OTL: Episode #497- Chicago Pen Show preview, Bad Poetry Night, Rebooting tap dance

Mike Stephen talks with:   Chicago Pen Show partner Paul Conterato about their mutual love of pens and the popularity of writing utensils;   Chicago Writers Conference founder Mare Swallow about what to expect from this year’s spectacular Bad Poetry Night event; and   jorsTAP Chicago artistic director and founder Kendra Jorstad about pushing the creative barriers in tap dancing and their new show Abstraction.   Meanwhile, we discuss Mike’s experience speaking at the NISPA (Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association) Conference yesterday.   This week’s local music is provided music provided by Ryland Foxx.   Future OTL host Mike Stephen proudly displays a small portion of his vast pen and mechanical pencil collection. [circa 1989 or 1990]   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #496- Secret History of Detroit Junior, Where Can I Protest?, The Owls Seem What They Are Not perform live

Mike Stephen talks with:   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about R&B-influenced pianist Detroit Junior for this week’s “Post-Winter Blues” edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music;   Scrappers Film Group journalism producer Yana Kunichoff about Where Can I Protest?, the fourth episode of the “Rights Lab” web series that’s screening at Comfort Station; and   experimental rock band The Owls Seem What They Are Not (featuring OTL #463 musical guest Reade Wildman), who hung out live for the hour! Check out their new record Whirl Around The Whirr Rider Riding A Whale Down A Waterfall.   Meanwhile, we discuss the questionable legality of a political sign at a busy Chicago intersection.   Local band The Owls Seem What They Are Not (Webb Dieter, Nolan Marchi, Reade Widman, Jackie Tangg) now share a special bond with Mike Stephen after rocking the soundtrack for OTL #496.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.   Webb Dieter, Jackie Tangg, Nolan Marchi (pictured in window reflection), and Reade Widman of The Owls Seem What They Are Not jam a tune from their new Whirl Around The Whirr Rider Riding A Whale Down a Waterfall record on an early Chicago Saturday morning.

OTL: Episode #495- Chicagoland’s growing footprint, Taco Takedown Chicago, Equal Pay Day Chicago

Mike Stephen talks with:   Openlands president and CEO Jerry Adelmann about Chicagoland’s open spaces in decline and what our area could look like in the future;   The Takedown impresario Matt Timms about the upcoming 2nd Annual Chicago Taco Takedown at Lincoln Hall; and   Equal Pay Day Chicago chair Barbara Yong about efforts to finally eliminate the gender pay gap between men and women.   Meanwhile, we discuss the fact that the city of Chicago is failing to warn its citizens about lead risks in tap water.   This week’s local music is provided music provided by The Peace Exchange co-founder and The Chicago International Youth Peace Movement founder Jessica Disu (aka FM Supreme).   OTL host Mike Stephen dumps a bucket of Chicago city tap water over his head before learning about its potential lead risks.   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.

OTL: Episode #494- WikiProject Women Scientists, The Secret History of Andrew Brown, Towing and vehicle emissions testing in Chicagoland

Mike Stephen talks with:   WikiProject Women Scientists founder Emily Temple-Wood about her mission to make sure the world knows the contributions of female scientists;   Plastic Crimewave (aka Steve Krakow) about soulful multi-instrumentalist Andrew Brown for this week’s “Post-Winter Blues” edition of The Secret History of Chicago Music; and   The Expired Meter blogger The Parking Ticket Geek about the latest on towing and emissions testing issues in Chicago.   Meanwhile, we flashback to OTL #362 and play an excerpt from an interview with filmmaker Will Robson-Scott about his 2013 pre-Spike Lee short Chi Raq.   This week’s local music is provided music provided by Will Mackie-Jenkins.   OTL host Mike Stephen in an undated file photo   To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our iTunes page or RSS feed.