatlemania! I have been a devout fan of The Beatles for most of my life, and always dreamt about seeing them live in concert. But yeah, obviously that was not happening across this universe. So if I couldn't see them together, I would have to see them individually. I mean, they're still Beatles after all. I was fortunate enough to see Paul McCartney live on his Freshen Up Tour in 2019, and recently caught ...
Jun 12, 2023•2 hr 7 min•Ep. 15
It has been a wild week, but we are back in action! I have recently returned from a trip across the pond for this years Star Wars Celebration. Star Wars Celebration is the ultimate Star Wars convention, and changes location every year it's held. For 2023, SWC went international to jolly old London, England. Over the course of 4 days, ExCel London was completely taken over by Star Wars fandom. Like most pop-culture conventions, SWC features merchandise vendors, props and costume displays, autogra...
Apr 17, 2023•58 min•Ep. 14
It's Episode 13 of Showing Promise, and we're talking tats! For lucky number 13, I'm hanging with my friend Jake Emery to discuss the world of tattooing. Jake is a tattoo artist at the award-winning Port Side Tattoo in San Diego. In this podcast, Jake shares his personal journey to becoming a professional tattoo artist, and provides insight in to the process and culture of the tattoo industry. Plus, you know we had to talk about heavy music as well. Enjoy! Follow Jake on Instagram at @jake.emery...
Mar 29, 2023•2 hr 10 min•Ep. 13
Greetings, Earthlings! We are keeping the space vibes rolling with another out-of-this-world episode! This time around I am joined by my friend and coworker, AC, to share some of our experiences over the years while running the To The Stars retail store in Encinitas, California. This shop was far from ordinary, and attracted a lot of curious and excited customers from all over the planet. Needless to say, it was a wild mix of people and we never really knew what to expect or who we would encount...
Mar 15, 2023•2 hr 35 min•Ep. 12
Showing Promise Episode XI - Defense Of The Ewoks. That's right padawan's, we're hitting lightspeed and going full Star Wars. In this episode, I am joined by my friends Chris and Steve for a lively discussion about our favorite galaxy far, far away. Thank you for listening! Find me on Instagram at @mattxcementina Intro/Outro music by Stuart Stock-Tucker
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 11
Well everyone, we've done it. Idk how, but we've done it. It's episode 10! And to mark this very special occasion, I've got my very special first returning guest. I'm joined once again by the one, the only, the incorrigible Corie Ferguson! Not only was Corie one of my first podcast guests, but she was also the first person I met in this strange new city of San Diego, and over the last decade our friendship has blossomed in to a beautiful garden. However, the circumstances surrounding our meeting...
Feb 15, 2023•2 hr 21 min•Ep. 10
In this episode, I'm sharing some of the interesting and particularly cool celebrity encounters I had while running the To The Stars retail shop in Encinitas, California. To The Stars is the entertainment brand of punk rocker and San Diego native, Tom DeLonge (Blink-182, Angels & Airwaves, Box Car Racer), and his retail store attracted a wide variety of customers and fans. Located in a hip Southern California beach town, this area is a popular destination. I met a lot of people during my tim...
Jan 25, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Ep. 9
Happy New Year! And happy birthday?! For most of us, these annual celebrations are two separate occasions. But for my first guest of 2023, they are one and the same. My buddy Dan was the first dude I met after moving to San Diego, and we've been friends ever since. I have some bones to pick about his taste in movies, but otherwise it's business as usual as we discuss being born on a holiday, Dan's history in music, reminisce on cool shows, our trips to Disneyland and Walt Disney World, and more!...
Jan 09, 2023•2 hr 59 min•Ep. 8
It's been just over a month since my weekend in Las Vegas at the first ever When We Were Young Festival, and I'm still not sure I've fully recovered. In this episode, I'm sharing my full experience at the festival, as well as my thoughts on the event overall. And to close this one out, I thought it would be fun to talk about one of the festival's headliners, Paramore. They have been a bright spot in the scene for nearly two decades, and are still one of the best to hit the stage. Thank you for l...
Nov 28, 2022•2 hr 4 min•Ep. 7
It may be November, but we're still creepin' it real. Even though Halloween has returned to the grave for this year, we just can't help talking horror. My super secret guest, known only as "John Doe" is joining me to talk about some classic horror movies and characters, as well as a few amazing movie ideas of our own. But the fun doesn't end there. We also reminisce on some of our favorite hardcore and metal shows, how we first met, and our history with music. This one is definitely a typical ta...
Nov 14, 2022•2 hr 35 min•Ep. 6
Let's gets spooky! Just in time for Halloween, I am joined by my friend, Crystal, for a journey in to some ominous and interesting places. We've got ghost stories, scary movies, haunted locations, and more! This one is great to enjoy while carving pumpkins and mixing potions. So light your candles and get out your Ouija boards, because we are heading to regions beyond. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services 988 Suicide And Crisis Lifeline Thank you for listening! Find me on Instagram at @mat...
Oct 31, 2022•3 hr 23 min•Ep. 5
For this episode of Showing Promise, I'm coming at you Han style...Solo! If you are thinking there is no way I could speak out loud to myself in an empty room for two hours, you are gravely mistaken. Because here it is. To coincide with the recent announcements regarding blink-182 (that hopefully came out today), I thought it would be cool to share some of my thoughts, opinions, and stories about their music, as well as some personal experiences I've had being involved in their world. From back ...
Oct 11, 2022•2 hr•Ep. 4
Holy crap, it happened again. It's another one! For episode 3 of Showing Promise, I am joined by my dearly beloved friend, Corie Ferguson. Hang out with us as Corie and I go off the cuff, sharing our thoughts on some hard-hitting topics, like lost birds, tinder escapades, pyramid schemes, and more! Thank you, Corie! Instagram: @coriefergieferg Sound Engineer: John Sallee Thank you for listening! Find me on Instagram at @mattxcementina Intro/Outro music by Stuart Stock-Tucker...
Sep 27, 2022•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 3
Woah! It's episode 2! For geeks around the globe, just hearing the words "episode two" can trigger a lot of unpleasant memories, but I'm hoping to deliver a much more enjoyable experience. For the second episode of Showing Promise, my guest Lano Pecina and I discuss a few flicks that we watched over a weekend, all of which had a "throwback" feel to them. First starting with the fourth (or third depending on how you feel about it) installment of the Ghostbusters franchise, Ghostbusters: Afterlife...
Sep 05, 2022•2 hr 54 min•Ep. 2
In the debut episode of the Showing Promise podcast, I'm hanging with my best bromo, Stuart Stock-Tucker. Stuart and I have a storied history, abundant with great moments and memories, but none perhaps more monumental than the night of his coming out. It has now been just over a decade since then, and we are taking a look back on life in and out of the closet. In this episode, Stuart shares his personal experience as a member of the LGBTQA+ community, dealing with fear and pressure, coming out t...
Aug 01, 2022•1 hr 35 min•Ep. 1
