When you’re attending an event with live music, it’s all too easy to take the sound system for granted. At one point in this episode of Keepin’ It Local, Alicia reveals that she encourages her students to always “Thank the sound guy.” She goes on to explain that, however much you practice, however talented you and your bandmates are, the sound technician will still play a huge role in how good you sound — or how bad you sound.

And we know firsthand that making everything sound good is no mean feat. That’s why we were excited to talk with Ryan Lentine, who’s both a sound tech and a practicing musician. This combination makes him especially good at what he does. As he explains, he takes pride in making sure the musicians are comfortable before moving on to consider what things sound like out front.

We were also excited about this interview because the Mirro Center is a premier venue for conferences and fundraisers, including events for Destiny Rescue, which Alicia has performed at herself. (She also donates a portion of the proceeds from her album sales to Destiny Rescue.) And Mirro was the site of Alicia’s 12-piece rock orchestra APQ-Harmonic’s first performance, so it will always hold a special place in our hearts.

Ryan has a wonderful dry sense of humor, and he’s got some pretty great stories. So take a listen and enjoy. And as always let us know what you think.

If you like what you hear, Keepin’ It Local is also on iTunes and Stitcher.