For 22 years, Teddy O'Brian's was the down-and-dirty Highwood room where bands hauled in their own PA and the patio packed out on a summer Friday. Ted Banick bought the bar in 1999 and ran it for over two decades — booking Mr. Blotto, watching Bongo's eight-piece own that patio — and on this Hogpod he tells the whole story, right up to the new stage on the west side that's still waiting for a band. Hosts Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos take Ted through the rise and fall of live music on the North Shore: the Highwood festivals that made a bar's whole year, the Wisconsin reggae band Unity that turned a 4/20 into legend, the Umphrey's McGee connection, and a Jimmy Buffett bookend that runs from Ted's first concert at Poplar Creek to Buffett's last show at Alpine Valley. 🎧 All Hogpod AI Albums on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QtmZ... 🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Cold open — live set8:02 How Bongo met Ted at Teddy's9:44 Ted's story: 22 years, bought it in '9910:00 WCBR & Mr. Blotto — earning the music cred16:59 Bongo on the patio: the eight-piece room23:53 The new stage & the room people miss25:30 Highwood festivals: Nashwood, Highwood Days, Pumpkin Fest27:19 Umphrey's McGee (Brendan Bayless)27:38 Unity: the Wisconsin reggae band & the 4/20 sit-in29:21 Running the room: "being open is the gravy"31:14 What changed in 22 years42:23 "Nothing's like the old days"43:26 The biggest night: a Nashwood49:30 Jimmy Buffett: Poplar Creek to Alpine Valley 📍 Highwood - Teddy O'Brian's - Chicago music - North Shore live music - Mr. Blotto - Umphrey's McGee - Unity reggae - Jimmy Buffett - bar ownership - music venues - Bongo Mike ❤️ Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod Hosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike). 📞 Booking — booking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #Highwood #TeddyOBrians #LiveMusic #NorthShore #MusicPodcast

Chicago guitarist and bandleader Dan Peters joins Pete Jansons, Mike "Bongo" Orfanos, and Chris "Rhodesy" Rhodes for a deep dive into the Chicago music scene, the Five Amigos, Shred-abilly, Broadway's Rock of Ages, auditioning for Brian May, playing with Dee Snider, AI music, DJs vs bands, and why everybody suddenly wants earlier shows. Plus: Green Mill swing-era stories, Brian Setzer influence, the changing live-music economy, and Dan's walk-up song "Keep It In The Family" by The West Side Winders. 🎵 "Shred-abilly: The Dan Peters Sessions" — Hogpod AI album inspired by Dan's story drops this week. Spotify link https://open.spotify.com/album/1wRenL0YJNtT0ibAlrIh28?si=UCkXoOokT9-ECzRCnj7Bew 🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Cold open — "Keep It In The Family" (West Side Winders)2:50 Dan joins the guys6:09 Five Amigos origin story11:29 Shred-abilly + Green Mill swing residency12:25 West Side Winders / Brian Setzer / "shredabilly"18:04 The Brian May audition story19:18 We Will Rock You / Power Station audition34:25 "You are not a musician"36:10 "If you can't play without electricity, you're not a musician"41:07 AI music debate — Suno, synthetic vs human creativity45:45 Rock of Ages on Broadway / coming home for Dee Snider46:30 Dee Snider stories47:33 "So that is your real hair"49:24 Cruise-ship gig stories58:14 Dan picks his walk-up song1:05:00 First concert / worst concert stories1:07:42 Goodbyes + "surpassed 40 views" 📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Local Music Scene - Five Amigos - West Side Winders - Shred-abilly - Brian May - Dee Snider - Rock of Ages - Green Mill - AI Music 🎤 Guest Links — Dan PetersWebsite: ShredAbility.comInstagram: @TheShreddabilityYouTube: ShredAbilityFacebook: Dan Peters / Dan Peters Band / Five Amigos 🎸 Catch Dan LiveWed 5/28 — The Broken Oar, Port Barrington IL (7pm)Thu 5/29 — Moretti's, Elgin IL (8pm)Sat 5/30 — Zamboni's, East Dundee IL (7pm) 💗 Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpod Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike), and Chris "Rhodesy" Rhodes. 📞 Booking — booking@hogpod.org #ChicagoMusic #Hogpod #DanPeters #Shredabilly #LocalMusic #ChicagoBands #BrianMay #DeeSnider #Broadway #AIMusic

Jim Pallucci from Anchors Away joins HOG POD: Chicago Music Scene Podcast for a conversation about Yacht Rock, tribute bands, live musicianship, and the Chicago music scene.Jimmy talks about burning out on music at 21, rediscovering music later in life, discovering Yacht Rock Review at Joe’s Live Rosemont, building Anchors Away, hauling Hammond B3 organs in box trucks, and why the band refuses to use tracks or prerecorded music.“What you hear is real music created in real time by real musicians. Every show is live, without a net.”🎵 Listen With My Eyes — Hogpod Album inspired by Jimmy’s story:https://open.spotify.com/album/1qeduC...🎯 KEY MOMENTS0:00 Intro2:11 Meeting Jimmy Pallucci6:42 Burning Out on Music at 2112:55 Rediscovering Music Later in Life18:10 What Yacht Rock Actually Is24:48 Discovering Yacht Rock Review31:22 Building Anchors Away38:05 Tribute Bands and Musicianship45:50 Why Anchors Away Uses No Tracks52:14 Chicago Music Venues and Audiences58:40 The Technical Challenge of Yacht Rock1:05:33 Nostalgia, Harmony, and Live Performance1:11:20 Final Thoughts📍 Upcoming Anchors Away Shows5/23/2026 — Bay Harbor Yacht Club — Bay Harbor, Michigan5/24/2026 — Spring Fling at Ty Warner Park — Westmont5/27/2026 — Navy Pier Private Event — Chicago6/6/2026 — Rockstar Garage — Plainfield6/12/2026 — Palatine Park District — Palatine6/17/2026 — Schaumburg Chamber of Commerce Event6/20/2026 — Saddle Club — Wayne6/27/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge7/10/2026 — The Quarry — Crystal Lake7/17/2026 — Concert on the Green — Mt. Prospect7/25/2026 — Devine Wine Bar Private Party — Villa Park8/7/2026 — Riverside Private Event8/8/2026 — Munson Marine — Fox Lake8/15/2026 — Broken Oar — Port Barrington8/28/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge10/30/2026 — Johnny Cabs Halloween Party — Burr Ridge12/26/2026 — Johnny Cabs — Burr Ridge📍 Chicago - Chicagoland - Yacht Rock - Tribute Bands - Anchors Away - Joe’s Live Rosemont - Soft Rock - West Coast Sound - Doobie Bounce - Live Music🎤 Guest Links — Anchors AwayWebsite: https://www.anchorsawaychicago.com/Booking: jamesap00@aol.comBand Members:Jim Pallucci — Percussion & VocalsJeff Kissel — DrumsJoe Rocha — Bass & VocalsKevin Flanagan — Saxophone, Flute & VocalsRich Fulfs — Guitar & VocalsBrooke Fauver — VocalsPaul Heinz — KeyboardsJimmy O'Connell — Vocals & Guitar💗 Support Hogpod — patreon.com/hogpodHosted by Pete Jansons and Mike "Bongo" Orfanos (Bongo Mike).📞 Want to come on? Booker / club owner / shredder → booking@hogpod.org