Outside the Loop RADIO
Local Music
Outside the Loop RADIO is Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine. Founded as a podcast in September 2006 and picked up for broadcast by Chicago Sound Alliance WLUW 88.7-FM in March 2007, "OTL" now airs on Chicago's Very Own 50,000-watt heritage powerhouse station WGN Radio 720-AM. Storyteller and urbanologist Mike Stephen hosts this weekly program featuring fun segments and interviews with local newsmakers, artists, musicians, and others doing cool stuff around the greater Chicago area. The show covers topics stories that don't always get mainstream media attention... and it's all presented with a strong and independent Chicago slant. http://outsidetheloopradio.com
Location:
United States
Description:
Outside the Loop RADIO is Chicago's Almost Above-Ground Audio Magazine. Founded as a podcast in September 2006 and picked up for broadcast by Chicago Sound Alliance WLUW 88.7-FM in March 2007, "OTL" now airs on Chicago's Very Own 50,000-watt heritage powerhouse station WGN Radio 720-AM. Storyteller and urbanologist Mike Stephen hosts this weekly program featuring fun segments and interviews with local newsmakers, artists, musicians, and others doing cool stuff around the greater Chicago area. The show covers topics stories that don't always get mainstream media attention... and it's all presented with a strong and independent Chicago slant. http://outsidetheloopradio.com
Twitter:
@outsidetheloop
Language:
English
Contact:
Outside the Loop WGN Radio 435 N. Michigan Ave. Chicago, IL 60611
Episodes
OTL #959: Bridging the wealth gap in Chicago, Supporting local nonprofits
3/1/2025
Mike Stephen learns about efforts to bridge the wealth gap and to provide worker dignity at the local level from Julian Posada, President & CEO of LiftUp Chicago, and then discusses supporting the important work of local nonprofits with Jessica Nepomiachi, Director of Special Projects for the Real Estate Solutions Team at IFF.
Duration:00:42:12
OTL #958: Continuing the fight against homelessness, The Secret History of Ruffian, Chicago Women of Color Fest
2/22/2025
Mike Stephen discusses ongoing efforts to fight homelessness in Chicago despite the chaos in the federal government with Carolyn Ross, president and CEO of All Chicago: Making Homelessness History, learns the Secret History of 1980s rockers called Ruffian, and then chats about a new local festival highlighting marginalized voices with festival founder Jaqueline Wade.
Duration:00:43:28
OTL #957: The history and impact of Fitzgerald’s, New music from Falling Stars
2/15/2025
Mike Stephen sits down with Jess King and Will Duncan, the owners of Fitzgerald’s in Berwyn, to learn about the venue's history and impact on Chicago and then gets the lowdown on new music from the local band Falling Stars with guitarist and vocalist Mark Sheehy.
Duration:00:42:57
OTL #956: The future of the Chicago Reader, The Secret History of The Monteras
2/8/2025
Mike Stephen talks to Amber Nettles the publisher of the Chicago Reader and Salem Collo-Julin, the paper's editor in chief, about the dire financial situation of the publication and its future and then discovers the Secret History of the local 1960s garage rock band The Monteras.
Duration:00:37:58
OTL #955: The future of electric vehicles in Illinois, Restorative justice in North Lawndale
2/1/2025
Mike Stephen explores the potential impact of the Trump administration’s position on environmental funding with Brian Urbaszewski, director of environmental health programs at the Respiratory Health Association, and learns about the impact of restorative justice practices in the North Lawndale neighborhood from Cliff Nellis, president and CEO of the Lawndale Christian Legal Center.
Duration:00:40:10
OTL #954: The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, The Secret History of Yama & The Karma Dusters
1/25/2025
Mike Stephen learns about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative renewal in Congress from Don Jodrey, director of federal relations at the Alliance for the Great Lakes, and then discovers the Secret History of the 1970s counterculture band Yama & The Karma Dusters.
Duration:00:38:59
OTL #953: Chicago’s “Taping Guy,” The Surge Institute’s civil rights work
1/18/2025
Mike Stephen talks to Aadam Jacobs, a Chicagoan who has recorded thousands of local live music performances, about why he’s making his collection public and then discusses the ongoing civil rights work of The Surge Institute with executive director Ulric Shannon.
Duration:00:42:54
OTL #952: Are we in dark civic times?, The impending “TIF Cliff,” HelloBaby expands
1/11/2025
Mike Stephen explores the impending "TIF Cliff" and its ramifications for Chicago with civic educator Tom Tresser, discusses the state of local civic life, and gets the lowdown on the expansion of HelloBaby on the South Side of the city with founder Debbie Frisch and Leva Family Foundation president Craig Leva.
Duration:00:39:03
OTL #951: Local education issues in 2025, Illinois corrections’ programs that work, New music from Poi Dog Pondering
1/4/2025
Mike Stephen gets an update on important education issues in the new year from Chalkbeat Chicago reporter Reema Amin, discusses the positive impacts of a few Illinois Department of Corrections programs with Jennifer Vollen-Katz, executive director of the John Howard Association, and previews an upcoming show by the local band Poi Dog Pondering with band founder Frank Orrall.
Duration:00:46:30
OTL #950: A look back on Chicago in 2024
12/28/2024
Mike Stephen highlights a few local conversations from the show in 2024. See you in 2025!
Duration:00:41:52
OTL #949: The lack of Chicago environmental regulations enforcement, The Secret History of JD, Foster, and Eastman
12/21/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Neighbors for Environmental Justice board president Anthony Moser about how local politics and a lack of enforcement are impacting Chicago’s environmental policies and then discovers the Secret History of 1970s Chicago country rockers JD, Foster, and Eastman.
Duration:00:40:16
OTL #948: Re-mapping Chicago, The state of local food journalism, Quimby’s calls it quits
12/14/2024
Mike Stephen gets an update on the effort to re-map Chicago community areas from Emily Talen, director of The Urbanism Lab at the University of Chicago, discusses the state of local food journalism Mike Gebert, editor of Fooditor, and reflects on the good work of the soon-to-be-sold Quimby’s bookstore in Wicker Park.
Duration:00:38:58
OTL #947: Local housing assistance in 2025, What’s left behind after gun violence, The Secret History of Dee Clark
12/7/2024
Mike Stephen discusses proposed housing measures for Chicago in the new year from Alejandra Cancino, investigative reporter at Injustice Watch, learns about a new documentary that focuses on gun violence victims’ families and loved ones called What's Left Behind from director Dr. Janice Collins, and discovers the Secret History of 1960s soul and doo wop singer Dee Clark.
Duration:00:47:10
OTL #946: The proposed Chicago liquor tax increase, Protecting our genetic privacy
11/30/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the potential impact of the proposed Chicago liquor tax increase with Mr. Chicago Bars and then talks to Ericka Watson, principal and CEO of Data Strategy Advisors, about privacy issues stemming from private companies mapping our DNA.
Duration:00:36:33
OTL #945: Stories from a local Uber driver, Shawn Maxwell’s new music, The Secret History of Viewfinder
11/23/2024
Mike Stephen talks to Provy Taylor, a local Uber driver, about his new book of stories while on the job called Uber Me to Providence, gets the lowdown on local saxophonist Shawn Maxwell’s new music, and discovers the Secret History of 90s alt-rockers: Viewfinder.
Duration:00:42:11
OTL #944: The state of local journalism, Predatory lending’s impact
11/16/2024
Mike Stephen explores a new report on the state of local journalism with Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative, and discusses the impact of predatory lending in Illinois with Jane Doyle, senior regulatory policy associate at the Woodstock Institute.
Duration:00:40:09
OTL #943: Chicago hot dogs, Local pinball, The Secret History of Paulette McWilliams
11/9/2024
Mike Stephen eases us back into post-election life with a couple fun segments from 2015 and then discovers the Secret History of Chicago-born vocalist Paulette McWilliams.
Duration:00:37:47
OTL #942: Housing in Chicago, A crisis in Illinois Early Intervention, Black Panther Party history update
11/2/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the impact of the departure of the Chicago Housing Authority CEO with Block Club Chicago investigative editor Mick Dumke, learns about a crisis in Illinois’ Early Intervention Program from Start Early director of legislative affairs Jonathan Doster and speech pathologist Sarah Ziemba, and gives an update on the efforts to preserve the history of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.
Duration:00:35:31
OTL #941: A crisis in Illinois prisons, Educational attainment of CPS students, The Secret History of Nick Gravenites
10/26/2024
Mike Stephen discusses the crisis of Illinois state prison staff levels and working conditions with John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz, learns about a new report about the educational attainment of CPS students from Alexandra Usher, the director of data and research at the To&Through Project, and discovers the Secret History of local blues rocker Nick Gravenites.
Duration:00:42:43
OTL #940: CTA Surveillance, One year after the end of cash bail, McLuhan’s new music
10/19/2024
Mike Stephen learns about a new CTA surveillance pilot program from Justin Agrelo, community engagement reporter at The Trace, discusses the impact of ending cash bail in Illinois with State Senator Robert Peters (13th), and gets the lowdown on local prog rock band McLuhan from vocalist & bassist Neal Rosner.
Duration:00:34:37