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

HogPod Chicagoland's Hyper Local Music Chat
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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!

  1. Jimmy Pallucci of Anchors Away | Chicago Music Scene Podcast | Yacht Rock Tribute Bands

    MAY 20

    Jimmy Pallucci of Anchors Away | Chicago Music Scene Podcast | Yacht Rock Tribute Bands

    Jim Pallucci from Anchors Away joins HOG POD: Chicago Music Scene Podcast for a conversation about Yacht Rock, tribute bands, live musicianship, and the Chicago music scene.Jimmy talks about burning out on music at 21, rediscovering music later in life, discovering Yacht Rock Review at Joe’s Live Rosemont, building Anchors Away, hauling Hammond B3 organs in box trucks, and why the band refuses to use tracks or prerecorded music.“What you hear is real music created in real time by real musicians. Every show is live, without a net.”🎵 Listen With My Eyes — Hogpod Album inspired by Jimmy’s story:https://open.spotify.com/album/1qeduC...🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Intro2:11 Meeting Jimmy Pallucci6:42 Burning Out on Music at 2112:55 Rediscovering Music Later in Life18:10 What Yacht Rock Actually Is24:48 Discovering Yacht Rock Review31:22 Building Anchors Away38:05 Tribute Bands and Musicianship45:50 Why Anchors Away Uses No Tracks52:14 Chicago Music Venues and Audiences58:40 The Technical Challenge of Yacht Rock1:05:33 Nostalgia, Harmony, and Live Performance1:11:20 Final Thoughts📍 Upcoming Anchors Away Shows5/23/2026 — Bay Harbor Yacht Club — Bay Harbor, Michigan5/24/2026 — Spring Fling at Ty Warner Park — Westmont5/27/2026 — Navy Pier Private Event — Chicago6/6/2026 — Rockstar Garage — Plainfield6/12/2026 — Palatine Park District — Palatine6/17/2026 — Schaumburg Chamber of Commerce Event6/20/2026 — Saddle Club — Wayne6/27/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge7/10/2026 — The Quarry — Crystal Lake7/17/2026 — Concert on the Green — Mt. Prospect7/25/2026 — Devine Wine Bar Private Party — Villa Park8/7/2026 — Riverside Private Event8/8/2026 — Munson Marine — Fox Lake8/15/2026 — Broken Oar — Port Barrington8/28/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge10/30/2026 — Johnny Cabs Halloween Party — Burr Ridge12/26/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Yacht Rock - Tribute Bands - Anchors Away - Joe’s Live Rosemont - Soft Rock - West Coast Sound - Doobie Bounce - Live Music🎤 Guest Links — Anchors AwayWebsite: https://www.anchorsawaychicago.com/Booking: jamesap00@aol.comBand Members:Jim Pallucci — Percussion & VocalsJeff Kissel — DrumsJoe Rocha — Bass & VocalsKevin Flanagan — Saxophone, Flute & VocalsRich Fulfs — Guitar & VocalsBrooke Fauver — VocalsPaul Heinz — KeyboardsJimmy O'Connell — Vocals & Guitar💗 Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpodHosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike).📞 Want to come on? Booker / club owner / shredder → booking@hogpod.org

    1h 17m
  2. He Fired the Founder of His Own Oasis Tribute Band

    MAY 13

    He Fired the Founder of His Own Oasis Tribute Band

    One week before their first show, the founder of a Chicago Oasis tribute band posted an ad looking for a new singer and bass player.The band saw it.They fired him.Then they played the show without him.—James Bruebach joins Hogpod to talk about Matchbox 90s, Wonderwall, Chicago tribute bands, trying to “make it” in music, and why losing his brother changed the way he approaches life forever.Topics include:• The Pandora Method• Why tribute bands get booked• “The easier phone call” theory• Nashville vs TikTok• Why consistency beats polish online• COVID killing bands overnight• The Godsmack audition story• Petra at the Odeum—🎵 “Life Is Short” — the Hogpod album inspired by this episode:https://open.spotify.com/album/3CETxw...—⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open — Matchbox 20 covers7:09 Broken Oar flooding13:26 COVID kills the band22:13 “Post that content”27:32 “Life is short”29:00 How Matchbox 90s started34:33 The Pandora Method39:56 The firing45:53 Wonderwall is born53:04 Petra at the Odeum55:42 Pop-Tarts—Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes.

    57 min
  3. ROB STEPEN JOINS ILLINOIS ROCK HALL BOARD: 2 Standing Ovations + Cheap Trick Ties

    MAY 6

    ROB STEPEN JOINS ILLINOIS ROCK HALL BOARD: 2 Standing Ovations + Cheap Trick Ties

    Rob Stepen is back — and this time, it's not a catch-up. He was just elected to the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame board, and the story behind it starts with a night where The Generations walked into a room full of Cheap Trick fans… and left with two standing ovations.Plus: Rob isn't just on the board — he's leading the charge to rebuild the tornado-damaged Route 66 museum. We dive deep into the 2026 national Rock and Roll Hall of Fame debate (does Wu-Tang belong? what about Sade?), reveal the 2026 Illinois inductee class (Koko Taylor, Survivor, The Flock, American Breed, The Boys), and lock in The Generations' summer festival slate including Belmont Sheffield May 24 with special guest bassist Janis Wallin, Highwood Days July 19, and Roberts Westside August 15. Pete shares the secret behind a NeuroNoodle clip that hit 30 million views, and we end up tracking down JBTV's Jerry Bryant.🎵 Honored and Blessed — Hogpod Album #13 inspired by Rob's story:https://open.spotify.com/album/4sgKmEDHTbxuCWIIV54kLk?si=tnVwQJCDQpG1Q6GkbtQ7bw🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 The Generations live at the Arcada — cold open8:01 Highwood Days July 19 — The Generations headlining9:11 Two standing ovations at the Arcada9:37 Cheap Trick / Rick Nielsen & the Rockford connection11:30 Hard Rock Casino Rockford — the Dax Nielsen lead12:46 ROB ELECTED TO ILLINOIS ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME BOARD13:32 The Hogpod Pin — join the inner circle14:30 Illinois vs. Cleveland — why Illinois wins19:02 2026 National Rock Hall debate — Iron Maiden, Oasis & Wu-Tang23:37 Illinois 2026 class — Koko Taylor, Survivor & The Flock32:36 Long-form vs. short-form — the 30M view story37:19 Finding Jerry Bryant — JBTV's Chicago music TV legacy40:19 Janis Wallin joins on bass for Belmont Sheffield📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame - The Generations - Cheap Trick - Sons of Cream - Arcada Theatre - Live Music - Route 66 Blues Roots🎤 Guest Links — Rob StepenThe Generations: https://thegenerationsband.com/Rob Stepen Music (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/robstepenmusic/Rob Stepen Music (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/robstepenmusic/Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum: https://roadtorock.org/Museum Donations: https://roadtorock.org/donate/Belmont Sheffield Music Festival (May 22-24, 2026): https://lakevieweast.com/belmont-sheffield-music-festival-2026/Highwood Days / Taste of Highwood (July 17-19, 2026): https://www.celebratehighwood.org/taste-of-highwood-and-highwood-days/Roberts Westside (Forest Park, Aug 15): https://robertswestside.com/Janis Wallin (guest bassist): https://www.janiswallin.com/💗 Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpodHosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike).📞 Want to come on? Booker / club owner / shredder → booking@hogpod.org#IllinoisRockHall #RobStepen #ChicagoMusic #CheapTrick #TheGenerations #HonoredAndBlessed #SonsOfCream #ArcadaTheatre #RickNielsen #KokoTaylor #JanisWallin #SurvivorBand #JimPeterik #BelmontSheffield #HighwoodDays #JBTV #ChicagoMusicScene #RockHall2026 #RockAndRoll #Hogpod

    49 min
  4. SAMMY DAVIS JR. COOKED FOR US: The 1970s Sunset Strip Bust That Ended Everything

    APR 28

    SAMMY DAVIS JR. COOKED FOR US: The 1970s Sunset Strip Bust That Ended Everything

    At 75, Debora Masterson is gigging on bass in Chicago — and her debut novel is about the Sunset Strip rocker she loved at 15, the federal drug bust that killed his band Freedom Quest, the bowl of chocolate mescaline on their coffee table, the Hawaii cult he joined when she left him, and the reunion thirty years later that became twenty beautiful years..Plus: the time Sammy Davis Jr. cooked dinner for the whole cast in his Chicago apartment with Jesse Jackson there, Debora warming up alone in a Lincoln Center rehearsal room when Mikhail Baryshnikov walked in, the bowl of chocolate mescaline on a Reseda living room coffee table at age 22, and how she finished her husband's book five and a half years after he passed..🎶 He Taught Me Bass — Hogpod Album #11 inspired by Debora's story:https://open.spotify.com/album/1ZRM23....🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 The love story tease — 1965, two kids, sex drugs rock and roll, Vietnam0:14 Why her story belongs in Chicago1:08 Meet Craig Ingraham — the real Mr. Jukebox1:46 Met at 15 and 18 — fake IDs in the San Fernando Valley4:01 Freedom Quest forms in 1973 — the monster band that almost made it4:48 The roadie was a fed — drug bust kills the band5:48 Grammy legend David Benoit's teenage start6:46 The bowl of mescaline on the living room table8:21 He vanished to Hawaii — and joined a cult9:30 Manson was in the Valley too9:57 Sammy Davis Jr. cooks for the cast (Jesse Jackson's surprise visit)13:30 Alone in a room with Baryshnikov17:00 North Beach Summer of Love (not stripper joints)22:00 The Catalina Island Chi-Chi Club summer23:00 Cat's Meow Supper Club, Fort Wayne, the road to Chicago29:30 He never made it to Chicago — he's here in spirit now40:09 The seizures that ended his music42:34 Where to buy Freedom Quest — Bookshop.org over Amazon46:33 Pop-Tarts, Valley Girl, gag me with a spoon46:35 The 420 surprise — a 75-year-old's viral reaction.📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Music Memoir - Debut Novel - Sunset Strip - 1960s - 1970s - Freedom Quest - Sammy Davis Jr - Baryshnikov - North Beach - Catalina.🎤 Guest Links — Debora MastersonWebsite: deboramasterson.comBook on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GQ573WV4Atmosphere Press: https://atmospherepress.com/books/fre...Bookshop.org: bookshop.org (search "Freedom Quest Debora Masterson")Craig Ingraham music: craigingraham.com/musicApple Music — Freedom Quest album:   / freedom-quest  .❤️ Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod.Hosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike)..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusicScene #DeboraMasterson #FreedomQuest #HeTaughtMeBass #CraigIngraham #ChicagoAuthor #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #HogpodMusicChat #DebutNovel #MusicMemoir #SammyDavisJr #SunsetStrip #BassPlayer

    48 min
  5. Crossing Decades: Jen Brown, Sgt Sparkles, Doc Zeiger | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    APR 21

    Crossing Decades: Jen Brown, Sgt Sparkles, Doc Zeiger | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    Jen Brown, Dave "Doc" Zeiger, and Damian "Sgt Sparkles" Thompson of Crossing Decades join Hogpod to break down what happens when six Chicago musicians decide to cover every decade from the 60s to today — in blocks, with costume changes, and one country song per show because the crowd demands it..Plus: the Sergeant Sparkles origin story, their 8-minute mashup built on AC/DC Back in Black, Dave's WSOP run sitting with Scotty Nguyen and Lane Flack, and why the bathroom at Penny Road Pub was the best green room in Chicagoland..🎶 Hogpod Chicago Local Music Chat on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZ....🎧 New album drops this week — "GAME FILM" — Hogpod Album #10.🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:55 Cheryl Scott weather love1:13 Big Head Todd at Rivers Casino2:37 Dave joins the show8:48 Kicked each other's ass at School of Rock10:00 413 origin story11:48 Jen and Doc join the band a week apart13:04 Meet the six-piece Crossing Decades lineup15:17 How Damian became "Sergeant Sparkles"17:06 Who books the band21:08 Rock Goddess nickname origin22:55 From 413 to Crossing Decades rebrand27:02 The fan-voted name change28:28 "We play a little bit of everything"33:09 The guitar-tuning challenge35:38 Opening for 7th Heaven38:37 The 8-minute Back in Black mashup breakdown40:48 Blank Space, Taylor Swift, fast42:21 Costume changes on stage45:37 Jen hates Save a Horse, but the crowd wins46:27 "If the crowd's into it, it's my favorite song"48:41 Mickey Finn's three-hour show math51:23 Dirty Nelly's catacombs and green rooms52:19 Penny Road Pub bathroom nostalgia53:41 Upcoming: Rookies in Elgin, Mickey Finn's56:26 First concert round — Rush Power Windows Tour57:56 Jen's Metallica Saturday detention skip58:48 Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Slippery When Wet59:43 Spider Mike's first Van Halen Sammy1:01:07 Dave's WSOP run with Scotty Nguyen and Lane Flack1:05:01 Best music movie — Casablanca and Adam Sandler soundtracks1:09:37 Pop-Tart with butter, Family Guy style1:12:00 Butter on a Pop-Tart changes everything1:12:22 Rookies in Elgin, end of June.📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Cover Band - Tribute - Bar Band - Rock - Country - Pop - Metal - 60s - 70s - 80s - 90s - 2000s - Today.🎤 Guest Links — Crossing DecadesFacebook: facebook.com/Crossing.Decades.ChicagoWebsite coming soon: crossingdecades.comContact: 847-302-6561.❤️ Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod.Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Spider Mike..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusicScene #CrossingDecades #HogpodMusicChat #ChicagoLocalMusic #CoverBand #TributeBand #BarBand #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #413Band #RockGoddess #SergeantSparkles

    1h 14m
  6. Joey De Marco on Writing Jazz, Windsor's Music Scene & AI | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    APR 14

    Joey De Marco on Writing Jazz, Windsor's Music Scene & AI | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

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

    1h 5m
  7. She Cherry Bombed the Audition | Neala Dunn Cherry Bomb Chicago | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene

    APR 7

    She Cherry Bombed the Audition | Neala Dunn Cherry Bomb Chicago | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene

    She walked into an audition for a band that didn't want a female singer. Sang one Dorothy song. Walked out as their frontwoman. That's Cherry Bomb Chicago.🎧 Full episode: https://youtu.be/XHXP_I72c8U🎶 Cherry Bombed It on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/album/4YJmXoDncxnh867RCFWDH0?si=dE8zUJDERLmKhYq3AuqDVA📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692#HogpodChicago #CherryBombChicago #ChicagoMusic #FemaleFrontedBand #ChicagolandMusicScene #MusicPodcast #Shorts

    1 min
  8. Chris "Bean" Weng: Chicago Drummer Who Drums AND Sings | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    MAR 31

    Chris "Bean" Weng: Chicago Drummer Who Drums AND Sings | Hogpod Chicagoland Music Scene Podcast

    Chris "Bean" Weng has been drumming and singing at the same time since he was 12 years old. Now he does it every night as the drummer for Heartache Tonight, one of the Midwest's premier Eagles tribute bands — playing 35+ shows a year at theaters and festivals from Chicago to Michigan. Oh, and his first concert was Frank Zappa at the Uptown Theater in 1976. Yeah, Bean's been around.We dig into how Heartache Tonight was born, why New Kid in Town is the hardest Eagles song to pull off live, what happens when the guitar players won't stop at the end of Hotel California, and how Bean landed in Ralph Covert's Bad Examples after 20 years in the Chicago scene. Plus — Pacific Sound Company, the West Coast music project that's turning heads at Mickey Finn's..🎶 NEW KID IN THE WEST — The Hogpod AI Album inspired by this episode[HYPERFOLLOW LINK].🎧 All Hogpod AI Albums on Spotifyhttps://open.spotify.com/artist/6BN8V....🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Opening — Heartache Tonight performs Take It Easy (live)   • Take It Easy (Eagles Cover) - Heartache To...  5:31 Ralph Covert and the Bad Examples connection8:08 History of Heartache Tonight11:10 Bean's artwork — painted by JP and the Cats' Jim Tulk16:19 How hard is it to drum and sing at the same time?17:52 Best singer/drummer of all time? Henley, Levon, Karen Carpenter?25:17 Blue Bayou transition — Tamara Woodruff show clip   • Tamara Woodruff (Blue Bayou) – Linda Ronst...  27:11 Mike Ostrenga show clip   • 🎸 Bassist Mike Ostrenga from Empress Joins...  28:29 Pacific Sound Company — West Coast music comes to Chicago29:00 Playing three guitars together — how do you stay in your lane?29:47 The stink eye — what happens when you screw up on stage30:30 What is the hardest Eagles song to play live?31:45 The Hotel California ending — guitar players going for a day32:50 Has any Eagles member ever shown up to a Heartache Tonight show?35:48 Upcoming Heartache Tonight shows37:06 From originals to tribute — how the Chicago scene evolved41:22 Tom Carey and the Ghost Runners43:00 Sharing the stage with Joe Cocker, Kansas, and Slash46:00 Jimi Sohns shout out — RIP47:44 Jimi Sohns performing Gloria with Chick Norris at Joe's Live53:39 Bongo Mike question segment — first concert, favorite movie, pop tarts.📍 Topics in this episodeEagles Tribute - Heartache Tonight - Pacific Sound Company - Bad Examples - Ralph Covert - Drumming and Singing - Chicago Music Scene - Hotel California - Frank Zappa - Summerfest - Joe Cocker - Jimi Sohns.🎤 Guest LinksHeartache Tonight: https://www.heartachetonight.comHeartache Tonight Band: https://www.heartachetonight.com/the-...Heartache Tonight Calendar: https://www.heartachetonight.com/cale...Pacific Sound Company:   / pacificsoundcompany  Tom Carey Music: https://tomcareymusic.net/Bad Examples: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bad....❤️ Support Hogpod  / hogpod  .Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris "Rhodesy" Rhodes..📞 Booking — beth@hogpod.org / 708-287-3692.#HogpodChicago #ChicagoMusic #EaglesTribute #HeartacheTonight #ChicagoMusicScene #TributeBand #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #DrummerWhoSings #PacificSoundCompany #BadExamples #RalphCovert #HotelCalifornia #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic

    1h 6m
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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!

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