In this episode, Lee Fields, Shep, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer get into what it really looks like to operate at a high level when things go sideways.

We talk real stories—from stadium shows to high-pressure environments—where cues get missed, plans change mid-song, and you’re forced to make decisions in real time. There’s some Kanye conversation in here, but more from the lens of what’s actually happening behind the scenes and how teams carry those moments.

We also hit on the tension of working in spaces where your values get tested—and what it looks like to stay grounded in the middle of it.

This one’s about composure, awareness, and learning how to respond when the pressure’s on.

BlackPod is a no-fluff podcast for church production leaders, live audio engineers, and creatives who care about doing it right.

Hosted by Lee Fields, Shep, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer, BlackPod dives into real-world conversations around church audio mixing, troubleshooting AVL systems, leadership accountability, and building drum sounds that actually translate in the room.

In this episode, we talk Valentine’s Day and life outside the booth, but we also get into practical production topics like:

• How to troubleshoot live sound systems under pressure

• Why personal accountability and self-awareness matter more than gear

• The truth about target curves — and why you shouldn’t mix toward them

• How to shape drum sounds for impact, clarity, and consistency

If you’re a church sound engineer, production director, or volunteer trying to level up your mix and leadership, this podcast is for you.

Real conversations. Real rooms. Real leadership. This is BlackPod.

Hosted by Lee Fields, Stephen “Shep” Shepherd, Tyler Kerpsack, and Brad Bramer, the BlackBox Podcast is unfiltered conversation for church production teams, worship leaders, AVL directors, and creative pastors who actually carry the weight of Sunday.

This isn’t theory. It’s field-tested leadership, live audio philosophy, system design, and the stuff nobody talks about but everyone feels.

In this episode we dig into:

• DAW vs. Console Mixing — What actually matters? Where plugins help, where they hurt, and why great gain structure still beats everything. • Leaders Who Do vs. Leaders Who Don’t — When to get your hands dirty, when to step back, and how ego quietly wrecks teams. • Weight Loss, Health & Production Life — What long Sundays, stress, and tech ministry do to your body — and how to lead sustainably. • Nervousness in Production — Why anxiety shows up in high-stakes services and how to handle pressure without spiraling. • Target Curves & Why You Shouldn’t Worship Them — The truth about measurement mics, system tuning, and why your room isn’t a spreadsheet. • New BlackBox Offerings for Churches — On-sites, audits, coaching, long-term partnerships, and how we help churches solve production problems before they cost them money.

If you’re a church audio engineer, production director, worship leader, or executive pastor trying to build healthy systems, stronger teams, and better Sundays — this podcast is built for you.

BlackBox exists to help churches design better systems, build stronger teams, and solve problems before they ruin momentum.

Subscribe, share with your team, and let’s build something that actually lasts.