"Adults in the Room" is a new limited series on "Focus," KUOW's dedicated documentary podcast feed.

In 1998, a popular teacher at Garfield High School in Seattle — named Tom Hudson — falls into a crevasse while mountain-climbing in Olympic National Park with six of his teenage students. The students pull off a daring rescue, saving their mentor with techniques he taught them. Isolde Raftery, a reporter for the school paper, initially plans to write about the rescue as a hero story validating Hudson’s leadership. But she learns he cut corners during the climb... and it wasn't the first time he'd done so. This discovery leads to a confrontation between Isolde and Hudson, and is the first crack in the teacher's legendary reputation at Garfield — which shatters months later.

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We recorded this episode with Ben Gibbard and Lori LeFavor before a live audience at Easy Street Records in West Seattle on August 1, 2024.

Lori LeFavor is the most prolific all-ages concert promoter in Seattle--and perhaps the US. Starting from age 17 and over the next 30 years, Lori hosted more than 3,000 shows across the Northwest. Her home base during the 90s was RKCNDY, a much-loved all-ages venue where she hosted every major (and minor) band of the era. And she did it all as an independent, woman-owned business.

Ben Gibbard is the lead singer, songwriter and bandleader of Death Cab for Cutie and the Postal Service. Before he sold millions of records and toured the world with his bands, he started playing music and going to shows as a teenager growing up in Bremerton, WA, across the Puget Sound from Seattle. He's been an advocate for all-ages music ever since and remains one to this day.

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At the turn of the 21st century, the TDO’s days are numbered. A generational shift puts a new era within sight. The closest mayoral election in Seattle's history will decide the fate of all-ages music. But even with a win, the creative community will face new economic pressures as old Seattle gives way to modern gentrification.

Listen to the official Let the Kids Dance! playlist on Spotify.

We can only make Let the Kids Dance! because listeners support us. You have the power! Make the show happen by making a gift to KUOW.

Support KUOW Podcasts: https://kuow.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.