“Blue collar hip hop” artist Southside Jake is a Chicago-based songwriter whose latest song, “Outside,” is a throwback to more innocent times. We talk about that, growing up on the south side, the music scenes he straddles and the positives of Cameo.

Malört: Turning taste-buds into taste-foes for generations. CH Distillery owner/head distiller Tremaine Atkinson joins me to talk about the most “Chicago” spirit of all.  We also cover plenty of CH history, too.

Meet The Well Tempered. RIYL Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, New Order.

The synthy, moody gloom of the Well Tempered feels appropriate for January, to say nothing of a January spinning out of 2020. The project of musician Robert Bock recently released the “Three Sisters” EP, a song cycle that emerged from emotions around the pandemic. Robert joins me tonight!

I talked tonight with Cesar Marron and Shawn Decker, the managing partners of Sketchbook Brewing Company, about their company history. We went back to the beginning, when they were serving 2 oz. pours in an Evanston alley, and covered everything through their present-day new taproom and facility in Skokie. Grab yourself an Orange Door and enjoy this interview!

Have kids? They could probably use some advice. Author, filmmaker and old JVO schoolmate Marc Fienberg is on tonight to talk about his helpful, insightful and entertaining recent book release, “Dad’s Great Advice for Teens.”

“This is Spinal Tap.” “The Big Lebowski.” Lots of Kung-Fu movies. The drive-in situation at Rock Island Public House is awesome for the rest of the month. RIPH drive-in movie curator and movie fanatic Mike Vanderbilt is back on tonight!

The best thing about TheLINE’s sound is it’s *their* sound. You can find hints of stuff you love in everything they do, but the end result is uniquely theirs. After a considerable time away, TheLINE reemerged in the late 10s, followed by the “Sour to Punker” EP last year. Ryan Immegart of TheLINE is on Car Con Carne tonight. Oh, he’s also the Global Head of Marketing for Volcom. NBD.

Do you like dogs? How about dogs in people's clothes? Do you also like supporting members of Chicago’s music community? I have just the thing for you: “Bobo, 12 months a year,” a handsome calendar featuring Bobo the dog, owned by The Atlas Moth’s Stavros Giannopoulos. The Kickstarter project to back the calendar ends late tomorrow afternoon (1/4/21), and Stavros is here tonight to talk about it and share some fabulous Bobo pictures.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bobofor2021/bobo-12-months-a-year

There’s nothing worse than a last-minute blow-off from a guest. I was just waiting for the guest to pop up on Zoom, and… nothing. I called. I texted. Nothing. So here I am. Hi. Just me. If that’s not the most symbolic way to do the last show of 2020, I don’t know what is.

Zanies is ringing in the new year with a live streaming event of Chicago comedians, hosted by the very-funny Calvin Evans. Calvin’s my guest tonight, as we try to burn 2020 from our minds.