In Episode 15 of What a Stranger Told Me, Jon meets Chris, a passionate sound engineer and tour manager for the ARIA-winning Indigenous duo Electric Fields, grabbing a quick chat in Glenelg before his dad's birthday dinner. 

This storytelling podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Fresh from headlining NAIDOC Week at Fed Square in Melbourne—sharing the stage with Isaiah Firebrace and The Violet Summers—Chris lights up talking about being a passionate sound engineer.

He fell into the craft at 18, starting on church drums, and now lives for the moment the mix clicks. “You feel it when the crowd responds,” he says. “That’s the win.” Chris loves every part of the job—blending technical skill with gut instinct to make Electric Fields’ electronic-Indigenous sound soar live. Feedback, even brutal, fuels him. “Growth means listening—punters, managers, anyone.” He’s driven to be the best, choosing gigs that sharpen skills, not just pay.

With a US green card nearly complete, he’s strategic: “Not every call moves me forward.” At home in Adelaide, his nurse wife works night shifts to sync with his two-night tours. No kids yet, but faith, love, and finances keep them aligned. “We grow in everything—together.”

Protecting hearing is non-negotiable for this passionate sound engineer. His left ear shows wear from years of volume, so ear pods go everywhere—planes, bars, breakfasts. “Quality in-ears and regular checks let me keep doing what I love.” He’s inspired by legends who mixed deaf and still crushed it. “If they can, I will—with support.”

This episode celebrates the fire of a passionate sound engineer—relentless, grounded, always improving. Chris shows excellence isn’t luck; it’s passion plus discipline. Press play to hear a life tuned to perfection.

 

Timestamped Chapters

00:00 – Glenelg Pause: A Passionate Sound Engineer’s Rare Break 
01:30 – Church Drums to Electric Fields: How the Passion Began
02:45 – Perfect Mix Magic: Audience Energy and Tough Feedback
04:20 – Tour and Home Sync: Nurse Wife, Night Shifts, No Kids
06:10 – US Green Card Dreams: Selective Gigs for Growth
08:00 – Faith, Love, Finance: Fuel for a Passionate Life
09:30 – Hearing Protection: Ear Pods, Checks, and Deaf Legends

 

Key Takeaways 

1. A passionate sound engineer feels the win when the audience connects 
2. Growth comes from all feedback — embrace it, even when it stings 
3. Be selective with gigs — choose the ones that build skills and future 
4. Sync tour life with home — night-shift partners make short absences work 
5. Protect hearing daily — ear pods and checks keep a passionate sound engineer in the game



 

🎙️ Want more, Stranger?

Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid & Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up here.

📸  Join us behind-the-scenes

Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on Instagram.

☎️  Got a story you'd love to share?

Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.

👽  Don’t be a stranger

Got some feedback? Bring it on. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)

🤩  Who’s behind all this strangeness?

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Will Reid & Andy McColl

In Episode 15 of What a Stranger Told Me, Jon meets Chris, a passionate sound engineer and tour manager for the ARIA-winning Indigenous duo Electric Fields, grabbing a quick chat in Glenelg before his dad's birthday dinner. 
This storytelling podcast uncovers honest moments from everyday lives. Fresh from headlining NAIDOC Week at Fed Square in Melbourne&mdash;sharing the stage with Isaiah Firebrace and The Violet Summers&mdash;Chris lights up talking about being a passionate sound engineer.
He fell into the craft at 18, starting on church drums, and now lives for the moment the mix clicks. &ldquo;You feel it when the crowd responds,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;That&rsquo;s the win.&rdquo; Chris loves every part of the job&mdash;blending technical skill with gut instinct to make Electric Fields&rsquo; electronic-Indigenous sound soar live. Feedback, even brutal, fuels him. &ldquo;Growth means listening&mdash;punters, managers, anyone.&rdquo; He&rsquo;s driven to be the best, choosing gigs that sharpen skills, not just pay.
With a US green card nearly complete, he&rsquo;s strategic: &ldquo;Not every call moves me forward.&rdquo; At home in Adelaide, his nurse wife works night shifts to sync with his two-night tours. No kids yet, but faith, love, and finances keep them aligned. &ldquo;We grow in everything&mdash;together.&rdquo;
Protecting hearing is non-negotiable for this passionate sound engineer. His left ear shows wear from years of volume, so ear pods go everywhere&mdash;planes, bars, breakfasts. &ldquo;Quality in-ears and regular checks let me keep doing what I love.&rdquo; He&rsquo;s inspired by legends who mixed deaf and still crushed it. &ldquo;If they can, I will&mdash;with support.&rdquo;
This episode celebrates the fire of a passionate sound engineer&mdash;relentless, grounded, always improving. Chris shows excellence isn&rsquo;t luck; it&rsquo;s passion plus discipline. Press play to hear a life tuned to perfection.
&nbsp;
Timestamped Chapters
00:00 &ndash; Glenelg Pause: A Passionate Sound Engineer&rsquo;s Rare Break&nbsp; 01:30 &ndash; Church Drums to Electric Fields: How the Passion Began 02:45 &ndash; Perfect Mix Magic: Audience Energy and Tough Feedback 04:20 &ndash; Tour and Home Sync: Nurse Wife, Night Shifts, No Kids 06:10 &ndash; US Green Card Dreams: Selective Gigs for Growth 08:00 &ndash; Faith, Love, Finance: Fuel for a Passionate Life 09:30 &ndash; Hearing Protection: Ear Pods, Checks, and Deaf Legends
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways&nbsp;
1. A passionate sound engineer feels the win when the audience connects 2. Growth comes from all feedback &mdash; embrace it, even when it stings 3. Be selective with gigs &mdash; choose the ones that build skills and future 4. Sync tour life with home &mdash; night-shift partners make short absences work 5. Protect hearing daily &mdash; ear pods and checks keep a passionate sound engineer in the game 
<hr>
&nbsp;
🎙️&nbsp;Want more, Stranger?
Like the idea of story-collectors Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill chatting to attendees at your next conference or event? Or maybe you'd like them to chat to strangers in your part of the world. Hit them up <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">here</a>.
📸&nbsp; Join us behind-the-scenes
Follow the What a StrangerTold Me podcast madness on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/whatastrangertoldme">Instagram</a>.
☎️&nbsp; Got a story you'd love to share?
Call us +61 489 272 286. You've got a whopping 10-minutes, so sit back, take a big breath and go for gold.
👽&nbsp; Don&rsquo;t be a stranger
Got some feedback? <a href="https://whatastrangertoldme.com/contact/">Bring it on</a>. Just be gentle. One of us has thin skin ;)
🤩&nbsp; Who&rsquo;s behind all this strangeness?
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto Photography by Will Reid &amp; Andy McColl

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

 

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Dennis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid
&nbsp;

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

What a Stranger Told Me

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages & backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you’d never otherwise meet.

And if you’ve got a story you’d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.

Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you’ve got a conference you’d like us to podcast from, then contact us at What a Stranger Told Me.

Credits ...

Made & Hosted by Tim Reid & Jon Coghill

Music Supervision by Denis Feletto

Photography by Andy McColl & Will Reid

Storytelling meets human connection in this intriguing Australian podcast. Hosts Jon Coghill (Powderfinger) and Tim Reid (award-winning podcaster) travel around chatting with strangers of all ages &amp; backgrounds - uncovering their raw, unique, and very personal stories. Take a break from the everyday, and dive into lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
Take a break from the everyday, and dive into the lives of people you&rsquo;d never otherwise meet.
And if you&rsquo;ve got a story you&rsquo;d love the world to hear, then call us on +61 489 272 286.
Or maybe you'd like us to chat to strangers in your town, or maybe you&rsquo;ve got a conference you&rsquo;d like us to podcast from, then contact us at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.whatastrangertoldme.com">What a Stranger Told Me</a>.
Credits ...
Made &amp; Hosted by Tim Reid &amp; Jon Coghill
Music Supervision by Denis Feletto
Photography by Andy McColl &amp; Will Reid

Passionate sound engineer Chris shares Electric Fields NAIDOC highs, growth mindset, and hearing protection tips while balancing tour and home. Episode 15 raw chat.