The 78

Historically, Chicago is made up of 77 neighborhoods with their own stories to tell. Only separated by blocks, woven in the microcosm that gives Chicago its unique taste, its people are the epitome of true grit. Each neighborhood, held together with blood, sweat, and tears that are now traditions, giving us this amazing collection of stories from each neighborhood. That is true Chicago.Chicago's newest neighborhood is being developed right now. It's called 78. Chicago, as in the 78th Chicago neighborhood. There you have it, this site is dedicated to all the stories in the 78 neighborhoods.

The 78 is a society podcast hosted by Tom Barnas, with 102 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Tom Barnas hosts The 78, a society show with 102 episodes published.

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  Episode #25

  Gordon Charles MacLean on Discipline, Collapse, and the Art of Waking Up

  Aug 15, 202624 minS4

  There’s a certain Chicago rhythm to reinvention. It hums beneath the L tracks, flickers in glass towers along Wabash, and lives in the quiet second acts of people who’ve lost everything and decided that wasn’t the end of the story. Gordon Charles MacLean fits neatly into that lineage—though “neatly” might be too polite a word for a life that’s moved through classified Air Force missions, high-stakes commercial real estate, financial collapse, and something like a personal reckoning. In his new book, The Awake Code: 39 Rules for a Fully Engaged Life, MacLean doesn’t offer the usual glossy prescriptions. There’s no sugar coating here, no motivational confetti. Instead, the book reads like a field manual written in the margins of a life under pressure—part philosophy, part survival guide. Before the boardrooms and brokerage deals, MacLean served with the U.S. Air Force’s 9th Reconnaissance Wing, working on electronic warfare and intelligence systems aboard the U-2 aircraft. It’s the kind of work that requires a near-obsessive relationship with awareness. Miss something, and the consequences aren’t theoretical. That mindset followed him into a three-decade career in commercial real estate, where he completed more than 200 transactions across office, retail, multifamily, and industrial sectors. Chicago became a proving ground—where he earned his CCIM designation and built the relationships that would define his trajectory. And then, like so many stories tethered to the late-2000s economy, it cracked. The 2009 financial crisis didn’t just disrupt MacLean’s business. It dismantled it. What remained, by his own account, was a kind of silence—the unsettling realization that the systems he’d trusted no longer applied. “I didn’t write this book to be an author,” MacLean says. “I wrote it because I was trying to survive my own life.” That line sits at the center of The Awake Code, which organizes itself around 39 principles that feel less like advice and more like recalibrations. Strategic rest. Radical awareness. Personal responsibility. The kind of ideas that sound simple until you try to live them consistently. Each chapter blends personal narrative with reflection prompts and action steps, nudging readers toward something more deliberate than autopilot. It’s aimed at professionals, entrepreneurs, veterans—anyone who suspects they’ve been drifting and wants to interrupt the pattern. Chicago, in many ways, is the book’s quiet co-author. MacLean credits the city as a place of both ascent and return—a landscape where ambition meets consequence, and where reinvention isn’t just possible, it’s expected. On Tuesday, July 7, that relationship comes full circle: EVENT: AWAKE CODE BOOK LAUNCH + LIVE PERFORMANCE Set high above the Chicago River, the Grand Salon at Trump International Hotel & Tower will host MacLean’s official book launch—though calling it a “book event” undersells the production. The evening leans more toward a curated convergence: business leaders, real estate professionals, veterans, and curious Chicagoans gathering for a night that folds together ideas, music, and philanthropy. Expect a full sensory lineup: Open bar and cocktail reception Passed hors d’oeuvresAuthor talk and Q&A B For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

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  Episode #23

  How Bloodshot Records Founder Rob Miller Built an Indie Music Empire in Chicago

  Aug 8, 202639 minS4

  Most entrepreneurs don’t fail because they lack great ideas—they fail because they move too fast. Rob Miller built a legacy by doing the opposite. As the founder of Bloodshot Records, the iconic Chicago-based indie label that helped redefine alternative country and roots music, Miller has spent decades proving that longevity in music—and business—comes down to patience, passion, and community. In this episode, Miller traces his journey from Chicago’s gritty punk scene to launching one of the most influential independent record labels in the country. His approach? Strip away hierarchy, trust your instincts, and build something real with the people around you. It’s a masterclass in grassroots creativity. The kind sparked by flipping through crates in a record store and stumbling onto a forgotten gem—an experience Miller believes still fuels artistic discovery in a world dominated by algorithms and streaming platforms. We dive deep into what made Bloodshot Records thrive: The power of discovery and human connection in music Navigating the highs and lows of the independent music industry The harsh realities artists face in the age of streaming Why analog experiences—like vinyl collecting—still matter more than ever Miller also reflects on Chicago’s rich musical DNA, a city where genres collide and evolve, and how that culture continues to shape independent artists pushing boundaries today. This conversation is essential listening for musicians, entrepreneurs, and creatives feeling buried under the weight of modern technology. It’s a reminder that success isn’t built overnight—it’s earned through resilience, curiosity, and a willingness to stay true to your vision. Rob Miller’s story is more than a music industry success—it’s a blueprint for anyone trying to build something meaningful in a fast-moving, disposable world. Because sometimes, the best way forward… is to slow down. For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

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  Episode #22

  The Sheet Show: Logan Square’s Paul Gees Five-Foot Pizza Flex Just Got Bigger

  Aug 2, 202610 minS4

  There are big pizzas, and then there’s The Sheet Show . Paulie Gee’s Logan Square, fresh off its 10-year anniversary lap, is going full spectacle mode with what might be the largest pizza currently coming out of an Illinois kitchen. We’re talking a grandma-style slab that clocks in at a towering 62 inches by 30 inches. That’s over five feet of crispy-edged, sauce-draped real estate. A pie so large it stops being dinner and starts becoming an event. This isn’t just a novelty flex, either. The Sheet Show is built to feed roughly 25 people, making it less of a meal and more of a group experience. Think birthdays, team outings, or any excuse to gather a table full of friends who won’t flinch at going all-in on carbs. Compared to the standard Detroit-style squares Paulie Gee’s is known for, this thing feels almost surreal, roughly 23 times the size, stretching across the table like a carb-loaded runway. Reservations to book The Sheet Show open August 3, and they’re expected to go fast. This is dine-in only, and availability is tight, so if you’re even thinking about it, move quickly. The booking link includes updated details on toppings, pricing, and how the whole experience works. And yes, it’s more than just the pizza. The full spread includes salads, apps, and drinks, so you can build out a proper feast around the main attraction. Because when the centerpiece is this oversized, you don’t just order sides, you curate a night. Located at 2451 N Milwaukee Ave, Paulie Gee’s Logan Square has long been a neighborhood anchor, balancing inventive pies with a come-as-you-are energy. The Sheet Show feels like a natural extension of that ethos: bold, a little ridiculous, and entirely rooted in sharing something memorable. If you’re lucky enough to snag a reservation, bring an appetite and a crew. This isn’t a solo slice situation. This is a full-table, lean-in, pass-the-pie kind of night. Reservations: https://sevn.ly/xSTqLsxL For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

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  Episode #21

  Inside America’s Ballparks: The Hidden History of Class, Race, and Power in Major League Baseball

  Jul 25, 202649 minS4

  There’s a long-standing myth stitched into the seams of baseball: that the ballpark is a great American commons, a place where the country exhales together under summer skies. It’s a comforting image, one painted in hot dogs, scorecards, and seventh-inning stretches. But as historian Seth S. Tannenbaum reveals, the reality has always been more selective than sentimental. In this sharply observed exploration, Tannenbaum peels back the ivy to expose a different kind of architecture — one built not just of steel and concrete, but of class lines, racial divides, and economic gatekeeping. Ballparks, he argues, were never just places to watch a game. They were carefully engineered environments, reflecting the evolving power structure of American cities. While marketed as democratic spaces, they quietly catered to a specific archetype: the middle- and upper-class white male fan. Comfort, safety, and access were not universal amenities — they were privileges. From the crowded, chaotic intimacy of early urban venues like the Polo Grounds and Yankee Stadium, baseball began a geographic and cultural migration. As cities changed — and as certain fans grew wary of them — so too did the game’s footprint. The move west brought Dodger Stadium, carved into Chavez Ravine under controversial circumstances that displaced working-class communities. Then came the Houston Astrodome, a futuristic, climate-controlled escape that felt less like a neighborhood gathering place and more like a sealed entertainment capsule. Each evolution carried a message: who the game was for, and just as importantly, who it wasn’t. Tannenbaum traces how decisions around zoning, financing, and location weren’t incidental — they were intentional. Public funding often supported private gain, while stadium placement subtly redrew the map of belonging. Accessibility was touted, but structural barriers remained baked into the experience. Inside the gates, the divisions only grew sharper. The rise of tiered seating and luxury suites turned the ballpark into a vertical map of inequality. The higher you climbed financially, the more exclusive the experience became. Baseball didn’t just mirror society’s hierarchy — it monetized it. Even nostalgia, that powerful current running through the sport, comes under scrutiny. The romantic longing for “simpler” ballparks often glosses over the exclusion embedded in their history. Camden Yards, frequently hailed as a return to baseball’s golden age, offered a curated version of urban life — charming, controlled, and carefully distanced from the complexities just beyond its walls. Throughout it all, Major League Baseball maintained the language of inclusion. Owners and executives leaned on the idea of the ballpark as an open, welcoming space, while rarely confronting the quieter systems that limited who could fully participate. What emerges from Tannenbaum’s work is not a condemnation of the game, but a reframing of it. Baseball’s story is inseparable from America’s — a narrative of aspiration shadowed by exclusion, of unity complicated by division. In the end, the ballpark stands as both symbol and stage. It’s where cheers echo, yes — but also where the contours of the American experience have long been drawn. And as the game continues to evolve, the question lingers like a fastball at the letters: Who gets a seat… and who’s still waiting outside the gates? For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok. Stories About

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  Episode #20

  Submerged Futures: Alison Ruttan’s “The Paradox of Inaction” Floods Hyde Park Art Center

  Jul 18, 20268 minS4

  At Hyde Park Art Center, the gallery floor becomes a shoreline after the tide has already claimed everything. In The Paradox of Inaction , interdisciplinary artist Alison Ruttan constructs a haunting, slow-motion catastrophe, an immersive installation that invites viewers to wander through the ghost of a suburban neighborhood swallowed by rising waters. On view from April 4 through July 12, 2026, the exhibition occupies 2,300 square feet with more than 160 cast ceramic forms, each one a fragment of a world that feels both distant and uncomfortably familiar. At first glance, the work reads as abstraction, a terrain of glistening, irregular shapes. But as the eye adjusts, recognition sets in. Rooflines. Foundations. The quiet geometry of domestic life. Together, these forms coalesce into the illusion of a flooded community, suspended in a state of eerie stillness. The glazed surfaces shimmer like blackwater, evoking rot, reflection, and the slow violence of environmental collapse. Ruttan’s practice has long engaged with the visual language of trauma, translating large-scale historical and political events into tactile, labor-intensive forms. From the Gombe Chimpanzee War to the Syrian Civil War, her work insists on materializing what often feels distant or abstract. Here, she turns that lens toward the climate crisis, not as a future threat, but as a present condition already unfolding. The exhibition’s title, The Paradox of Inaction , cuts to the core of its urgency. It challenges the seductive illusion that doing nothing is neutral, that inaction carries no consequence. Instead, Ruttan reveals inaction as its own form of decision-making, one that accelerates risk and narrows the horizon of possibility. Complementing the main installation, works from her High Water series (2023–2024) appear on the Art Center’s second floor. These smaller ceramic sculptures of flooded homes echo the larger environment below, creating a layered dialogue between miniature and monumental, intimacy and overwhelm. Ruttan describes immersive installation as a bridge between knowing and understanding. Facts alone, she suggests, rarely move us. But within the space of art, analytical thought and intuitive response begin to overlap. Viewers oscillate between object and meaning, between what is seen and what is felt, arriving somewhere closer to truth. Part of Hyde Park Art Center’s ongoing commitment to commissioning ambitious, large-scale works, the exhibition continues a legacy that includes artists such as Edra Soto, Faheem Majeed, Lan Tuazon, and Yasmin Spiro. A series of public programs will further activate the space, offering visitors opportunities to engage more deeply with the work and its implications. More than an exhibition, The Paradox of Inaction is an atmosphere, a warning, and a question. It does not ask what the future will look like. It asks what it already does, and whether we are willing to see it before the water rises any higher. For more Stories From The 78, follow @tombarnas78 on Instagram and @storiesfromthe78 on TikTok.

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