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

One week before their first show, the founder of a Chicago Oasis tribute band posted an ad looking for a new singer and bass player.The band saw it.They fired him.Then they played the show without him.—James Bruebach joins Hogpod to talk about Matchbox 90s, Wonderwall, Chicago tribute bands, trying to “make it” in music, and why losing his brother changed the way he approaches life forever.Topics include:• The Pandora Method• Why tribute bands get booked• “The easier phone call” theory• Nashville vs TikTok• Why consistency beats polish online• COVID killing bands overnight• The Godsmack audition story• Petra at the Odeum—🎵 “Life Is Short” — the Hogpod album inspired by this episode:https://open.spotify.com/album/3CETxw...—⏱ CHAPTERS0:00 Cold open — Matchbox 20 covers7:09 Broken Oar flooding13:26 COVID kills the band22:13 “Post that content”27:32 “Life is short”29:00 How Matchbox 90s started34:33 The Pandora Method39:56 The firing45:53 Wonderwall is born53:04 Petra at the Odeum55:42 Pop-Tarts—Hosted by Pete Jansons, Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, and Chris “Rhodesy” Rhodes.