What happens when a Chicago singer takes Ratt’s “Round and Round” and drops Katy Perry’s “Last Friday Night” right on top of it? The guys cheer, their faces fall, the girlfriends rush the stage, and by the chorus the whole room is back.Casey Torrey fronts Remix Riot, a Chicagoland festival band that mashes rock and metal anthems with pop hits. Think “Smoke on the Water” under Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face.” She also sings in Acousticatz, her duo with pianist and guitarist Eric Floden.Casey tells Pete and Bongo Mike about the mashup she “hated and loved at the same time,” how Remix Riot came together with Dan Banker, Larry Neubauer, TJ Wilkes and Randy, why music purists don’t always love the mashup idea, and how she went from Tennessee church soloist to Monster Jam regular to one of the busiest voices in the Chicago scene.Plus: the Coterie charity shows, a Slayer tribute that sounded like one very long song, Dolly Parton’s time-capsule song, Prince’s vault, Def Leppard in the round, Lord of the Rings in Legos, Steven Tyler’s lyric monitors, and the Pop-Tarts question.🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 The mashup she hated and loved02:03 Remix Riot live mashups05:20 Meet Casey Torrey06:00 The Coterie & Mike Dermont08:35 Acousticatz with Eric Floden09:17 What is Remix Riot? Smoke on the Water + Poker Face10:43 From Blue Sirens to Acousticatz11:54 Bongo’s tambourine gets confiscated13:16 Why Chicago musicians support each other15:33 How Casey caught the music bug16:18 Monster Jam & her first band, Pet Rock18:03 Dolly Parton’s time-capsule song19:36 Prince’s vault21:24 Gatlinburg, stick shifts & Chicago people23:38 COVID collabs & Amy Grant24:34 Johnny Cash, the Man in Black25:18 How Remix Riot was born27:28 How they pick the mashups28:45 Devil Went Down to Georgia + Summer of ‘6930:04 Ratt meets Katy Perry at the Vixen32:04 A rocked-up “Royals” & the guitar-solo payoff33:26 Run-DMC, Aerosmith & “Walk This Way”36:15 Purists vs. mashups37:19 “Is this the same song?” A Slayer tribute38:04 Sampling & borrowing chords39:28 “When I sing, I make people happy”40:37 Cover bands complaining about covers42:06 Broken Peach & being first44:36 Congrats on the engagement45:52 De Beers, Blood Diamond & a lab-grown ring47:35 Bongo’s serious questions47:59 First concert: Def Leppard in the round51:00 Worst concert & Pete’s Aerosmith ‘8453:51 Favorite movie: Lord of the Rings in Legos56:57 Pop-Tarts: love ’em or hate ’em?58:05 Steven Tyler’s lyric monitors1:00:30 Where to see Casey next📍 TOPICS IN THIS EPISODECasey Torrey – Remix Riot – Acousticatz – rock pop mashups – Chicago music – Chicagoland music scene – live music – cover bands – the Coterie – Def Leppard – Ratt – Katy Perry – Aerosmith – Run-DMC – Dolly Parton – Lord of the Rings🎤 FEATURED LINKSRemix Riothttps://remixriotband.comhttps://www.facebook.com/remixriothttps://www.instagram.com/remixriotmusichttps://www.youtube.com/@RemixRiotBandhttps://www.tiktok.com/@remix.riotAcousticatzhttps://www.facebook.com/purrcatzNext up: Acousticatz, Fri Oct 9 at Reefpoint Brew House, Racine WIRemix Riot returns for the 2027 festival season❤️ SUPPORT HOGPODhttps://www.patreon.com/hogpod🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Bongo Mike📞 BOOKINGbooking@hogpod.org#Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #CaseyTorrey #RemixRiot #Acousticatz #Mashup #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic

What makes a mosh pit one of the friendliest rooms in music? Elise McLearen says metalheads are all show on the outside and soft at heart underneath — the same crowd that runs full speed into each other will drop everything to pick you up off the floor.Elise joins Hogpod with fellow Diva Lisa Orduna and guitarist and scene-supporter Adam of Lombardy Black to talk about the Ronnie James Divas: an all-women Dio, Rainbow and Black Sabbath benefit raising money for kids’ cancer care at Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital.We get into why Lisa’s connection to this one runs deep, the Dio deep cuts nobody ever plays live, Elise’s signature “helicopter” headbang, and how a rock star by night runs a corporate brain by day. Then Bongo Mike opens the floor: when a band has zero original members left, is it still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen and Chris Cornell all come up — and it turns into the best argument of the night.Plus the next benefit already on the calendar — Bark at the Moon, a Halloween show for a no-kill animal shelter — and, of course, a heated verdict on the Pop-Tart.KEY MOMENTS(Times are close but confirm against the final MP4.)00:00 Metalheads are soft at heart02:29 Meet Adam & Lombardy Black05:25 Who is Elise? Sabbatha, My Metal Heart & the Ronnie James Diva origin09:00 The Divas & the band behind them12:00 Raffle prize: a signed Vinny Appice “Heaven & Hell” package16:00 Dio deep cuts nobody plays19:30 The helicopter headbang22:00 Inside the mosh pit28:30 “Kill the King” is 235 BPM31:30 Rock star on stage, corporate brain by day38:00 Bark at the Moon: the Halloween animal-shelter benefit40:00 Branding the benefits: ALS Cooper & what’s next46:00 Lisa: why this one is personal48:00 What hard rockers actually wear50:00 When is a band still the band? Foreigner, Kansas, Queen53:00 The Pop-Tart questionTOPICS IN THIS EPISODEElise McLearen – Ronnie James Divas – Lisa Orduna – Lombardy Black – Dio – Black Sabbath – Rainbow – Lurie Children’s Hospital – Childhood Cancer Awareness – Chicagoland music scene – heavy metal – mosh pit – Bark at the Moon – One Tail at a Time – tribute bands – Foreigner – Kansas – QueenFEATURED LINKSElise McLearenhttps://elisemclearen.comBark at the Moon Benefit (Oct 31)https://elisemclearen.com/batmRonnie James Divashttps://elisemclearen.com/ronnie-jame…Lombardy Black  / lombardyblack  Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospitalhttps://luriechildrens.orgOne Tail at a Timehttps://onetail.orgSUPPORT HOGPOD  / hogpod  Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike “Bongo” OrfanosBOOKINGbooking@hogpod.org#Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #ChicagolandMusic #RonnieJamesDivas #Dio #BlackSabbath #HeavyMetal #EliseMcLearen #LurieChildrens

Can a Joliet museum really move Illinois’ Rock & Roll Hall of Fame into a downtown Chicago theater — and pull it off? Ron Romero — Founder, CEO & Board Chairman of the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66 — is back on Hogpod with Rob Stepen to break the news: for the first time, the Illinois Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction leaves the Joliet Rialto for the Harris Theater in downtown Chicago on Sunday, September 27. Bob Sirott hosts a Class of 2026 that runs from Curtis Mayfield and Kevin Cronin to Terri Hemmert, WDRV/The Drive and Brunswick Records — with a special performance from Jim Peterik. We get into rebuilding after the 2024 Joliet storm, the relight of Gigantar (the 24-foot Route 66 guitar) the night before, Ron’s Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band, the new Amplify Illinois program, and the deep-cut history behind American Breed. And mid-show, Chicago music-media legend JVO (James VanOsdol) crashes the room — turns out he was the guy at the door. If you love rock & roll, Chicago music history, Route 66, or the stories behind the artists who built the scene, this one’s for you. ▶️ Watch the full episode: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19PYN6uXyC/ 🎟️ GET TICKETS — Illinois Rock & Roll HOF Induction · Sun Sept 27 · Harris Theater, ChicagoOpen Seating $75 · VIP Meet & Greet $75 (pre-show with Kevin Cronin, Jim Peterik & The Plain White T’s — extremely limited)Buy: https://my.harristheaterchicago.org/11006/11026Event details: https://roadtorock.org/event/2026-hall-of-fame-induction-ceremony/ 🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 JVO crashes the show — the guy at the door02:49 Terry Hemmert, XRT & the “way-back machine”04:30 How Ron landed Bob Sirott as MC06:27 Coco Taylor, the Cubby Bear & committing Hogpod to Sept 2707:36 The rider — malort, gyros & two cans of Pringles08:39 Inside the Harris Theater — “acoustically perfect”09:34 “The secret is a much bigger budget” — Rialto vs. the new house10:34 The sponsors — and how to become one14:22 Gigantar spoiler — relighting the 24-foot Route 66 guitar (Sat 9/26)15:42 Rebuilding after the July 2024 Joliet storm16:51 Ron’s band — Eagles tribute + Hall of Fame house band17:26 American Breed’s hidden history — Gary Loizo & Pumpkin Studios19:46 Amplify Illinois — recognizing regional & local bands20:28 The Generations lineup + upcoming shows24:38 Museum membership & the NARM pass — 1,800 museums29:17 Rob’s 6th-time “Too Sixxy” robe30:17 “The biggest handmade guitar in the world” 🎸 FEATURED LINKSIllinois Rock & Roll Museum — https://roadtorock.org/Insperity — https://www.insperity.com/The Generations — https://www.thegenerationsmusic.com/ ❤️ Support Hogpod on Patreon/ hogpod 🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons & Mike “Bongo” Orfanos🎤 Guest: Ron Romero, with Rob Stepen — plus a surprise drop-in from JVO (James VanOsdol) 📧 Booking — booking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #IllinoisRockAndRollMuseum #Route66 #ChicagoMusic #MusicHistory #Joliet #RockAndRoll #RonRomero #JVO #HallOfFame #Podcast

What happens when the powerhouse voice fronting three Chicago bands turns out to spend her days as a senior HR executive? Tamara Woodruff is back on Hogpod — and this time the biggest surprise isn’t a song. She fronts Pacific Sound Company (a West Coast tribute running LA to Seattle), sings lead in the country band Wildfire, and runs an acoustic duo on the side. By day? Thirty years in human resources, a master’s in the field, a senior HR business partner at a 900-person global firm. “People look at me funny when I say I’m in HR,” she says. Music is the alter ego. With Pete Jansons and Mike “Bongo” Orfanos, Tamara traces how her Linda Ronstadt tribute Blue Bayou grew into Pacific Sound Company — three lead singers, four-part harmonies, and a songbook running from Fleetwood Mac and Journey to Heart and Santana. She digs into the craft, too: the terror of a silent concert hall versus a loud bar, building a 40-song set in a spreadsheet, why some legacy bands should’ve hung it up, and the West Coast sound nobody else in the room is covering. Plus: Pacific Sound Company presents Blue Bayou — an all-Linda Ronstadt night — Thursday, September 11 at The Venue in Aurora. 🎯 KEY MOMENTS00:00 Cold open + intro03:22 Tamara’s back: the Wisconsin ranch gig & 40-song spreadsheet09:25 Summer gigs and sweaty stages10:19 Empress wraps after four and a half years11:05 Alex James joins — first lead: Hendrix’s “Fire”14:18 Blue Bayou becomes Pacific Sound Company (LA to Seattle)16:20 “We don’t need another Journey cover band”19:49 Building the four-part harmonies21:54 Wildfire — joining an established country band23:07 Opening for Corey Farley at Nico’s26:06 Headlining the Vixen + a three-show weekend31:15 Full-time job by day, gigs by night35:49 Wait — she’s a 30-year HR pro?38:41 Inside a 900-person global HR role39:09 Her music alter ego40:47 Harassment training & workplace culture44:28 The Goat Village co-bill with the Mosquitoes45:20 Blue Bayou returns: all-Linda night in Aurora (9/11)47:49 The Raue and the art of the concert hall48:37 Why silence is scarier than a loud bar55:38 Linda Ronstadt’s illness57:01 Should legacy bands hang it up?1:03:41 Worst concert ever: Aerosmith at Poplar Creek1:07:00 The night the car went in the pond 📍 TOPICS IN THIS EPISODETamara Woodruff – Pacific Sound Company – Blue Bayou – Wildfire – Chicago music – Chicagoland music scene – live music – cover bands – tribute bands – West Coast tribute – Linda Ronstadt – four-part harmony – concert halls – Fleetwood Mac – Journey – Heart 🎤 FEATURED LINKSBlue Bayou (Linda Ronstadt tribute)https://bluebayoutribute.com/ Tamara Woodruff  / tamarawoodruffmusic   ❤️ SUPPORT HOGPOD  / hogpod   🎙️ Hosted by Pete Jansons with Mike “Bongo” Orfanos 📞 BOOKINGbooking@hogpod.org #Hogpod #ChicagoPodcast #MusicPodcast #TamaraWoodruff #PacificSoundCompany #BlueBayou #Wildfire #ChicagoMusic #ChicagolandMusic #LiveMusic #TributeBand #LindaRonstadt