Slice to Meet You returns to Piece Pizzeria (1927 North Avenue)! The fundraiser benefiting Paws Chicago, the Midwest’s largest no-kill shelter, kicks off with “Bill and Doug’s Excellent Adventure, a collaboration between Piece and iconic Chicago chef Hot Doug.

Piece owner Bill Jacobs and Hot Doug jump in the car to unveil their masterful collab: a white pizza topped with Hot Doug’s Hungarian sausage, thinly sliced Yukon potatoes, roasted garlic, mozzarella, and finished with horseradish cream sauce, grated aged Pecorino Romano, and scallions. For every “Bill and Doug’s” pizza sold, Paws will receive $70, thanks to Piece and generous matching donors.

Yeah, the pizza was outstanding, but I really enjoyed talking with Bill and Doug. I think you’ll enjoy the conversation - it’s an episode absolutely dripping with Chicago and food talk.

After you’ve scarfed down this month’s pizza, get ready for the next two collaborations in February (the Weiner’s Circle) and March (Rick Bayless).

Visit Piece on social media: @piecechicago

Visit Paws online: pawschicago.com

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Car Con Carne sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This conversation was long overdue! I sat down with LiveWire Lounge owner Dave Hornyak to talk about LiveWire’s 14 years in business: The highs, the lows, the bands and the $2 PBRs.

Looking for a zero-bullshit, low-budget, place to unwind, listen to cool music, and be yourself? Visit my friends at LiveWire: 3394 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60641.

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Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Malört existed long before you made your first “Malört face.” The story of its survival and eventual 21st century triumph is a twisty, fascinating business story laid out in Josh Noel’s new book, “Malört : The Redemption of a Revered and Reviled Spirit.”

It’s a business story. A love story. A marketing story. A Chicago story. I can’t recommend the book enough. In this episode, I talk with Josh Noel about the book and Malört history. 

To appropriately set the scene, we met at one of Chicago’s great neighborhood bars, Live Wire Lounge (3394 N. Milwaukee Avenue). Thanks to Dave and bartender Mikey Classic for their hospitality, and for turning down “Girl’s Got Rhythm” by AC/DC on the house system for the interview recording.

If you’ve ever wondered why Malört tastes the way it does or how on earth it became Chicago’s go-to rite of initiation, I encourage you to read the book. That said, start by watching/listening to the interview!

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Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Appearing at Metro, Saturday, January 4, 2025: Nicholas Tremulis & the Prodigals present Boneyard Rhapsody #65, featuring DJ Joe Shanahan & special guests. This promises to be a wall-rattling, roof-shaking, night of live music.

To preview the event, I met Joe Shanahan (Metro founder) and Nicholas Tremulis in the Metro balcony for a conversation that includes:

*When Nicholas first met Joe in the early 80s.

*Their shared love of music (and sharing of music), spanning multiple decades.

*The sheer enormousness of Nicholas’ band. It stands at 15 members, but surely he can find a few more before January 4th?

*The event benefits Collaboraction: Nicholas explains their mission.

*Metro’s ability to thrive and grow amidst constant change and disruption in Wrigleyville through the years.

*Nicholas’ history of collaborating with, well, everyone. He’s an “elder statesman” at this point; is he still learning?

*The importance of music discovery.

*Joe’s approach to DJ-ing events.

*The ever-growing list of live music venues in Chicago

Joe and Nicholas have known each other forever, which made this a very easy conversation to record. In many cases, I just sat back and let the old friends talk and riff. It was a great experience.

The first great show of 2025 is on the calendar: See you at Metro!

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Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gilian from Hi Ho and Birdy from Sweetie jumped in my car at the end of 2024 to talk about their free show at Schubas (also including Reckoner), happening on 12/30/24 (New Year’s Eve Eve).

We’d originally planned to go food-less for this one, but to my surprise they arrived with freshly-baked cookies. They weren’t chocolate chip cookies, though, because Gillian’s not a fan (please don’t cancel her).

Things discussed in the episode:
*Birdy’s love for alliteration. She’s a fabulously fun, fervent francophile.

*Gillian joins the “5 timers club,” while Birdy is right on the edge with her fourth appearance.

*Gillian’s reemergence after “this non-musical and extremely medical year.”

*The state of Hi Ho: New music on the way.

*Birdy Vee is known to warmly greet her community of fans when Sweetie takes the stage. She’s demure.

*Sweetie will release a new album (on vinyl!) in 2025.

*Birdy plays rugby. Don’t mess with her.

*The HOOF Fest, and why Gillian is such a fan of it.

*Gillian’s secret to building a band (Sweetie has a similar road map).

I don’t know if it was the holidays in the air, or just the combination of Gillian and Birdy, but holy shit, this episode was a lot of fun to record.

Please support these fine bands (for ZERO POINT ZERO DOLLARS) on December 30!

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Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John E. Streetz, Head of the Streetz Artz Alliance, has been curating craft shows at suburban craft breweries for years. Odds are, you’ve probably been to one (either planned or accidentally). They’re great events that pull in an eclectic mix of area artisans… and are a perfect complement to the neighborhood breweries that host them.

As the multi-location Krampus Market was underway in Blue Island, John jumped in my car outside Blue Island Beer Company (13357 Old Western Ave) to talk about how he started building these events, how they’re developed, and what the future might have in store.

Next up for the Streetz Artz Alliance:

Saturday 12/14/24 - Winter Craft Market (Church St., Itasca)

Sunday 12/15/24 - Flipside Holiday Bazaar (Flipside, Tinley Park)

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Car Con Carne is also sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chicago Americana artist Sara Jean Stevens just released a new video for the song “Thaw,” with a new EP, “Lovesick,” to follow on Valentine’s Day. To mark the occasion, she jumped on the podcast to do an absolutely stunning version of the song before our interview.

See Sara in one of her upcoming shows:

12/14 - Fitzgerald’s (Them Coulee Boys)

12/26 - Martyrs (with the Hoyle Brothers)

1/14/25 - SPACE

We met outside Cantina 52 in Crystal Lake (cantina52.com). Thanks to owner Jimmy for his kind hospitality and delicious food. Sara and I both ordered off the vegan menu (so many choices!), and loved what we had. If you’re watching the video, you can see what we ate. I’m ready to go back … meet you there?

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Car Con Carne sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

David Singer is one of Chicago’s most versatile artists: he’s a songwriter, performer, filmmaker, screenwriter and podcaster.  He’s also a founding Board Member and President of Intonation.

He’s back on Car Con Carne as his first solo album, “The Cost of Living,” is celebrating its 25th anniversary. To mark the occasion, David Singer and the Sweet Science headline the Hideout on Saturday, December 14 (Early show! Cheap tickets!).

Since he’s playing the Hideout soon, we decided to record at the Hideout (thanks, Katie and Tim). We holed up in the green room for our chat, which wrapped with David performing two songs: new single “Crashing,” and the title track from “The Cost of Living.”

David and I have known each other since well before “The Cost of Living,” so the conversation is always easy and fun with him. I think you’ll like this one!

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Car Con Carne sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Q101 (101.1FM / WKQX) is back on Chicago’s FM dial, after many confusing and MIA years for the brand. A fresh listen reveals a station in line with what many (or at least I) would argue is a “classic” Q101 look and feel.

Let’s be candid: Terrestrial radio is facing serious headwinds, and its success hinges on bold ideas spanning multiple platforms. To talk about radio, and more specifically, Q101, I invited Q101 Program Director James Kurdziel to discuss topics like:

• What makes for a good air personality in the modern day (especially compared to, say, the 1990s)?
• How does new music find its way onto the air?
• What does the industry need to do to right the course?
• Is being a heritage station an advantage or weakness?
• What about being ‘live and local?’
• Where do podcasts, YouTube, et al. fit in?

I’ve worked for (and with) my share of radio blowhards through the decades. James isn’t one of them. He and his vision for the station are easy to root for.

Disclaimer: Car Con Carne is a Q101 podcast. Even so, I asked the same questions I would have asked if that were not the case.

Disclaimer #2: This episode (1011… get it?) is being published before Episode 1008. I decided I didn’t want to sit on it just to fall in sequence. I thought it was really interesting, and a good one to share before Thanksgiving. 

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Car Con Carne sponsored by Easy Automation: easy-automation.net

Transform your living space with cutting-edge home automation. Experience seamless control over audio/video, lighting, climate, security, and more. Embrace the future of smart living – your home, your rules.

Get a quote by visiting easy-automation.net, or give Dan a call at 630.730.3728

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ryan Argast of Marina City returns to Car Con Carne for Italian beef sandwiches at the iconic Johnnie’s Beef. We eat the beefs while wearing rubber exam gloves, but I swear it’s normal behavior.

We spent some time chatting about the new Marina City EP, Reflections, another big step forward for the band. Start with “I’m So Broke” … you’ll thank me for it later, I swear.

We also talk about Argast’s run on “The Voice” earlier this year. He should have gone farther.

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Car Con Carne is sponsored by Easy Automation.

Safety and security are things you and I want, need and expect. What if you could always come home to a well-lighted house knowing that you and everyone inside were safe?

Or know that the package you were waiting on was delivered and secured.

Embrace the future of smart living. Empower your home with intuitive control. Call Dan at Easy Automation for a free, no-hassle quote. 630-730-3728. Or visit easy-automation.net.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.