CHIRP Radio Podcasts

This week, Features contributor Michal Gliszewski speaks with Frank and River Rabbitte of Chicago-based "clandestine for no reason" alt-rock group wht.rbbt.obj. They discuss their failed attempt to keep their relationship separate from their musicianship, how their marriage continuously shakes up their musical abilities, and reading The Creative Act by Rick Rubin. "Whatever medium your art is - if you're not doing what's fully authentically you, it's incredibly heartbreaking." River Rabbitte Produced by Marjorie Alford. Photo Credit: Robert Neumann

This week Features contributor Alyssa Edes talks with Danielle Sines of Chicago-based bubblegrunge group Impulsive Hearts. They talk about friendship breakups, feeling ALL of your feelings, societal collapse, and the new album Fit 4 the Apocalypse.  "It's sort of this mental preparation for the end of the world in my mind... Either I'm gonna get fit or I'm gonna stay in bed all day."  - Danielle Sines, on the new album Fit 4 the Apocalypse. Fit 4 The Apocalypse is out now. Catch Impulsive Hearts at Andersonville Midsommar Fest Sunday, June 9, 2024 at 7p.m. on The Swedish Stage. And you can hear Danielle - AKA D Rock - on CHIRP Radio with The Apocalipstick Beatz - Tuesdays 12-3pm. Produced by: Alyssa Edes Photo Credit: Jovan Landry

This week, Features co-director Jessi D speaks with Carrie Shemanski and Crispin Torres of Chicago-based surf rock band Wolfman. They discuss how they met through performing in various cover bands across Chicago, taking a risk and shredding with new friends, recording their debut five-song EP The Wolfman Agenda at Electrical Audio, and the upcoming Shemanskifest, a celebration of Carrie's birthday in which she tries to perform in as many bands as possible. "So here we are with my band - I couldn't believe it. I was like, people who know how to play instruments also want to play my songs? What a dream!" - Carrie Shemanski Wolfman will be debuting their new EP at Shemanskifest on Friday, March 29, 2024 at the Burlington Bar. Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Fotio

This week, Features contributor Liz Mason speaks with Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist singer, songwriter, and producer Melissa Harris of Born Days, a conceptual darkwave synth-pop project. They discuss Harris's pandemic-era roadtrip across the country to Arizona to find a quiet place to finish recording her album, spending hours experimenting with synths as a form of meditation, and working through generational trauma in music on her new album, My Little Dark.  "When I was writing the album, I was seeing it as kind of like a sci-fi coming of age story. I imagined it if it was a book, it would be for teens." - Melissa Harris on the creation of her new album, My Little Dark. Produced by Liz Mason. Photo Credit: Erica Contreras

This week, Features co-director Jessi D speaks with Joseph Farago of the Chicago-based pop project, Joey Nebulous. They discuss his signature falsetto, the move from heavy piano-based singer-songwriter composition to celebratory and silly pop music, the creation of his pandemic album Joey Spumoni Creamy Dreamy Party All The Time​​​​​​​, and his queer songwriting influnces.  "I wanted to go headfirst into the goofiness." - Joseph Farago of Joey Nebulous on the songwriting process for his latest album. Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Ash Dye

James Swanberg is able to do something that so many cannot. He can write songs that are memorable, songs that stick with you and follow you home, songs that you find yourself singing in the shower the next day, songs that are bonafide hits. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

Former international street performer turned emcee, Sonal Aggarwal has brought her talents to Chicago as an actor, comedian, producer and movement artist. Her one woman show The Alchemy of Bliss played for a sold out weekend at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theater and you can see her on Netflix’s Easy as well as the short A Period Piece which debuted at SXSW 2020. She is a regular host of the Moth. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker

Edward Kelsey Moore is the author of two novels, including the New York Times and international bestseller, "The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat." A feature film adaptation of which is currently in post-production at Searchlight Pictures. He has recently completed his third novel. His work has appeared in the New York Times and numerous literary journals and has also been featured on Chicago Public Radio and Minnesota Public Radio. In addition to his writing, Edward maintains a career as a professional cellist. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

Andy Vasoyan is a writer, audio editor/producer, and DJ at CHIRP radio. He grew up in Los Angeles, California, a place with decidedly too many hot people for most people to live there permanently. After he received a highly lucrative MA in journalism from USC, Andy worked as a freelance writer, as well as a producer and Weekend Edition host at an NPR affiliate, until moving to Chicago in 2021. He currently produces The First Time show and edits The First Time podcast, as well as hosting a show on CHIRP, Thursdays at 10. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, Noah Janes, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

This week, DJ Ninja speaks with Kip McCabe, Jay Ryan, and Jason Harvey of legendary Chicago two-bass band Dianogah. They discuss their still-here-ness, how they became a two-bass-and-drums outfit, their favorite collaborators, and their upcoming box set of reissues from Smashed Plastic. "There was a while where we had a motto that was 'nothing is too stupid.' Like, we don't take ourselves too seriously; the song titles are often humorous (to us at least) and I think we've always tried to add a little bit of levity to the music. So I feel like the genres of music that we get lumped in with a lot of times are thought of as being self-serious and emotional or too academic, and I think we've tried to balance that out with making things feel a little lighter and more whimsical." - Jason Harvey Produced by DJ Ninja. Photo Credit: Nathan Keay

This week, Features contributor Matty G speaks with Kristin and Dan Kantor of The Kantors. They discuss the makeup of the band, the project's pandemic roots, and recording their debut EP Our Hearts Revealed at Friends of Friends studio.  "Just be nice, be yourself, and the people that are nice and also being themselves will find you." - Kristin Kantor of The Kantors Listen to The Kantors debut EP Our Hearts Revealed.  Produced by Brian Szpak Photo Credit: Tessa Abedon 

This week, Features contributor Alyssa Edes talks with Katie Colt of goodkitty. They discuss the multi-year process of creating the EP Picture Albums, learning to make art for oneself by trusting "the gut check," and the mom life of making music after 8 p.m.  "To have completed this work, it's like I sent a message to myself which is, you are capable and you have something to contribute... I've given myself a gift and now other people get to open it too." - Katie Colt of goodkitty on the completion of her EP, Picture Albums Singles of Holding on To You, Red, and Sabrina are out now. Picture Albums is out everywhere February 9, 2024. Produced by Alyssa Edes Photo Credit: Stephanie Jensen

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Zach Moore of Honestly Same. They discuss the makeup of the band, their unique and improvisational approach to music making, and the many other projects Honestly Same's members are attached to.  "Making this kind of music I feel is theraputic to me ... Everything in our world is so optimized and prescribed and actually you can just make music very unpreciously. Just trusting yourself and trusting the people you're playing with, not being too caught up in the specifics but rather the space and the time that you're occupying together." - Zach Moore of Honestly Same   Honestly Same's newest album Hot Plate Only, is streaming now on all platforms. Produced by Marjorie Alford. Photo Credit: Honestly Same

This week, Features co-director Jessi D speaks with formerly Chicago-based and now New York-based multidisciplinary artist, Jess Godwin. They discuss the unbreaking of her heart in the creation of her latest visual and music release, dreamer., the genesis of her highly customized body instrument, the Muze, and her varied and vast artistic background. "It feels so great to make something, and give it to myself." - Jess Godwin. Dreamer. is is now available to stream and watch on all platforms, and on Jess's website. Produced by Jessi D. Photo Credit: Ryan Bourque 

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Zach Hjelmstad and Lilly Choi of Chicken Happen. They discuss the roots of the band, finding their groove as a three piece, pushing their own creative limits, and why friendship is important. "We were like why don't we take this opportunity to try something different? Like we've been a band for TEN YEARS! I love the way we do things, we've always had this awesome way of writing music together, but we might as well try something new!"  - Lilly Choi of Chicken Happen on changing things up for their fourth album Chicken Happen IV. Chicken Happen IV is streaming now on all platforms. Catch Chicken Happen December 28th at Liar's Club.  Produced by: Marjorie Alford Photo Credit: Chicken Happen

Kristen Soutakoun spent 4 years as Mulan at Walt Disney World, 3 years as an Entertainment Host for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and 5+ years in therapy to recover from both of those jobs. She has half a million followers on TikTok (@notkahnjunior) because she can find anyone’s birthday on the internet. It’s hard to explain. She promises it’s cool. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

C. Russell Price is originally from Glade Spring, Virginia, but now lives in Chicago. They are a Lambda Fellow in Poetry, a Ragdale Fellow, a Windy City Times 30 Under 30 honoree, an essayist, and a poet. They are the author of a chapbook, Tonight, We Fuck the Trailer Park Out of Each Other (Sibling Rivalry Press) and the full length collection oh, you thought this was a date?!: Apocalypse Poems (Northwestern University Press). Their current projects are Bisquick: Seance Poems and I Don’t Need a Mood Ring; I’ve Got a Face (a memoir). They are on the editorial and curatorial boards for the Ragdale Foundation, Story Studio Chicago, and The Anarchist Review of Books. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Kira Leadholm of Madame Reaper and the Gentlemen's Club. They talk about bringing this unique concept to life, the grant that helped fund the album, rounding out the band - AKA The Gentlmen's Club,  and why Madame Reaper is a sort of "gory robinhood." Madame Reaper's debut album Madame Reaper's Gentlemen's Club is out now.  "I don't really listen to a lot of classical music anymore. But I think there are a lot of things that are just ingrained in me that kind of come up subciounciously. It must be living in my head rent free."  - Kira Leadholm on the ways her classical background seeps into her music.    Produced by: Marjorie Alford Photo Credit: Mo Tuesday

Stirling McLaughlin is an award-winning writer and director. His comedy has been praised as "Impossibly balanced between endearing and horrifying" while his horror writing has been called "super-fun and funny" with "lots of laugh out loud moments." His debut feature COLD WAR was the closing night film at the 22nd LA Comedy Festival and the opening night film of the 2018 Midwest Independent Film Festival. Stirling currently lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and two adorable children. In short, Stirling McLaughlin is a fancy, fancy man. Possibly too fancy. Maybe he should tone it down with the fanciness. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.

Michael A. Van Kerckhove is a native Detroiter and long-time Chicagoan. His writing has appeared in Belt Magazine, Entropy, Freeze Ray Poetry, and March X-ness, among other publications. He has told stories in other fine Chicago storytelling events including Essay Fiesta, I Know this Much is True, Is This a Thing?, Mortified, You're Being Ridiculous, and many more. For that "describe yourself in three fictional characters" game, he's gone with Luke Skywalker, Edward Scissorhands, and Ally McBeal. But would now like to also acknowledge his inner Ted Lasso and Mrs. Maisel. Or maybe he's just sad those shows are over. This too shall...pass. Learn more at MichaelVanKerckhove.com and follow him at @mvankerckhove (Twitter & Instagram) and his neglected TikTok @genxscorpio. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.