Barroom talk with a civic backbone.
The gist
Bar Crawl Radio records searching conversations with writers, veterans, advocates, artists, and peace workers, often from Upper West Side bars. Its tone is candid and politically alert, moving from baseball fiction to military trauma without sanding down the stakes.
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About Bar Crawl Radio
Bar Crawl Radio is a conversation show with a strong sense of place and a sharper-than-usual civic conscience. Its episodes often feel like serious interviews conducted after the room has relaxed enough for people to speak plainly. Installments move across antiwar politics, veterans' testimony, Palestine, Catholic Worker peace activism, military spending, mountaineering, gender-based violence, transgender girl athletes, baseball fiction, and American hero worship. The show is comfortable with moral discomfort. It asks what the U.S. military is for, what it does to the people sent into war, and how public myths protect institutions from scrutiny. It also makes room for art. A conversation about The Big Breeze becomes a meditation on pitching, injury, revenge, fame, and the spiritual pressure of competition. Anjali Mehta's episodes connect high-altitude climbing with survivor advocacy and the stories carried by women across borders and institutions. The political interviews can be blunt. They are also personal, with family history, neighborhood bars, music, and remembered encounters shaping the frame around public questions. The show does not chase tidy neutrality. It favors guests who are trying to name harm, resist militarism, or turn creative work into service. That gives Bar Crawl Radio an unusual range: a local barroom program that can move from martini-distance banter to testimony about war crimes, from a poem about mountains to a debate over socialism and political fear. Its best moments come when informal hospitality meets hard ethical inquiry. The atmosphere is conversational, but the subjects are rarely casual.
Made for: For listeners who like long-form interviews with activists, artists, writers, veterans, and community-minded guests. It suits people drawn to antiwar politics, local public life, moral argument, and culture treated as part of civic work.
What sets it apart: Bar Crawl Radio stands apart by keeping difficult public questions inside an intimate, neighborhood-bar frame. The show lets personal biography, political critique, music, literature, and activism sit together instead of separating them into tidy lanes.
In their own words
Did you ever have a really interesting conversation at a bar -- sharing ideas over a couple of martinis -- and wish you could've bottled it? That's Bar Crawl Radio. Rebecca McKean and Alan Winson invite amazing people to bars all over the word -- make a toast -- and then talk about about whatever inspires them -- makes their lives worth living. We talk to all sorts of interesting people doing important work for their community at a neighborhood bar -- composers -- actors -- musicians -- medical ethicists and practitioners -- playwrights & poets -- journalists -- politicians -- social activists -- community organizers & NGOs -- scientists -- brewers & mead makers -- businesspersons -- and fel…
As heard by us
Based on 6 episodes we listened to · September 2026
Bar Crawl Radio connects candid guest testimony to questions of military power, rural life, public spending and civic responsibility.
Alan Winson and Rebecca McCain build Bar Crawl Radio around searching conversations, usually with a guest and often from a neighborhood bar. Their political interviews favor first-hand experience over brisk headline summaries, with direct questions about how military culture,…
Why you'd press play
Barstool chats take you from combat trauma to okra without sanding off the politics.
Press play if you want
- Alan Winson and Rebecca McKean to ask veterans what military service did to their bodies and beliefs
- your antiwar politics tested against firsthand testimony, budgets, and uncomfortable history
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Episodes
- 1
Ought to Give Iowa a Try: Hot Air Brewing
·52m - 2
Nature of the U.S. Military: Matthew Hoh
·1h 1m - 3
Steven Fechter: "The Big Breeze"
·48m - 4
Choosing Humanism Over War
·46m - 5
3 Witness Palestine Christians
·56m - 6
William Hartung: Stand-Up & U.S. Military War Machine
·50m - 7
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 1: Burying Gaza Babies
·25m - 8
Jody Sperling & Kaoru Watanabe @ WSCG
·46m - 9
Ellen Jovin: "Rebel with a Clause"
·49m - 10
Anjali Mehta: Conquering the 7 Summits & Gender-Based Violence. Pt 2
·33m - 11
Anjali Mehta: Conquering the 7 Summits & Gender-Based Violence - Part 1
·32m - 12
Zuccotti Park Redux?
·43m - 13
Theatre Critics -- David Cote & Zoe Kaplan
·52m - 14
Story of the Amsterdam Hostel: Institutional Dignity
·41m - 15
Stop the Chop: The beat goes on -- w/Melissa Elstein & Ken Coughlin
·41m - 16
Fasting for Gazans: Kathy Kelly's "Other Lands Have Dreams -- Day 33
·36m - 17
Fasting for Gazans: Kathy Kelly / How bad is it? -- Day 26
·22m - 18
Scott Munson Jazz Quintet @ the West Side Community Garden / June 2024
·52m - 19
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Joy Metzler -- Day 23
·34m - 20
Fasting for Gazans -- Kathy Kelly / Madleen Peace Boat -- Day 19
·20m - 21
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Brian Terrell -- Day 16
·34m - 22
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Global Solidarity for Peace in Palestine -- Day 12
·24m - 23
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Mike Ferner -- Day 9
·18m - 24
Fasting for GAZANS -- Kathy Kelly -- Day 6
·21m - 25
Fasting for GAZANS -- Kathy Kelly -- Day 1
·11m - 26
NYC Sleep Doctor -- Dr. Janet Kennedy
·55m - 27
Gabriel & Diana Guillen at the West Side Community Garden
·10m - 28
Cellist Joseph Darcourt @ West Side Community Garden - May 2025
·25m - 29
Helping UWS Migrant Neighbors
·43m - 30
Talking About THE AMERICAN-pt.4: Dear on Merton on Violence
·1h 2m - 31
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 3: How'd we do w/AIDS?
·28m - 32
From Conflict to Collaboration with Rob Fersh
·1h 2m - 33
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 2: Brad Wolf on Philip Berrigan
·1h 1m - 34
La Manga @ West Side Community Garden - Full Concert - June 2024
·1h 3m - 35
Church of Stop Shopping with Rev Billy
·56m - 36
Composer's Concordance: Contemporary Music Explosion
·57m - 37
Nature of the U.S. Military: Carl Dix
·57m - 38
26th Kateri Peace Conference: A Panel on War.
·1h 2m - 39
Melissa Bramble on the St. Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site
·23m - 40
Eli Northrup: Future of Politics and Justice
·1h 2m - 41
Harris OR Trump? Report from Mexico & Scotland
·56m - 42
Walk Thru Maloy Iowa with Brian Terrell
·43m - 43
History of the West Side Community Garden
·29m - 44
David Andersson of Pressenza @ the WSCG
·43m - 45
Walking for Peace in Inwood Park
·29m - 46
Chance & Choice @ the West Side Community Garden
·42m - 47
Kumara @the West Side Community Garden Concert
·1h 5m - 48
Stop the Chop & Kumara @ WSCG
·45m - 49
"The Keeper": Film about suicide in the U.S. military
·46m - 50
Kaoru Watanabe @ West Side Community Garden
·1h 6m - 51
Love Your Street Tree Day -- Spring, 2024
·48m - 52
"I Am Gitmo": A conversation with film director Philippe Diaz
·44m - 53
Voices of the "Sacred Peace Walk" 2024
·1h 7m - 54
We Are Guantánamo: U.S. Courts are Surreal w/Gabor Rona
·35m - 55
We Are Guantánamo: 7 Voices
·43m - 56
Libraries/Radically Open Spaces: Emily Drabinski & Lauren Comito
·54m - 57
Two Jewish Israelis
·1h 5m - 58
Poverty & American Justice
·1h 4m - 59
UWSers Helping Prisoners of Conscience
·51m - 60
I want to say Kaddish.
·20m - 61
Human Rights Reloaded
·57m - 62
AI & Human Health
·1h - 63
Anti-Nuclear Gadflies: Martha Hennessy & Brian Terrell
·1h - 64
Sustainable Banking: Amalgamated Bank & Ivan Frishberg
·39m - 65
Three Women Composers
·52m - 66
Eleanor Roosevelt's Trip to the Pacific War
·46m - 67
NYC's Natural Waters
·45m - 68
25th Kateri Peace Conference
·1h 4m - 69
Drag On! Art and Politics
·50m - 70
Forgetting Horror: 78 Years After Hiroshima & Nagasaki
·33m - 71
Alice Slater: Ridding the World of Nuclear Weapons
·35m - 72
Mozayik @WSCG
·38m - 73
Gale Brewer & Cal Snyder / Brooklyn Cumaná @ WSCG
·56m - 74
Stop the Chop & Geoff Burke's Jazz/HipHop @ WSCG
·47m - 75
Golden Rule Sails Against Nuclear War
·28m - 76
EXTRA: Interview with Lew Tabackin
·1h - 77
MicroAid's John Ross at WSCG Summer Concert & Lew Tabackin Jazz Trio
·39m - 78
The Pain of Suicide: A Global Epidemic
·1h 1m - 79
Desert Walk #8: The White Line
·34m - 80
Desert Walk #7: Walk to the White Line
·14m - 81
Desert Walk #6: Creech Reach Around the Globe
·48m - 82
Desert Walk #5: Why do we walk?
·28m - 83
Desert Walk #4: Day Three -- It Snows in the Desert
·28m - 84
Desert Walk #3: Walk on the Strip / Talk with Darcy Ike
·27m - 85
Desert Walk #2: Day One--At the NDE
·29m - 86
Desert Walk #1: Las Vegas's Atomic Museum
·45m - 87
On the Street Where We Live: Park to Park 103
·42m - 88
Gene Pritsker Goes Beethoven
·47m - 89
ChatGPT with Adam Scott Wandt
·57m - 90
NYC: A Biking Adventure
·54m - 91
Brooklyn Bridge Restored & Stories
·1h 6m - 92
Power of Two Ugandan Women
·24m - 93
Veterans for Peace & the Climate
·32m - 94
SI Ferry Named "Dorothy Day": Maiden Voyage.
·9m - 95
SI Ferry Named "Dorothy Day"
·40m - 96
Teaching American History
·55m - 97
Ronald Guttman in Camus' "The Fall"
·22m - 98
Nuclear War--Keeps on Rockin'
·26m - 99
Ross Barkan's "Glass Century": Opinion Columnist & Novelist
Ross Barkan discusses his novel 'Glass Century' and his career as a journalist and novelist on Bar Crawl Radio.
·1h - 100
Talking About THE AMERICAN-pt. 5: We Are Not Your Soldiers
A Vietnam War veteran recounts witnessing the murder of Vietnamese children by U.S.
·59m - 101
Nature of the U.S. Military: Carl Dix
Hidden gemCarl Dix says he has never thanked anyone "for your service" because he asks what that service actually did in Vietnam, Iraq, or Afghanistan.
Mar 12, 2026·57m·4 clips - 102
Nature of the U.S. Military: Matthew Hoh
Bar Crawl Radio host Alan Winson interviews Captain Matthew Ho about whether the U.S.
Feb 13, 2026·1h 1m·4 clips - 103
Steven Fechter: "The Big Breeze"
Hidden gemBar Crawl Radio host Alan Winson interviews Steven Fechter about The Big Breeze, a novel centered on Joseph Bai, a once-in-a-generation pitcher who becomes a painter after a car accident leaves him crippled.
Feb 5, 2026·48m·3 clips - 104
Choosing Humanism Over War
Alan and Rebecca discuss the mislabeling of New York City Mayor Zoran Mandani as a communist, clarifying his democratic socialist stance and the political distinctions between communism and socialism.
Jan 19, 2026·46m - 105
3 Witness Palestine Christians
Three peace activists discuss their recent visit to the West Bank, contrasting their experiences with the sacred view of Israel held by the host's Jewish relatives.
Jan 13, 2026·56m - 106
William Hartung: Stand-Up & U.S. Military War Machine
Hidden gemBar Crawl Radio talks with William Hartung about The Trillion Dollar War Machine, his critique of the U.S.
Jan 2, 2026·50m·3 clips - 107
Anjali Mehta: Conquering the 7 Summits & Gender-Based Violence. Pt 2
Hidden gemAnjali Mehta connects her Seven Summits campaign with What Is The Power Of We, a project addressing gender-based violence and survivor advocacy.
Nov 21, 2025·33m·2 clips - 108
Anjali Mehta: Conquering the 7 Summits & Gender-Based Violence - Part 1
Hidden gemBar Crawl Radio speaks with Anjali Mehta, a human rights and law-of-war attorney, TEDx speaker, athlete, and artist, about climbing the seven summits and her work against gender-based violence.
Nov 21, 2025·32m·2 clips - 109
Zuccotti Park Redux?
Nov 13, 2025·43m - 110
Theatre Critics -- David Cote & Zoe Kaplan
Sep 26, 2025·52m - 111
Story of the Amsterdam Hostel: Institutional Dignity
Jul 17, 2025·41m - 112
Stop the Chop: The beat goes on -- w/Melissa Elstein & Ken Coughlin
Jun 27, 2025·41m - 113
Fasting for Gazans: Kathy Kelly's "Other Lands Have Dreams -- Day 33
Jun 24, 2025·36m - 114
Fasting for Gazans: Kathy Kelly / How bad is it? -- Day 26
Jun 17, 2025·22m - 115
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Joy Metzler -- Day 23
Jun 14, 2025·34m - 116
Fasting for Gazans -- Kathy Kelly / Madleen Peace Boat -- Day 19
Jun 11, 2025·20m - 117
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Brian Terrell -- Day 16
Jun 8, 2025·34m - 118
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Global Solidarity for Peace in Palestine -- Day 12
Jun 3, 2025·24m - 119
Fasting for Gazans; Kathy Kelly / Mike Ferner -- Day 9
May 30, 2025·18m - 120
Fasting for GAZANS -- Kathy Kelly -- Day 6
May 28, 2025·21m - 121
Fasting for GAZANS -- Kathy Kelly -- Day 1
May 26, 2025·11m - 122
Cellist Joseph Darcourt @ West Side Community Garden - May 2025
May 25, 2025·25m - 123
NYC Sleep Doctor -- Dr. Janet Kennedy
May 25, 2025·55m - 124
Gabriel & Diana Guillen at the West Side Community Garden
May 25, 2025·10m - 125
Helping UWS Migrant Neighbors
May 23, 2025·43m - 126
Ross Barkan's "Glass Century": Opinion Columnist & Novelist
May 21, 2025·1h - 127
Talking About THE AMERICAN-pt. 5: We Are Not Your Soldiers
Feb 23, 2025·59m - 128
Talking About THE AMERICAN-pt.4: Dear on Merton on Violence
Jan 17, 2025·1h 2m - 129
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 3: How'd we do w/AIDS?
Jan 10, 2025·28m - 130
From Conflict to Collaboration with Rob Fersh
Rob Fersh discusses his book on transforming conflict into collaboration, drawing on his experience in policy resolution.
Jan 3, 2025·1h 2m - 131
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 2: Brad Wolf on Philip Berrigan
Dec 27, 2024·1h 1m - 132
Talking About THE AMERICAN pt. 1: Burying Gaza Babies
Dec 23, 2024·25m - 133
Church of Stop Shopping with Rev Billy
Reverend Billy and Vera Anderson discuss their Church of Stop Shopping, Earth Riot Radio, and upcoming peace walk to the Nevada Nuclear Test Site.
Nov 14, 2024·56m - 134
Composer's Concordance: Contemporary Music Explosion
Nov 8, 2024·57m - 135
Ought to Give Iowa a Try: Hot Air Brewing
Sep 29, 2024·52m - 136
26th Kateri Peace Conference: A Panel on War.
Sep 19, 2024·1h 2m - 137
Melissa Bramble on the St. Kateri National Shrine and Historic Site
Sep 19, 2024·23m - 138
Eli Northrup: Future of Politics and Justice
Sep 7, 2024·1h 2m - 139
Harris OR Trump? Report from Mexico & Scotland
Sep 6, 2024·56m - 140
Walk Thru Maloy Iowa with Brian Terrell
Hidden gemBar Crawl Radio’s mid-July 2024 visit to Molloy, Iowa follows Alan Winson, Rebecca McKean, and Brian Terrell around Strangers and Guests Catholic Worker Farm.
Jul 25, 2024·43m·4 clips - 141
Scott Munson Jazz Quintet @ the West Side Community Garden / June 2024
Jun 21, 2024·52m - 142
History of the West Side Community Garden
Jun 21, 2024·29m - 143
La Manga @ West Side Community Garden - Full Concert - June 2024
Jun 14, 2024·1h 3m - 144
David Andersson of Pressenza @ the WSCG
Jun 14, 2024·43m - 145
Chance & Choice @ the West Side Community Garden
Jun 7, 2024·42m - 146
Walking for Peace in Inwood Park
Jun 7, 2024·29m - 147
Stop the Chop & Kumara @ WSCG
May 29, 2024·45m - 148
Kumara @the West Side Community Garden Concert
May 29, 2024·1h 5m - 149
"The Keeper": Film about suicide in the U.S. military
May 27, 2024·46m - 150
Kaoru Watanabe @ West Side Community Garden
May 23, 2024·1h 6m