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
OTL #1,027: Certificate of innocence update, New music from Cult Canyon, The new film Ricardo focuses on identity
6/20/2026
Mike Stephen gets an update on the hurdles to obtaining certificates of innocence from Injustice Watch senior reporter Dan Hinkel, checks out new music from Chicago's Cult Canyon with band leader Josh Chicone, and discusses Ricardo, a new film about identity, with writer, director, and actor Roberto Jay.
Duration:00:39:25
OTL #1,026: Riding for America, HelloBaby builds community, Chicago Pride Hockey
6/13/2026
Mike Stephen explores the legacy of one of the most successful sports figures of the 19th century with Nancy Hays, author of Riding for America: The Story of Isaac Murphy, Sports Icon of the 19th Century, gets an update on the community-building work of HelloBaby from founder Debbie Frisch, and spotlights Chicago Pride Hockey.
Duration:00:39:22
OTL #1,025: Eating at every restaurant in the Loop, Challenges for Chicago street vendors, Addressing the affordable housing crisis
6/6/2026
Mike Stephen talks with local food journalist Nick Kindelsperger about his quest to eat at every restaurant in the Loop, learns about the challenges Chicago street vendors face from Maria Orozco, development manager for the Street Vendors Association of Chicago, and discusses an approach to addressing the affordable housing crisis with Illinois Answers Project investigative reporter Alex Nitkin.
Duration:00:45:23
OTL #1,024: Schlitz ends, but Chicago brewing history lives on
5/30/2026
Mike Stephen revisits a few previous segments from the show that explore the relationship between brewing, distilling, bar culture, and Chicago history.
Duration:00:43:33
OTL #1,023: The history of Chicagoland through bricks, The South Side speaks out against a microelectronics park
5/23/2026
Mike Stephen learns how bricks tell the history of Chicagoland with Will Quam, author of the new book Fire and Clay: How Bricks Reveal the Hidden History of Chicago, and then chats with Akele Spencer, a resident of the South Side and member of Southside Together, about his opposition to a new microelectronics park being built in his community.
Duration:00:38:19
OTL #1,022: Can grocery stores survive food assistance cuts?, Timeless Gifts, The Secret History of Luther Johnson
5/16/2026
Mike Stephen discusses the potential impact of food assistance cuts on Illinois grocery stores with Capitol News Illinois reporting intern Jenna Schweikert, learns how the local organization Timeless Gifts brings music education to youth from founder Joan Collaso, and discovers the secret history of local blues guitarist Luther "Guitar Junior" Johnson.
Duration:00:35:32
OTL #1,021: Civic miseducation in CPS, Denying innocence in Cook County
5/9/2026
Mike Stephen explores the controversy of Chicago Public Schools using public money to take students to a protest with Nick Kryczka, assistant professor of secondary education for social studies at the College of Education at National Louis University, and then chats with Injustice Watch senior reporter Dan Hinkel about how difficult it is to clear a wrongful conviction in Cook County.
Duration:00:37:47
OTL #1,020: Inside the shop of Mach Machines Music, A local hero in the Ukraine war, The Secret History of Vince Black
5/2/2026
Mike Stephen visits the shop of Mach Machines Musical Instruments in Oak Park and talks to owner Dave Showalter, chats with Rima Ziuraitis, a Naperville woman who volunteered in the Ukraine War, and discovers the Secret History of guitarist Vince Black.
Duration:00:43:45
OTL #1,019: Using AI to help local restaurants, Goatstock, New music from Todd Kessler
4/25/2026
Mike Stephen talks to Takeout 25 founder Ravi Parakkat about 20fy.ai, an artificial intelligence system that is being used to help local restaurants, gets a preview of Goatstock in Norridge with Music Graphics Chicago co-owners Deb Sonzo and Jamie Riani, and chats with Chicagoan Todd Kessler about his new music.
Duration:00:39:02
OTL #1,018: The next generation of journalists, The Secret History of Eddie Condon
4/18/2026
Mike Stephen visits the Northern Illinois Scholastic Press Association conference to discuss the future of journalism with Prospect High School teacher Jason Block and Prospect seniors Tessa Trylovich and Stella Palm and then discovers the Secret History of jazz guitarist Eddie Condon.
Duration:00:42:07
OTL #1,017: Legal aid through our libraries, Debating public money for private schools, Leaders in Transformational Education
4/11/2026
Mike Stephen chats with Roya Samarghandi, chief advocacy and innovation officer at The Chicago Bar Foundation, about a new program that allows residents to get legal aid at their local library, explores the ongoing debate around public money for private schools with Chalkbeat Chicago's Reema Amin, and gets the lowdown on a local organization that helps youth enter the workforce called Leaders in Transformational Education from CEO Candace Thier.
Duration:00:39:18
OTL #1,016: Revisiting Chicago Voyagers, Sam Robinson's new music, The Secret History of Anne Hills
4/4/2026
Mike Stephen revisits a segment from 2018 about Chicago Voyagers, learns about local trumpeter Sam Robinson's new music, and discovers the Secret History of folk singer Anne Hills.
Duration:00:37:20
OTL #1,015: New ownership of The Hideout, New Sound Cafe opens in Austin, The Chicago Soul Jazz Collective
3/28/2026
Mike Stephen chats with Teri O'Brien, the new owner of The Hideout, visits Andrew and Hannah Follett, the owners of New Sound Cafe in the Austin neighborhood, and talks to saxophonist John Fournier about the new album from the Chicago Soul Jazz Collective.
Duration:00:38:37
OTL #1,014: Peer support in prisons, New music from The Meadowlark Lemons, EdiblEats
3/21/2026
Mike Stephen discusses the success of peer support programs in prisons with John Howard Association executive director Jennifer Vollen-Katz, chats with local musician Chris Neville about new music from Chicago's Meadowlark Lemons, and talks to Darryl Manuel, the director, and Phil Lee, producer, of the film EdiblEats.
Duration:00:41:04
OTL #1,013: The next generation of engineers, Revisiting The Levee, The Secret History of Ed Wilkerson
3/14/2026
Mike Stephen learns about inspiring the next generation of civil engineers from Pinpoint Scholars Foundation founder & president Michael Bempah, replays his visit to The Levee bar in the Hermosa neighborhood, and discovers the Secret History of local saxman Ed Wilkerson Jr.
Duration:00:40:52
OTL #1,012: Illinois' population struggles, Project I Am, Rap J's story
3/7/2026
Mike Stephen discusses the issue of Illinois' struggling population numbers with Chicago Magazine writer Ted McClelland, learns about the local organization called Project I Am from its founder Jahkil Jackson, and then talks to Milwaukee rapper Rap J about his life story and upcoming Chicago performance.
Duration:00:38:01
OTL #1,011: Civics and a new Bears stadium, A veena virtuoso, The Secret History of The Dells
2/28/2026
Mike Stephen discusses the civic implications of a new Bears stadium with civic educator and author Tom Tresser, previews a local world music performance from veena virtuoso Sara Ranganathan, and discovers the Secret History of Chicago's The Dells.
Duration:00:45:07
OTL #1,010: Check your judges in 2026, My Sweet George tribute show
2/21/2026
Mike Stephen discusses the Injustice Watch 2026 Judicial Primary Election Guide with senior reporter Dan Hinkel and then previews a George Harrison tribute show featuring a wonderful lineup of talented local musicians with Ellis Clark, the lead singer of the band The Social Act.
Duration:00:32:53
OTL #1,009: Intonation Music, A new chapter for the Westside NAACP, The Secret History of Elsa Harris and Duke Tumatoe
2/14/2026
Mike Stephen learns about the work of Intonation Music on the South Side of Chicago from executive director Tonya Howell, chats with Remel Terry, the new president of the Westside branch of the NAACP, and discovers the Secret History of Elsa Harris and Duke Tumatoe.
Duration:00:42:04
OTL #1,008: The history of Chicago dining, A new show from the Sideshow Villains, A Boy and His Dream
2/7/2026
Mike Stephen talks to food journalist Mike Gebert about his new book that chronicles the history of Chicago dining, previews a Valentine's Day show from the Sideshow Villains with band leader Dante Ingram, and discusses the work of the local nonprofit A Boy and His Dream with founder Sunny Akhigbe.
Duration:00:45:38