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CHIRP Podcasts
Artist Interviews Chicken Happen Interview
This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Zach Hjelmstad and Lilly Choi of Chicken Happen. They discuss the roots of the band, finding their groove as a three piece, pushing their own creative limits, and why friendship is important.
"We were like why don't we take this opportunity to try something different? Like we've been a band for TEN YEARS! I love the way we do things, we've always had this awesome way of writing music together, but we might as well try something new!" - Lilly Choi of Chicken Happen on changing things up for their fourth album Chicken Happen IV.
Chicken Happen IV is streaming now on all platforms.
Catch Chicken Happen December 28th at Liar's Club.
Produced by: Marjorie Alford
Photo Credit: Chicken Happen
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First Time: First Pass - Kristen Soutakoun
Kristen Soutakoun spent 4 years as Mulan at Walt Disney World, 3 years as an Entertainment Host for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, and 5+ years in therapy to recover from both of those jobs.
She has half a million followers on TikTok (@notkahnjunior) because she can find anyone’s birthday on the internet. It’s hard to explain. She promises it’s cool.
The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.
The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.
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First Time: First Pass - C. Russell Price
C. Russell Price is originally from Glade Spring, Virginia, but now lives in Chicago. They are a Lambda Fellow in Poetry, a Ragdale Fellow, a Windy City Times 30 Under 30 honoree, an essayist, and a poet.
They are the author of a chapbook, Tonight, We Fuck the Trailer Park Out of Each Other (Sibling Rivalry Press) and the full length collection oh, you thought this was a date?!: Apocalypse Poems (Northwestern University Press). Their current projects are Bisquick: Seance Poems and I Don’t Need a Mood Ring; I’ve Got a Face (a memoir).
They are on the editorial and curatorial boards for the Ragdale Foundation, Story Studio Chicago, and The Anarchist Review of Books.
The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.
The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.
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Artist Interviews Madame Reaper Interview
This week, Features co-director Marjorie Alford speaks with Kira Leadholm of Madame Reaper and the Gentlemen's Club. They talk about bringing this unique concept to life, the grant that helped fund the album, rounding out the band - AKA The Gentlmen's Club, and why Madame Reaper is a sort of "gory robinhood." Madame Reaper's debut album Madame Reaper's Gentlemen's Club is out now.
"I don't really listen to a lot of classical music anymore. But I think there are a lot of things that are just ingrained in me that kind of come up subciounciously. It must be living in my head rent free." - Kira Leadholm on the ways her classical background seeps into her music.
Produced by: Marjorie Alford
Photo Credit: Mo Tuesday
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First Time: First Pass - Stirling McLaughlin
Stirling McLaughlin is an award-winning writer and director. His comedy has been praised as "Impossibly balanced between endearing and horrifying" while his horror writing has been called "super-fun and funny" with "lots of laugh out loud moments." His debut feature COLD WAR was the closing night film at the 22nd LA Comedy Festival and the opening night film of the 2018 Midwest Independent Film Festival.
Stirling currently lives in Evanston, IL with his wife and two adorable children. In short, Stirling McLaughlin is a fancy, fancy man. Possibly too fancy. Maybe he should tone it down with the fanciness.
The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs in Chicago's North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by any cover of the storyteller's choosing, performed by our house band, The First Time Three.
The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Produced by Bobby Evers, Andy Vasoyan, and Julie Mueller. Podcast produced by Andy Vasoyan. Recorded by Tony Baker.
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