Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine
Mike Stephen gets on update on the local craft beer scene from Chicago Tribune reporter Josh Noel, chats with local musician David Stowell about his new music, and learns the Secret History of the 1960s group The Opals. And Mike hopes we can take a step back from looking at everything through a political lens and do what’s right when it comes to the challenges we face in the world. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.
Mike Stephen talks to Tracy Baim, the co-publisher of the Chicago Reader, about that publication’s 50th anniversary and what it means to the city. Then, we learn about a proposal to fight homelessness in Chicago from Edrika Fulford, a member of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless‘ Grassroots Leadership Team. And Mike tells the story of a high school prank that will help improve that school’s cybersecurity. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.
Mike Stephen learns about a new local Black-owned brewery called Funkytown from co-owners Richard Bloomfield, Zachary Day, and Gregory Williams, discusses the loss of affordable housing in Chicago with executive director of the Institute for Housing Studies at DePaul University Geoff Smith, and discovers the Secret History of the local country rock band Ouray. And Mike recounts his standoff with a Chicago rat, since the city has once again been named the “rattiest” in America. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.
Mike Stephen discusses the impact of mass incarceration in Illinois with Meredith Nnoka of IL Humanities, learns about community participation in redrawing ward maps from Chaundra Van Dyk of CHANGE Illinois, and gets the lowdown on some new rock and roll from the local band The Footlight District with vocalist and songwriter Sarah Scarbrough. And Mike waxes poetic about local dive bars, even if they might not be the cleanest places…or the most structurally sound. To subscribe to the OTL podcast, please visit our Apple Podcasts Page, Spotify, or our RSS feed.