Thomas Negovan is a singer and composer here in Chicago where he performs with his band, Ver Sacrum, not nearly enough. The band includes two cellists, a violist, two violinists, and an oboe, and blends elements of rock and classical music. Most often we see Thomas alone on the Hoot stage gently strumming his acoustic 12-string or an antique harp guitar, because his band is just too darn large. Influenced by Victorian poetry and early glam rock, Thomas performed "And Dream of Sheep" on the I Wanna Be Kate album and has a live CD of orchestral material recorded at Schubas due out in the Spring of 2002.

I'm Nora Mary Francis O'Connor. I've played almost every fricking Hoot, ever. Mostly because Tom Dunning's my best friend and he owes me. Once, I got really sick and couldn't play the Hoot. It was the "Royalty" Hoot. Another time, I was just too busy doing other stuff, ya know? So I was like, "Thomas, I got so much s**t going on, I'm just gonna have to back out on this Hoot." And he was like, "Nora, I love you, that's totally cool girl, just take care of yourself. And I was like, "Thanks girl, I totally love you too". As of the new year, I'm recording my songs and other people's songs w/ hopes of a full length album before I'm as old as Dag Juhlin. I'm also getting ready to record the next Bowl of Fire record w/ Andrew Bird and the boys--fun, cool new songs, yo!

Justin writes songs for kids and adults and (unlike Nora O'Connor) likes to speak about himself in the third person. He has released two critically acclaimed family CDs (Great Big Sun and Yellow Bus) and a "grown up" CD (Bright Becomes Blue) which has a small but dedicated legion of admirers. All three were released by Hear Diagonally Records, produced by the one and only Liam Davis, and overflowing with hoot night talent. Justin believes that Jackie Schimmel could very well be the master.

photo credit ©2001 Todd Rosenberg

www.heardiagonally.com/roberts