They’re weird. They’re wonderful. They’re Chicago’s own Mucca Pazza

It’s been two decades since Mucca Pazza first formed. The not-your-average marching band has been leaving an impression on its audience since the beginning. There are cheerleaders, sure. But their pom poms are made out of caution tape. They have sousaphones, clarinets, and drums, but also a violinist and even an accordion player. “We’re sort of a marching band, for, like, the nerds. Maybe the scientists. Maybe the underdog, and also the whole world,” said founding member and cheerleader Sharon Lanza. “So, I like to think of it as a sort of a marching band for the world versus, you know, the Bears.” In this episode of The Rundown podcast, Erin Allen talks to Lanza and the band’s artistic director and guitar player, Charlie Malave, about how Mucca Pazza got started, their signature performances (loaded with chaos and spectacle) and what keeps them going. And be sure to check out the band’s live performance in WBEZ’s Studio 10. You can watch it on YouTube -- just search for WBEZ Chicago.