H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

Welcome to HOG POD: Chicago's Music Scene Unplugged! Hosted by Mike Orfanos, Mike Dermont, and Pete Jansons, we dive into Chicago’s vibrant music scene. From classic rock to indie vibes, we bring you exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes stories, and live performances. Discover local legends and emerging artists while exploring the city’s diverse music culture. Tune in for special episodes featuring tribute bands and live events!

H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene is a music podcast hosted by Unknown Host, with 120 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Unknown Host hosts H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene, a music show with 120 episodes published.

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  H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

  Elise McLearen: Metalheads Are Soft at Heart | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

  Sep 22, 202654 min

  What makes a mosh pit one of the friendliest rooms in music? Elise McLearen says metalheads are all show on the outside and soft at heart underneath — the same crowd that runs full speed into each other will drop everything to pick you up off the floor.Elise joins Hogpod with fellow Diva Lisa Orduna and guitarist and scene-supporter Adam of Lombardy Black to talk about the Ronnie James Divas: an all-women Dio, Rainbow and Black Sabbath benefit raising money for kids' cancer care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital.We get into why Lisa's connection to this one runs deep, the Dio deep cuts nobody ever plays live, Elise's signature "helicopter" headbang, and how a rock star by night runs a corporate brain by day. Then Bongo Mike opens the floor: when a band has zero original members left, is it still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen and Chris Cornell all come up — and it turns into the best argument of the night.Plus the next benefit already on the calendar — Bark at the Moon, a Halloween show for a no-kill animal shelter — and, of course, a heated verdict on the Pop-Tart.KEY MOMENTS(Times are close but confirm against the final MP4.) 00:00 Metalheads are soft at heart 02:29 Meet Adam & Lombardy Black 05:25 Who is Elise? Sabbatha, My Metal Heart & the Ronnie James Diva origin 09:00 The Divas & the band behind them 12:00 Raffle prize: a signed Vinny Appice "Heaven & Hell" package 16:00 Dio deep cuts nobody plays 19:30 The helicopter headbang 22:00 Inside the mosh pit 28:30 "Kill the King" is 235 BPM 31:30 Rock star on stage, corporate brain by day 38:00 Bark at the Moon: the Halloween animal-shelter benefit 40:00 Branding the benefits: ALS Cooper & what's next 46:00 Lisa: why this one is personal 48:00 What hard rockers actually wear 50:00 When is a band still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen 53:00 The Pop-Tart questionTOPICS IN THIS EPISODEElise McLearen - Ronnie James Divas - Lisa Orduna - Lombardy Black - Dio - Black Sabbath - Rainbow - Lurie Children's Hospital - Childhood Cancer Awareness - Chicagoland music scene - heavy metal - mosh pit - Bark at the Moon - One Tail at a Time - tribute bands - Foreigner - Kansas - QueenFEATURED LINKSElise McLearen https://elisemclearen.com Bark at the Moon Benefit (Oct 31) https://elisemclearen.com/batm Ronnie James Divas https://elisemclearen.com/ronnie-jame... Lombardy Black / lombardyblack Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital https://luriechildrens.org One Tail at a Time https://onetail.org SUPPORT HOGPOD / hogpod Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike "Bongo" OrfanosBOOKINGbooking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #ChicagolandMusic #RonnieJamesDivas #Dio #BlackSabbath #HeavyMetal #EliseMcLearen #LurieChildrens

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  H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

  Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Comes to Chicago — Ron Romero & Rob Stepen | Hogpod

  Sep 15, 202640 min

  Can a Joliet museum really move Illinois' Rock & Roll Hall of Fame into a downtown Chicago theater — and pull it off? Ron Romero — Founder, CEO & Board Chairman of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 — is back on Hogpod with Rob Stepen to break the news: for the first time, the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction leaves the Joliet Rialto for the Harris Theater in downtown Chicago on Sunday, September 27. Bob Sirott hosts a Class of 2026 that runs from Curtis Mayfield and Kevin Cronin to Terri Hemmert, WDRV/The Drive and Brunswick Records — with a special performance from Jim Peterik. We get into rebuilding after the 2024 Joliet storm, the relight of Gigantar (the 24-foot Route 66 guitar) the night before, Ron's Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band, the new Amplify Illinois program, and the deep-cut history behind American Breed. And mid-show, Chicago music-media legend JVO (James VanOsdol) crashes the room — turns out he was the guy at the door. If you love rock & roll, Chicago music history, Route 66, or the stories behind the artists who built the scene, this one's for you. ▶️ Watch the full episode: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19PYN6uXyC/ ️ GET TICKETS — Illinois Rock & Roll HOF Induction · Sun Sept 27 · Harris Theater, ChicagoOpen Seating $75 · VIP Meet & Greet $75 (pre-show with Kevin Cronin, Jim Peterik & The Plain White T's — extremely limited)Buy: https://my.harristheaterchicago.org/11006/11026Event details: https://roadtorock.org/event/2026-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/ KEY MOMENTS00:00 JVO crashes the show — the guy at the door02:49 Terry Hemmert, XRT & the "way-back machine"04:30 How Ron landed Bob Sirott as MC06:27 Coco Taylor, the Cubby Bear & committing Hogpod to Sept 2707:36 The rider — malort, gyros & two cans of Pringles08:39 Inside the Harris Theater — "acoustically perfect"09:34 "The secret is a much bigger budget" — Rialto vs. the new house10:34 The sponsors — and how to become one14:22 Gigantar spoiler — relighting the 24-foot Route 66 guitar (Sat 9/26)15:42 Rebuilding after the July 2024 Joliet storm16:51 Ron's band — Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band17:26 American Breed's hidden history — Gary Loizo & Pumpkin Studios19:46 Amplify Illinois — recognizing regional & local bands20:28 The Generations lineup + upcoming shows24:38 Museum membership & the NARM pass — 1,800 museums29:17 Rob's 6th-time "Too Sixxy" robe30:17 "The biggest handmade guitar in the world" FEATURED LINKSIllinois Rock & Roll Museum — https://roadtorock.org/Insperity — https://www.insperity.com/The Generations — https://www.thegenerationsmusic.com/ ❤️ Support Hogpod on Patreon/ hogpod ️ Hosted by Pete Jansons & Mike "Bongo" Orfanos Guest: Ron Romero, with Rob Stepen — plus a surprise drop-in from JVO (James VanOsdol) Booking — booking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #IllinoisRockAndRollMuseum #Route66 #ChicagoMusic #MusicHistory #Joliet #RockAndRoll #RonRomero #JVO #HallOfFame #Podcast

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  H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

  Tamara Woodruff: 3 Bands, 4-Part Harmony & a Day Job in HR | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

  Sep 8, 20261h 12m

  What happens when the powerhouse voice fronting three Chicago bands turns out to spend her days as a senior HR executive? Tamara Woodruff is back on Hogpod — and this time the biggest surprise isn't a song. She fronts Pacific Sound Company (a West Coast tribute running LA to Seattle), sings lead in the country band Wildfire, and runs an acoustic duo on the side. By day? Thirty years in human resources, a master's in the field, a senior HR business partner at a 900-person global firm. "People look at me funny when I say I'm in HR," she says. Music is the alter ego. With Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos, Tamara traces how her Linda Ronstadt tribute Blue Bayou grew into Pacific Sound Company — three lead singers, four-part harmonies, and a songbook running from Fleetwood Mac and Journey to Heart and Santana. She digs into the craft, too: the terror of a silent concert hall versus a loud bar, building a 40-song set in a spreadsheet, why some legacy bands should've hung it up, and the West Coast sound nobody else in the room is covering. Plus: Pacific Sound Company presents Blue Bayou — an all-Linda Ronstadt night — Thursday, September 11 at The Venue in Aurora. KEY MOMENTS 00:00 Cold open + intro 03:22 Tamara's back: the Wisconsin ranch gig & 40-song spreadsheet 09:25 Summer gigs and sweaty stages 10:19 Empress wraps after four and a half years 11:05 Alex James joins — first lead: Hendrix's "Fire" 14:18 Blue Bayou becomes Pacific Sound Company (LA to Seattle) 16:20 "We don't need another Journey cover band" 19:49 Building the four-part harmonies 21:54 Wildfire — joining an established country band 23:07 Opening for Corey Farley at Nico's 26:06 Headlining the Vixen + a three-show weekend 31:15 Full-time job by day, gigs by night 35:49 Wait — she's a 30-year HR pro? 38:41 Inside a 900-person global HR role 39:09 Her music alter ego 40:47 Harassment training & workplace culture 44:28 The Goat Village co-bill with the Mosquitoes 45:20 Blue Bayou returns: all-Linda night in Aurora (9/11) 47:49 The Raue and the art of the concert hall 48:37 Why silence is scarier than a loud bar 55:38 Linda Ronstadt's illness 57:01 Should legacy bands hang it up? 1:03:41 Worst concert ever: Aerosmith at Poplar Creek 1:07:00 The night the car went in the pond TOPICS IN THIS EPISODETamara Woodruff - Pacific Sound Company - Blue Bayou - Wildfire - Chicago music - Chicagoland music scene - live music - cover bands - tribute bands - West Coast tribute - Linda Ronstadt - four-part harmony - concert halls - Fleetwood Mac - Journey - Heart FEATURED LINKSBlue Bayou (Linda Ronstadt tribute) https://bluebayoutribute.com/ Tamara Woodruff / tamarawoodruffmusic ❤️ SUPPORT HOGPOD / hogpod ️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike "Bongo" Orfanos BOOKINGbooking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #TamaraWoodruff #PacificSoundCompany #BlueBayou #Wildfire #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic #TributeBand #LindaRonstadt

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  H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

  Ron Onesti: He Saved the Arcada Theatre | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

  Sep 1, 20261h 1m

  How do you save a historic theater, keep legendary artists coming back — and build a life around "music and meatballs"? Ron Onesti, President & CEO of Onesti Entertainment, joins Hogpod as the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Ron tells the story of driving out to the Arcada 25 years ago, finding a dumpster out front and discovering the theater was being gutted for offices. He had no money, started making what he calls "stupid offers," and somehow began a journey that would transform the Arcada into one of Chicagoland's most distinctive live music venues. Then he did it again — helping bring the condemned, fire-damaged Des Plaines Theatre back to life. But this episode is about more than buildings. Ron explains why relationships can matter more than money when booking artists, why George Thorogood calls the Arcada "home," what really goes into an artist rider, and why one performer told him coming there was "like going to my aunt's house for dinner." And yes, there are meatballs. We also get into Neil Sedaka's six pairs of black socks, Paul Anka rewriting "My Way" for Ron's birthday, Brian Wilson's years in St. Charles, the growing competition for touring acts, aging rock legends, tribute bands, and what it takes to keep live music alive. The timing couldn't be better: the Arcada Theatre turns 100 on September 6, 2026, with a centennial celebration featuring Priscilla Presley, Chubby Checker, a Ferris Bueller's Day Off parade recreation, thousands of people doing the Twist, and a History of Rock 'n' Roll show. NEW MUSIC "Ron Onesti's Meatballs" — our Dean Martin-style tribute to Ron's favorite combination: music and meatballs. https://open.spotify.com/album/2821lRz13s1pVxUpxf5AAV MORE HOGPOD MUSIC ON SPOTIFY https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZydAIuDFTsbgOxqr7f KEY MOMENTS 00:00 Music & meatballs 02:00 Meet Ron Onesti 02:42 A dumpster outside the Arcada changes everything 04:14 The condemned Des Plaines Theatre 05:38 Rebuilding during COVID 09:18 Meatballs, Taylor Street & Sunday gravy 12:20 George Thorogood: "I'll always come back here" 13:34 Neil Sedaka's six pairs of black socks 14:43 "It's like going to my aunt's house for dinner" 15:46 "You set the bar" 17:14 "My life is all about music and meatballs" 20:40 Celebrating the Arcada's centennial 21:34 September 6: the 100th anniversary parade 22:34 The History of Rock 'n' Roll 26:32 The challenge of booking aging legends 28:44 "The music has become bigger than the people" 35:04 "It's 150% relationship based" 40:17 The artists Ron still gets excited to book 41:04 "Uncle Paul" Anka rewrites "My Way" 42:12 Brian Wilson in St. Charles 49:48 The Onesti formula: make it feel like home TOPICS IN THIS EPISODE Ron Onesti - Arcada Theatre - Arcada 100th Anniversary - Des Plaines Theatre - Chicago music - Chicagoland music scene - live music - concert promotion - George Thorogood - Priscilla Presley - Chubby Checker - Brian Wilson - Paul Anka - Neil Sedaka - music and meatballs FEATURED LINKS Arcada Theatre 100th Anniversary + Events https://www.arcadalive.com/events Des Plaines Theatre https://desplainestheatre.com Onesti Entertainment https://oshows.com Backstage with Ron Onesti https://www.arcadalive.com/blog/category/backstage-with-ron-onesti Regina Karma — Sunday Music with Regina Karma Sundays at 5 PM at Capri of Willow Springs Mike Dermont + FRICTION Friction Fest — October 24 at The Broken Oar ❤️ SUPPORT HOGPOD https://www.patreon.com/hogpod ️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike Dermont and Regina Karma BOOKING booking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #RonOnesti #ArcadaTheatre #Arcada100 #DesPlainesTheatre #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #MusicAndMeatballs

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  H.O.G. POD: Chicagoland Hyper Local Music Scene

  C-Bob Bobrowski on Rok Brigade & the Death of Live Music | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

  Aug 25, 20261h 16m

  If you've spent any time in the Chicago tribute scene, you've probably seen Chris "C-Bob" Bobrowski on a stage somewhere — Rok Brigade, Super Unknown, Ten, No More Tears, No More Faith, and roughly ten other projects depending on the weekend. C-Bob returns to Hogpod with Pete Jansons and Bongo Mike for a wide-ranging one: AI and musicianship, the Chicago tribute scene, shrinking attention spans, David Lee Roth, legacy bands with zero original members, and Reggie's full-album Halloween shows — all circling the big question underneath: is live music becoming a dying art form, or is it just changing? Plus the Long Grove bridge that's been hit 75 times, C-Bob's line of the night — "Everybody wants to be a rock star; they just don't want to pay for it" — and the reveal that the man has roughly 28,000 albums catalogued in Excel and backed up on a NAS. KEY MOMENTS 00:00 An AI companion sings C-Bob the Lane Tech fight song 00:46 Two Lane Tech alums reconnect — room 144 & the drafting-to-engineer path 03:02 Welcome back — and congrats, C-Bob married Amy 03:47 The Coterie's comeback & the one-hit-wonders scene 05:20 Herding 30 musicians — the Wolfie jams & how these events come together 07:58 In memoriam: Peter Katsis — Ministry, Riviera & The Firm 09:45 C-Bob's 15 bands — Rok Brigade, Super Unknown, Ten & No More Tears 13:08 The Long Grove bridge that's been hit 75 times 15:30 Reggie's Halloween full-album night — Ten does Pearl Jam's "Vs." 17:10 Rock House — the band playing what nobody else plays 19:13 Why the Discord jam ended — Andrew Blake takes the torch 22:00 Orland Park fest, the rain & Wedding Band at 25 years 25:55 Ronnie Platt — Shooting Star to Kansas 34:58 AI & musicianship — "a tool, not a creative element" 37:16 Glenn Hansard, "Falling Slowly" & the live-music conversation 43:57 Can AI replace the musician? The synthesizer question 47:14 Are younger fans still coming out to live shows? 51:11 Is live music a dying art form? 51:53 "Everybody wants to be a rock star" — nobody wants the 10,000 hours 55:34 Keeping people engaged — video walls, medleys & showmanship 1:01:11 "Nobody watches the whole thing" — the Shorts game 1:07:03 Old bands with zero original members — the Ship of Theseus 1:07:59 David Lee Roth: showman, not singer 1:10:44 Rapid fire — favorite new band, Jerry Garcia & getting old 1:14:15 28,000 albums, an Excel list & a triple-backed NAS Chicago music - Chicagoland music scene - tribute bands - Rok Brigade - Ten - Super Unknown - AI and musicianship - David Lee Roth - Ship of Theseus - live music - Reggie's - Pearl Jam - Chicago tribute bands FEATURED LINKS Rok Brigade — Def Leppard tribute https://rokbrigadeband.com/ / rokbrigadechicago Ten — Pearl Jam tribute https://tenchicago.com/ / tenpearljam Super Unknown — Chris Cornell / Soundgarden / Audioslave / Temple of the Dog https://super-unknown.com/ ❤️ Support Hogpod on Patreon / hogpod ️ Hosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike) Booking — booking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusicScene #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #TributeBands #RokBrigade #LiveMusic #AIMusic #ChicagoMusicScene #PearlJam

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