Car Con Carne

Thank you for your interest in Car Con Carne! The sign-up form is at the bottom of the page (or just click here). But first, some background and and explanation… Car Con Carne is 100% independently-run, and has been since…

In this episode of Car Con Carne, host James VanOsdol sits down with Ron Onesti of Onesti Entertainment (OShows.com). For decades, Ron has been a fixture of the Chicago-area music scene, booking hundreds of shows a year at the historic…

In this episode of Car Con Carne, James VanOsdol catches up with Ian from Chicago post-rock/metal instrumental powerhouses Coyote Man. Parked outside Noon Whistle Brewery in Naperville where a record and comic book show was coincidentally (?) happening, they dive…

Chris Otepka of Heligoats joins me to talk about Neat New Monuments, a new album reimagining songs from Troubled Hubble’s 20-year-old record, Making Beds in a Burning House. In this interview, Chris breaks down: The origin of Neat New Monuments:…

This episode was recorded in front of Rattleback Records in Andersonville with Naked Brunch lead singer Michael Hanna and Rattleback Records owner Paul Ruffino. Topics discussed: Naked Brunch’s origins via Craigslist and their self-described “slut rock” sound. The band’s recent…

Singer/songwriter Josh Joplin sits down to talk about the silver anniversary of his 2001 album, Useful Music. The silver anniversary finds Josh’s breakthrough pressed onto handsome vinyl alongside the digital release of “Useful Music (The Silver Anniversary Sessions),” a warts-and-all…

Selena Fragassi has built an extensive career in music journalism, writing for publications like the Sun-Times and Spin, and authoring seven music biographies. On this episode, she jumps in the car to discuss her work across multiple platforms. During the…

The last time James checked in with OK Cool, it was during the pandemic, and they were just faces on a screen. Now, they finally meet in vivid 3D at HIDE+SEEK on Randolph Street ahead of the band’s Sunday performance…

Years in the making, Chicago band Action/Adventure joins Car Con Carne ahead of their upcoming performance on the West Stage at the 29th annual Taste of Randolph! Recorded at the wonderful HIDE+SEEK on Randolph, the band talks about their masterful…

From Hide+Seek (838 W. Randolph Street), James VanOsdol sits down with Julie Darling, the President of the West Loop Community Organization. With the 29th annual Taste of Randolph just days away, Julie shares an insider’s look at what it takes…