This week on the Overheard Podcast, recorded live in Banff, we sit down with Jad Wills for a conversation that picks up right where our first chat left off.

UK-born and newly rooted in the Bow Valley, Jad joins us to talk about the move to Canada, what life in a mountain town really looks like once the novelty wears off, and how being surrounded by the Rockies has started to shape his day-to-day life and creative outlook. We reflect on where he’s been, how things have evolved since arriving, and what it means to build something meaningful far from home.

We also get into his latest EP, exploring the ideas, influences, and headspace behind the project, and how this release fits into the bigger picture of his journey as an artist. It’s a conversation that adds context to the music and invites listeners to spend time with the record themselves.

Plus, we’re back with You Didn’t Hear It From Us, touching on the chaos of the past weekend in Banff, from skijoring selling out to the ripple effects it had around town and why locals have been talking about it ever since.

If it’s your first time here, don’t forget to like and subscribe, it helps us more than you know.

See you next Tuesday!!

Episode 103 – Landan from The Leo & Lando Show, Officiating, Sports Controversy & Banff Stories

Recorded live in Banff, Episode 103 of the Overheard Podcast features Landan Semenok, a lifelong Banff local, veteran sports official, and co-host of The Leo & Lando Show.

Born and raised in Banff, Landan has spent over three decades embedded in the town’s culture, sports scene, and community. By day he works at IGA, but for more than 20 years he has been right in the middle of high-pressure competition, officiating hockey for 22 years and basketball for over a decade. Since August 2025, he has also stepped behind the microphone as co-host of The Leo & Lando Show, a sports-focused podcast exploring stories, opinions, and perspectives from across the sports world.

In this conversation, we dive into what it’s really like to officiate games in real time, how referees make controversial calls under pressure, and the biggest misconceptions fans have about officiating. Landan shares how years of refereeing have changed the way he watches sports, where the line exists between human error and systemic influence, and why gambling narratives have reshaped how fans interpret professional sports. We also unpack whether leagues do enough to explain officiating decisions, or if ambiguity has become part of the system.

Landan opens up about starting a podcast, what surprised him most about launching The Leo & Lando Show, and what advice he would give to anyone thinking about starting a creative project of their own. We also look ahead to what the future holds for the show and the conversations he’s most excited to have next.

The episode also brings back our local-focused segment “You Didn’t Hear It From Us,” where we break down everything Banff residents need to know about Skijoring weekend, including new locations, crowd tips, transit advice, and how to experience one of Banff’s longest-running winter traditions like a local.

To close things out, host Daniel shares a raw and honest personal story about being targeted by a phone scam, breaking down how it happened, the emotional impact, and the warning signs everyone needs to hear. It’s an uncomfortable but important conversation about trust, urgency tactics, and why anyone can fall victim, even when they think they’re being careful.

This episode blends sports insight, local Banff culture, community awareness, and real-world lessons into one wide-ranging conversation.

If you’re new here, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and follow the Overheard Podcast on all major platforms.

New episodes every week.

SEE YOU NEXT TUESDAY.

In Episode 102 of the Overheard Podcast, recorded live in Banff, hosts Daniel Ruedl and Matty Rage sit down with Shawayne Dunstan, an author, artist, and creative force whose work continues to resonate far beyond the Bow Valley.

Shawayne Dunstan has published 13 poetry books since 2016, including Tumblebug, Wallflower, and Rise of Shaweezy. In 2025 alone, he released three new collections — Nova, Rise of Shaweezy, and Let This Hold You Over. His latest work explores dedication, love, maturity, and the quiet discipline behind sustained creativity. He is currently writing his 14th book, an autobiography titled Epiphany of a Stargazer, further deepening his personal and philosophical body of work.

This episode dives deep into art, spirituality, and philosophy, offering an honest conversation about creativity as both a practice and a way of living. Shawayne shares insight into his writing process, editing approach, and how he navigates self-doubt while maintaining a high level of creative output. The discussion also explores his growing passion for painting and visual art, including his recent art installation at the Banff Public Library, and what it means to place meaningful work into public community spaces.

The conversation extends beyond the arts into public speaking and leadership, touching on Shawayne’s experience speaking at the Bow Valley Chamber of Commerce Awards, and how moments like these shape both personal confidence and professional direction. Living in Banff plays a central role throughout the episode, with reflections on finding inner stillness in a constantly moving mountain town and the responsibility artists carry within close-knit communities.

Whether you’re a writer, artist, creative entrepreneur, or someone drawn to thoughtful conversations about meaning and purpose, this episode offers grounded insight into creating work that uplifts while staying rooted in place and intention.

Listen now to Episode 102 of the Overheard Podcast — a conversation on creativity, spirituality, philosophy, and living artfully in the mountains.

And as always,

See you next Tuesday

Episode 101 of the Overheard Podcast recorded live in Banff features Alberta Coast Guard, a coastal folk duo made up of two Coastal transplants who now call the Rocky Mountains home. Blending emotional songwriting, brine-soaked humour, and soaring harmonies, the Alberta Coast Guard explore how the ocean and the mountains shape their sound, why Banff became their long-term home, and how performing as a couple impacts the final outcome of their music.

Daniel Ruedl and co-host Matty Rage dive into the band’s origin story, the inspiration behind their name, and what it means to carry East Coast culture into the heart of the Rockies. The conversation touches on songwriting, creative process as a duo, the emotional dynamics of performing together, and the influence of non-musical artists on their work. The band shares first shows in the Bow Valley, their most memorable live moments, and the unexpected stories behind their songs.

Listeners will learn what makes Banff a unique place for artists, the challenges and opportunities of building a music career in a mountain town, and how community energy shapes the local arts scene. Alberta Coast Guard give thoughtful advice to newcomers, discuss their biggest musical hot takes, and talk about what is coming next for the project.

This episode highlights independent Canadian music, East Coast culture in Western Canada, and the creative connection between two artists building a life and a sound together in Banff.

Presented live from Banff Ave Brewing. Sponsored by Drinkshaft, the non-alcoholic espresso energy drink now available in more than 800 stores across Western Canada.

Welcome to Episode 100 of the Overheard Podcast — our Best of the 50th Anniversary Banff Centre Mountain Film & Book Festival. This special milestone episode brings together the biggest moments, award-winning stories, and standout conversations from our full week of coverage at the world’s premier mountain culture festival.

In this recap episode, we highlight the voices that shaped this year’s BCMFBF:

• Joanna Croston on curating the festival’s 50th anniversary

• Paul Zizka on why the Banff Centre festival is so important

• Børge Ousland & Vincent Colliard on the global impact of mountain storytelling

• James Balog on his life’s work documenting fire and ice

• Wade Davis on the festival, legacy, and his personal journey

• Cassidy Randall on her award-winning book Thirty Below

• Craig Childs on writing The Wild Dark in the stillness of Banff Centre

• Sonnie Trotter on following your heart and creative evolution

• Lydia Bradey on the moment she fell in love with mountains

We also break down the 2025 film and book competition winners, including:

• Iron Winter (Grand Prize – Film)

• Thirty Below (Grand Prize – Book)

• The Wild Dark by Craig Childs (Environmental Literature Award)

• Underland, A Life Illuminated, The Track, Best Day Ever, Old Man Lightning and more.

This episode offers a complete look at the themes, stories, and creative energy that made the 50th anniversary festival unforgettable — from environmental filmmaking and adventure storytelling to women’s mountaineering history, creative residencies, and the future of mountain culture.

Whether you attended in person or are discovering the festival for the first time, this recap captures the essence of the Banff Centre Mountain Film & Book Festival and celebrates the artists, filmmakers, authors, and explorers who make it one of the most influential cultural events in the world.

Don’t forget to explore:

• All of our full-length interviews from festival week

• Banff Centre programs, residencies, workshops, and year-round mountain culture initiatives

• Information about next year’s festival tickets and events

Thank you for supporting Overheard Podcast through 100 episodes — and for supporting the stories that keep mountain culture alive.

Subscribe for more interviews, Banff stories, and in-depth coverage of the people shaping the Bow Valley and beyond.

In this episode of the Overheard Podcast, we sit down with Rachael, a young adult living with Cerebral Palsy and Spastic Diplegia who grew up in Canmore and became Mount Allison University’s first disability representative. As the International Day of Persons with Disabilities approaches on December 3rd—and Para World Cup events unfold in the Bow Valley—Rachael offers an honest, in-depth look at what accessibility, inclusion, and independence really mean in a mountain community.

We explore Rachael’s experiences navigating employment barriers, changes to AISH and the new ADAP program, the challenges behind the Canada Disability Benefit, and the realities of housing and food security for people with disabilities in Alberta. She also shares her perspective on living in Canmore with Cerebral Palsy, why representation matters, and what the Bow Valley can learn from IDPD and international para-sport events.

This conversation highlights the intersection of disability, policy, community, and personal resilience. For anyone interested in disability rights, life in the Bow Valley, or the stories behind IDPD, this episode offers essential insight and powerful lived experience.

Topics include:

• Life with Cerebral Palsy and growing up in Canmore

• Accessibility challenges in the Bow Valley

• IDPD on December 3rd and the importance of disability representation

• Para World Cup events and the impact of para-sport

• Employment barriers and workplace inclusion

• AISH cutbacks, the ADAP program, and disability benefits

• Rachael’s advocacy, education, and personal journey

Watch the full episode for an important conversation about disability, community, and meaningful change in the Bow Valley.

In this episode of the Overheard Podcast, recorded live at the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, host Dan Ruedl sits down with legendary New Zealand mountaineer Lydia Bradey. The first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest without supplementary oxygen. Lydia reflects on her early life, the hardships of breaking barriers in a male-dominated sport, and the personal growth that came with her historic ascent in 1988.

They dive into Lydia’s long career as a high-altitude guide, her work across the world’s most extreme environments, and her contribution to Joanna Croston’s new book, Mountaineering Women: Climbing Through History — a powerful collection of stories shining light on women whose achievements were too often overlooked.

Lydia opens up about humility, resilience, and what it means to tell women’s stories in mountaineering — stories that may be “less boastful,” but no less extraordinary.

Listen as Lydia Bradey shares the wisdom earned from decades at altitude, and what she’s learned about courage, silence, and the climb within.

In this episode of the Overheard Podcast, we sit down with legendary Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter — one of the most influential voices in modern rock climbing. From his early days learning to climb in a grain silo in southern Ontario to conquering some of the hardest routes on the planet, including Cobra Crack, The Path, and Rhapsody, Sonnie has spent thirty years pushing the limits of what’s possible on rock.

Now, with his new book Uplifted, Sonnie turns his focus inward — reflecting on the lessons, relationships, and moments that have shaped his life in the vertical world. He speaks candidly about balancing ambition with family, risk with purpose, and how the act of writing gave him a new perspective on his lifelong passion for climbing.

Recorded live during the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, this conversation explores the art of storytelling, the evolution of adventure, and the mindset required to stay inspired after decades at the top of your sport.

If you love climbing, outdoor storytelling, or simply hearing from someone who’s dedicated his life to living with purpose, this is an episode you won’t want to miss!!

n this episode of Overheard, host Dan Ruedl sits down with award-winning author and environmental writer Craig Childs, winner of the Environmental Literature Award at the 2025 Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival for his latest work, The Wild Dark: Finding the Night Sky in the Age of Light.

From the deserts of the American Southwest to the artist cabins of the Banff Centre, Childs shares the story behind his newest book — a journey by bicycle from the blinding glow of Las Vegas to one of the darkest night skies in North America. Together, they explore what darkness means in an age of light pollution, the value of solitude, and how reconnecting with the stars can help us see ourselves and our planet more clearly.

Craig discusses his creative process during his Banff Centre residency, his lifelong connection to wild landscapes, and how The Wild Dark fits into the broader arc of his celebrated career as one of North America’s foremost voices in environmental literature.

Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about wilderness, wonder, and what it means to truly look up.

Award-winning author and journalist Cassidy Randall joins Overheard Podcast fresh from winning the Banff Award for Mountain Literature at the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival. Her new book, Thirty Below: The Harrowing and Heroic Story of the First All-Women’s Ascent of Denali, has been celebrated by Vanity Fair, TIME, Outside, and The Washington Post—and now stands as one of the most talked-about works in modern mountain literature.

In this conversation, Cassidy reflects on the forgotten history of the women who dared to climb Denali, the creative process behind bringing their story to life, and what it means to have that work recognized on the world stage in Banff. She opens up about her personal journey as a writer, her connection to wild places, and the ongoing challenges women face in adventure and storytelling.

Recorded live during the 50th Anniversary of the Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, this episode dives deep into courage, creativity, and what it truly means to break trail—on the mountain and on the page.

Keywords: Cassidy Randall, Thirty Below, Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival, Banff Award for Mountain Literature, Denali, women in climbing, mountain literature, adventure writing, Overheard Podcast, Banff Centre, female adventurers, outdoor storytelling.