Posted in Authors Chicago Episodes hot dog joints

‘Hey, you jagoff!’ We speak Chicagoese with author Dennis Foley (Episode 81)

This may be the most “Chicago” podcast episode I’ve ever produced. My guest this week is author Dennis Foley (The Streets and San Man’s Guide to Chicago Eats, We Speak Chicagoese). We meet at Byron’s Hot Dogs at 1017 W….

Posted in Chicago Episodes Music guests Taco Tuesday tacos

‘We have real blood at our show’ – Taco Tuesday with the Noise FM (Episode 80)

This week, it’s a “Taco Tuesday” recording at Masa Azul (2901 W Diversey Ave) with Austin and Alex from Chicago band The Noise FM. What does the band sound like? “Beat-driven indie rock: We’re not rewriting the playbook here.” We…

Posted in Chicago Episodes fast food Northwest Side Yak Channel

Whopperito night: ‘I want to talk to you about your medical condition, but I want to do that after we eat’ (Episode 77)

Burger King unveiled it’s Whopperito (a Whopper made like a burrito) on August 15th, and I decided to try it during BK’s launch week. Fast food’s never been a Car Con Carne “thing,” but sometimes I have to point the…

Posted in burger joints Car Con Carne TV Chicago Episodes TV

Local H: As Good As Fed (Car Con Carne TV Pilot) (Episode 72)

BREAKING: A Car Con Carne TV pilot is being worked on as you’re reading this. Scott Lucas of super-huge Chicago band Local H joined me for the pilot’s first shoot, at BRGRBELLY in Portage Park (truly one of Chicago’s best…

Posted in Chicago Comedians Episodes Music guests Yak Channel

Guest-a-palooza at the Taste of Chicago -or- ‘My life is a week-long burgerfest’ (Episode 71)

Car Con Carne kicked off the live events in the Taste of Chicago’s “Food for Thought” podcast pavilion this year, and a bunch of guests were there to make sure it was a ridiculously fun time. The first half of…

Posted in Chicago Encased Meats Episodes hot dog joints Media guests

How a video went viral: Sherman from 101 WKQX sits shotgun (Episode 64)

Mere hours after colleague Sherman (101 WKQX) posted a video of the Goodman Theatre sign in flames that went viral, he sat shotgun for Car Con Carne. This episode finds us at Susie’s Drive-Thru at 4126 W. Montrose. The show…

Posted in Chicago Episodes Music guests Skokie

‘Our band van is horrific’: Tour stories and music chat with Sean Lenart of Victorian Halls (Episode 63)

What do you do when your band guest is vegetarian? Feed him falafel. Sean Lenart, frontman of Victorian Halls joined me in Skokie for a conversation over Middle Eastern food at Pita Inn. We talked about the band’s long history,…

Posted in Authors Bridgeport Chicago Episodes Italian Beef Music guests South side

From playing with Johnny Rotten and Killing Joke to eating Italian beef in a Mazda: Martin Atkins (Episode 52)

Martin Atkins played with Johnny Rotten/Lydon in Public Image, Ltd. He was a member of Killing Joke. He created the industrial rock supergroup Pigface (now celebrating its 25-year anniversary). He’s played with Nine Inch Nails and Ministry. He’s written indispensable…

Posted in Chicago Episodes Live performances Mexican food Music guests

Toronzo Cannon brings the blues to the backseat (Episode 47)

Chicago bluesman Toronzo Cannon jumps in the backseat just as his Alligator Records debut, “The Chicago Way” is about to drop. He brings his resonator guitar along to play stunning acoustic versions of “Walk It Off,” “Pain Around Me” and…

Posted in Chicago Comedians Episodes Lincoln Park Mexican food

Comedian Paul Farahvar eats burritos, discovers flight attendant party (Episode 42)

“What goes on here? This is like a boarding school.” This week’s episode finds James and comedian Paul Faravhar sitting a few doors down from Allende, a dive-y burrito place in Chicago’s Lincoln Park. As they sit and talk about…