Brian Noonan

Tonight with Brian Noonan:

Host Brian Noonan kicks off the show after a White Sox victory with President of the Irish American Heritage Center of the in preparation for the Irish Fest and all the fun details.

For more information on the Irish Fest visit irish-american.org.

What are your thoughts on the recent scooter pilot program in Chicago? Brian discusses the details of the program and what to expect.

Plus, Irish band St. Stephan’s Green who will perform during Irish Fest performs LIVE in our performance studio.

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Keep the conversation going with Brian on Twitter! @briannoonanshow

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Brian describes his experience seeing the Rolling Stones at Soldier Field over the weekend, then presents another edition of the monthly beer segment “At the Breweries” with friends from Goose Island Brewery and Revolution Brewing.

Brian kicks off the show with a story about his seemingly never-ending move into a new house, as well as his review of the Rolling Stones at Soldier Field. He also has his producer, Cody Gough, explain why he turned down a ticket to see the legendary rock group on Friday.

Then, Goose Island Brewery’s Jesse Valenciana and Revolution Brewing’s John Carruthers join Brian in-studio for another edition of “At the Breweries.” They bring American pale ale, Schwarzbier, and Barleywine beers for the crew to sample in-studio as they educate and entertain in their monthly craft beer conversation.

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In this jam-packed Father’s Day episode, Brian’s daughter joins him in-studio along with several special guests. Learn about how to protect your mental health from social media and how you can get involved with a new campaign to help dogs in need. Then: hear live Irish music in-studio!

Brian opens the show with a fun Father’s Day conversation with his daughter Molly, who is visiting the studio from out of town, and with fellow father Roger Badesch.

Mental health professional Jelena Kecmanovic joins Brian by phone to discuss ways you can protect your mental health from social media. She discusses research into the connection between social media use and things like depression and anxiety, and offers some solutions for how to stay happy and healthy in our connected world. You can learn more about Dr. Kecmanovic on her website.

One Tail at a Time Executive Director Heather Owen then calls in to discuss an unprecedented capital campaign, One Tail at a Time Cooperative, to help save Chicago’s most vulnerable dogs with innovative solutions to make Chicago a no-kill city. These creative approaches will not only save Chicago’s dogs, but will assist low-income families in keeping their pets safe and healthy, and will provide transitional housing opportunities for individuals experiencing homelessness.

Students from The Shepherd’s School of Irish Music then join Brian in-studio for a live performance. Their 1st place win at the Midwest Fleadh in April qualified them to perform at the All-Ireland Fleadh Cheoil in August in Drogheda, Ireland, and now the students are gearing up for their upcoming fundraiser concert on June 27 at Chief O’Neill’s (3471 N. Elston Avenue, Chicago).

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Summer is finally here, and that means festivals! Brian welcomes guests in-studio to discuss Chicago Michelada Fest 2019, then welcomes even more guests to talk Ribfest! Plus: how to get rid of mosquitoes with Skrillex (yes, you read that right).

Brian opens the show by explaining how Skrillex can help you get rid of mosquitoes. Seriously — it’s science!

Then, Grass Root Events Director of Operations Fernando Nieto and Javier Garcia from Big Mich join Brian in-studio to discuss Chicago Michelada Fest, which will take place July 6 and 7 at Harrison Park in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. They talk to Brian about the festival and the hosting organization, as well as the cultural significance and history of the michelada. This community event was created to raise funds for local non profits, and this year’s goal is to raise more than $50k for three local non-profit organizations.

Between guests, newscaster Pam Jones joins Brian to talk about a local “poop vandal” who’s causing mischief in Bridgeport.

Joe Wilcox from the North Center Chamber of Commerce and Joe Barry from Big Joe’s Backyard BBQ then join Brian in-studio to preview the 21st Annual Ribfest Chicago, June 14-16 in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood. They talk ribs, the history of ribfest, and what people can expect from this year’s edition of the popular annual event.

Cody Gough, Brian’s producer, then brings Skrillex back into the conversation and tries to help Brian understand the EDM scene and what electronic music producers are doing to attract young listeners. To wrap up the show, Brian discourages listeners from protecting their phones with cases that are shaped like guns.

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Brian discusses and debates graduation or “promotion” ceremonies in grade school and in middle school and the power of the OK hand sign. Rep. Ann Williams also checks in with an update on the latest in Illinois politics, and Chicago Tribune editorial cartoonist Scott Stantis about Hamilton: The Exhibition.

Brian opens the show by discussing 5th and 8th grade “promotions,” or graduations, and why some people are taking these milestones a little too seriously. Cody Gough, his producer, explains why he thinks the term “promotion” is completely misleading, and Roger Badesch from the newsroom joins the show to talk about different ways of celebrating school achievements from his time as a high school teacher.

Then, Brian turns to a hot topic: the OK sign. After Oak Park River Forest High School announced it would spend more than $50,000 reprinting yearbooks because some students were displaying the hand sign. He and the crew debate the decision to reprint the yearbooks, the context and intent behind the students using the hand sign, and other related hot-button issues.

Illinois State Representative Ann Williams then calls into the show to discuss the recent vote to legalize recreational marijuana in Illinois, along with many other recent issues facing the state government, from rideshare taxes to gambling policies.

Scott Stantis, editorial cartoonist for Chicago Tribune, joins Brian in-studio to discuss Hamilton: The Exhibition, running at Northerly Island with tickets on sale through September 8. He also talks about his career as a cartoonist and some of the things he’s been writing about lately.

Then, Brian gives a “Bow Tie Theatre Review” of Broadway in Chicago’s production of Falsettos, running through June 9 at the James M. Nederlander Theatre (24 W. Randolph Street). Hear Brian laud the performances that blew him away before he wraps up with a fun story about a teacher writing something inappropriate on a student’s paper.

Executive Director of the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild, Danielle D’Alessandro joins Brian Noonan to discuss the 3rd annual  Chicago Friday Night Flights. The 2019 kick-off event happens this Friday at Gallagher Way, featuring 32 of Chicago finest breweries.

D’Alessandro recounts the time on WGN radio how she ran into former mayor of Chicago Rahm Emanuel at lunch. Danielle mentioned to Emanuel how she understood he wanted to celebrate  all the amazing breweries in Chicago, D’Alessandro said: ” Let’s make it happen what’s your vision?” Rahm responded: “Friday night, outside breweries from around the neighborhood setting up and doing a tasting,  with live music GO!”  The rest is history.  Friday Night Flights is now in its 3rd season produced by the Illinois Craft Brewers Guild in partnership with Choose Chicago.

Listen to the Podcast below:

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For more information on Illinois Craft Brewers Guild visit, www.illinoisbeer.org

Information regarding  Friday Night Flights visit, www.choosechicago.com

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American renditions of traditional beer styles, putting its definitive stamp on each beer through effective use of complementary adjunct flavors (Wheat Ale with Fresh Lemonthyme, Brown Ale with Salted Caramel, etc.) is what   Aleman Brewing Company stands by. Joining Brian is Owner of Aleman Brewing Brad Zeller.

The company is a living, breathing Voltron of strengths, opinions, and experiences. Aleman Brewing is governed by the urban hustle and corn-fed integrity of our sweet home, Chicago. From hand-carved wooden tap handles to merchandise which is designed and screen printed in-house, Aleman hopes to engage a consumer base with a thirst for knowledge as well as beer.

You can catch Aleman Brewing Company participating in Chicago Ale Fest in Grant Park on June 1st. For information on the fest and tickets visit: http://www.chicagoalefest.com/

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Joining us from Four Chords and a Gun and the man that plays Dee Dee Ramone is musician-actor Paolo Santalucia. Their musical band is an excellent black comedy about the infamous punk band the Ramones. The plays reveal the drama-filled 1979 recording session that led to The Ramones album, End of the Century, produced by the eccentric gun wielding Phil Spector. You can catch the Four Chords and a Gun at the Broadway Playhouse as they will be playing up until June 2nd.

For Infomation and tickets for the Four Chords and a Gun, visit: https://www.broadwayinchicago.com and

Check out Four Chords and a Gun website at https://www.4chordsplay.com/

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Brian kicks off the show this evening by talking to Perfect Home Service owner Justin Carroll to discuss college vs trade school opportunities. It’s graduation season and students are faced with a future decision of choosing between college and the trades. Justin gives up a play by play how recent grads can decide whether a college degree or a trades degree with their specific skill set would fit best for them.

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Hazy IPA, helles lager, and pastry stout beers surprise and delight in-studio with Revolution Brewing’s John Carruthers and Goose Island Brewery’s Jesse Valenciana. Brian learns about the beers as the experts educate and entertain in this edition of “At the Breweries.”

You can catch the final portion of this extended segment by watching this video on Facebook.

About At the Breweries: Every month, J&J join Brian to explore craft beers of a certain variety or theme from a variety of breweries — not just the ones they work for! Hilarious banter ensues when two guys who are passionate about beer join Brian Noonan for some of the best beer banter you’ll ever hear.