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 #1,000: The 1,000th episode live from Fitzgerald's!
12/13/2025
Mike Stephen hosts his 1,000th episode of Outside the Loop at Fitzgerald's Nightclub!
Guests include:
-Will Duncan and Jess King, owners of Fitzgerald's
-Dominic Pacyga, professor emeritus of history at Columbia College Chicago and author of Clout City
-Steve Krakow (aka: Plastic Crimewave), local musician and author of The Secret History of Chicago Music
-Holley Brandchaft-White and Genia Yovankin, founders of SHFT Behavioral Health
-Surprise guest: Andy "The Count" Hermann, co-founder and former producer of Outside the Loop and current producer at Nebraska Public Media
Duration:01:29:53
OTL #999: The new editor in chief of the Chicago Reader, How are CPS students doing after they graduate?, New Holiday music from Kevin Brown
12/6/2025
Mike Stephen talks to Sarah Conway, the new editor in chief of the Chicago Reader, about the future of the paper, discusses Chicago Public Schools student educational attainment post-graduation with the To&Through Project director of data and research Alexandra Usher, and gets the lowdown on new Holiday music from local guitarist Kevin Brown.
Duration:00:44:37
OTL #998: Rethinking housing in Chicago and beyond, The Robert Townsend Pop-Up Film Fest, Public transit reliability
11/29/2025
Mike Stephen learns about a new exhibit at the National Public Housing Museum from UIC architecture professor Alexander Eisenschmidt, chats with actor and director Robert Townsend about his upcoming Chicago pop-up film fest, and re-visits a segment on local public transit reliability.
Duration:00:38:24
OTL #997: Local journalism ethics in a time of ICE occupation, New music from These Peaches, The Haitian American Museum of Chicago
11/22/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the role of local journalists during a time of local ICE occupation with McKinley Park News publisher Justin Kerr, gets the lowdown on new music from the local band These Peaches from frontman Rich Klevgard, and learns about the significance of the Haitian American Museum of Chicago from founder and CEO Elsie Hernandez.
AND...come out to Fitzgerald's at 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 p.m. for the Outside the Loop 1,000th episode taping! It's a FREE event, but you need to RSVP using this link.
Duration:00:39:24
OTL #996: Home for the Holidays helps those in need, Indiscipline: The music of King Crimson, The Secret History of Charles E. Gerber
11/15/2025
Mike Stephen learns about a local initiative called Home for the Holidays that helps those less fortunate this Holiday season from founder Chef Ora Thompson, gets a preview of a local King Crimson tribute band show from band leader Eric Butler, and discovers the Secret History of local actor and musician Charles E. Gerber.
AND...come out to Fitzgerald's at 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 p.m. for the Outside the Loop 1,000th episode taping! It's a FREE event, but you need to RSVP using this link.
Duration:00:37:20
OTL #995: Helping local veterans in need, New music from The Gunshy, Chicago is a little less ratty
11/8/2025
Mike Stephen learns about a local nonprofit dedicated to helping veterans during this difficult time called Veterans Assistance Partnership from founder Tatshee Simmons, gets the lowdown on new local music from The Gunshy, and revisits a segment that explores rats in Chicago.
AND...come out to Fitzgerald's at 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 p.m. for the Outside the Loop 1,000th episode taping! It's a FREE event, but you need to RSVP using this link.
Duration:00:36:39
OTL #994: The state of local news, The Secret History of Aura
11/1/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the state of local news in 2025 with Medill professor Tim Franklin and then dives into the Secret History of the 1970s Chicago horn rock band Aura.
AND...come out to Fitzgerald's at 6615 W. Roosevelt Rd. in Berwyn on Saturday, November 22, at 3:00 p.m. for the Outside the Loop 1,000th episode taping! It's a FREE event, but you need to RSVP using this link.
Duration:00:41:00
OTL #993: Curbside compassion with Yo Soy Ella, Takeout 25’s new cookbook, New local music from Terry White
10/25/2025
Mike Stephen visits Yo Soy Ella’s Curbside Compassion van to learn about their therapy services from founder and executive director Sarah Taylor, explores the new Takeout 25 Community Cookbook with founder Ravi Parakkat, and gets the lowdown on new music from local musician Terry White.
Duration:00:41:27
OTL #992: Revisiting Media Burn and the Center For Immigrant Progress, The Secret History of Panicsville
10/19/2025
Mike Stephen rewinds to get the story of Chicago’s Media Burn archive and the Center for Immigrant Progress and then discovers the Secret History of Panicsville. AND we have a special announcement!
Duration:00:39:19
OTL #991: Ending political maps in Illinois?, Fewer wrongful convictions overturned, Share Our Spare helps families
10/11/2025
Mike Stephen learns about the effort to end politically drawn voting maps in Illinois from Chicago Magazine writer Ted McClelland, discusses the slowdown in overturning wrongful convictions in Cook County with Injustice Watch reporter Dan Hinkel, and highlights the important work of Share Our Spare in supporting young children and families with interim executive director Jesseca Rhymes. Also, help out Chicago street vendors!
Duration:00:39:40
OTL #990: Accessory dwelling units are legal (mostly), Federal government funding cuts for CPS, TaskForce celebrates inclusion in the West Side and beyond
10/4/2025
Mike Stephen learns about Chicago’s new ordinance allowing accessory dwelling units in certain areas from Illinois Answers Project reporter Alex Nitkin, discusses the federal funding cuts to Chicago Public Schools with Chalkbeat Chicago bureau chief Becky Vevea, and gets the lowdown on how TaskForce works to promote inclusion on the city’s West Side from communications director Hannah Pewee.
Duration:00:40:44
OTL #989: A Chicago TIF update, New local music with a worldwide influence, Previewing the Black Fine Art Faire
9/27/2025
Mike Stephen gets an update on the latest Chicago TIF numbers from Tom Tresser of the TIF Illumination Project, chats with local musician Carlo Basile about his local music with a worldwide influence, and previews the Back Fine Art Faire with Patricia Andrews-Keenan, founder of Pigment International.
Duration:00:43:07
OTL #988: How the Chicago area gets its news, Exploring the brain science locally, The Secret History of Lani Hall
9/20/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the results of a new report on how Chicago gets its news with Medill professors Tim Franklin and Stephanie Edgerly, gets a preview of some upcoming local events about the brain from Illinois Science Council founder Monica Metzler, and discovers the Secret History of Lani Hall.
Duration:00:43:03
OTL #987: Trying to avoid an Illinois transit fiscal cliff, New “emergency” rules for prison communication
9/13/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the work being done to avoid a transit fiscal cliff in Illinois with state representative Kam Buckner (26th) and John Greenfield, editor of Streetsblog Chicago. Then, John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz discusses new “emergency” rules put in place to regulate communication with those who are incarcerated in state prisons.
Duration:00:42:30
OTL #986: A look into Illinois’ finances, The 100K Project wants you to run for office, The Secret History of Henry Threadgill
9/6/2025
Mike Stephen learns about a new way to explore Illinois finances through the Fiscal Futures data hub with UIC professor David Merriman, gets an update on the 100K Project, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago avant-garde jazz musician Henry Threadgill.
Duration:00:36:08
OTL #985: Chicago’s new public housing museum, The Chicago Immigrant Orchestra’s new music, The Secret History of Nancy Faust
8/30/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the importance of preserving public housing history with Dr. Lisa Yun Lee, the executive director of the National Public Housing Museum, learns about new music from the Chicago Immigrant Orchestra with band co-director Fareed Haque, and discovers the Secret History of local stadium organist Nancy Faust.
Duration:00:42:43
OTL #984: Faulty DUI science, The push to pay student teacher in Illinois
8/23/2025
Mike Stephen chats with Injustice Watch senior investigative reporter Maya Dukmasova about a local lab practicing faulty science that resulted in wrongful DUI convictions and then discusses the push to pay student teachers in Illinois with Percy Julian Middle School teacher Ashley Kannan.
Duration:00:36:40
OTL #983: The future of rent stabilization in Illinois, XL Fest brings Chicago creatives together
8/16/2025
Mike Stephen discusses the push for rent stabilization in Illinois with the Lift the Ban campaign coordinator Diego Morales and then learns about XL Fest, a local festival that brings Chicago creatives together, from Creative Cypher founder Troy Pryor.
Duration:00:35:13
OTL #982: Joy Tea wants to wow Chicagoland, An Illinois civil rights history update, The Secret History of Billy Hinton
8/9/2025
Mike Stephen talks the art of tea with Max Blessen, owner of Chicagoland’s Joy Tea, gets an update on civil rights history in Illinois, and discovers the Secret History of the versatile musician from Chicago Billy Hinton.
Duration:00:38:53
OTL #981: The compact disc isn’t going quietly, Chicago before the Fire
8/2/2025
Mike Stephen talks with Chicago Reader staff writer Leor Galil about the resurgence of the compact disc, then delves into the history of Chicago before the Great Fire of 1871 with Northwestern University economics professor Louis P. Cain, author of the new book Chicago Before the Fire: An Economic History.
Duration:00:39:47