Hey Everybody!

Thanks for your patience...its been CRAZY here at Hoot Headquarters! What with the Settler tour and everything else that's been going on like Liz's wrist (come to the show for all the gory details), Victoria's wedding, and Mother's Day! On top of all that, I'm up to my eyeballs in spring cleaning...who isn't???

Thanks to everyone for coming out to the SOLD-OUT Cure vs. Diana Ross Hoot Night! It was an amazing success and there are some wonderful MP3s of songs from the show in the Audio/Video section of the website.

Thanks also to EVERYONE WHO SUPPORTED SETTLER and myself during their 12-day visit to Chicago. It was twelve of the best days of my life...I think they were OK with it too, yeah they loved it! Special thanks go to YOU, the Hoot audience who indulged my belief in something wonderful and who made them feel very welcome. In their own words they were gobsmacked. For their take on what exactly happened, read their Chicago tour diary, complete with pictures at http://www.settlersite.com

Also, thanks to Rim Buntinas, Bob Trondson, & Lesser Birds of Paradise for gear and equipment and to Tommi Zender for an offer of the same! Thanks to Mide O'Hagan(I miss you!), Elizabeth Conant, Schubas (Matt and the whole staff!), Tim and Katie at The Hideout, Martyrs, Uncommon Ground, Mitch Marlow & Nevin's, Shy Nobleman, The Hidden Cove, James Iha, Nora O'Connor, WLUW, Steph Turner, Dan Zapruder, Joe Cassidy & Butterfly Child, LAX, Jake and Jackie & Ratso at Chic-A-Go-Go, Miss Mia Park, Joe O'Neil & The Chicago Bulls, Jenny Jones(Fa-REEK), Brian Railsback, The Chicago Cultural Center, The Chicago Public Library, Andy Hopkins, Mike Bulington, The Chicago Children's Museum, Justin Roberts, Liam Davis, Catherine Smitko, Nora Nykiel, The B'Hai Temple, Liz Cochran, The Green Mill, Jodie Bultman, Mike LeMaistre & Nick Miller at JAM, Barry Phipps, Steve Dawson & Jacquie Krupka & Jason Narducy for helping me with my surprise! My Mom, Peggy Hansen...and finally a BIG FAT HONKING THANKS to my good friend Seán Twomey for all the magic that he brought with him to Chicago!

Now, about the Hoot Night...sheesh, I almost forgot! Well, this is what you need to know...the theme is PLANTS!

Also, its a special Hoot in some ways. I've been calling it the "Hoot Night Regulars Night Off!"  Come see this special Hoot Night with a whole new line-up! Don't worry, your much beloved regulars will be back soon enough, but Chicago has soooooo much talent I thought I should whip up a show with a bunch of BRILLIANT folks you might not really know very well. Some of them are returning champions like STACEY EARLY & VERNON TONGES, BRYTER and ELLEN ROSNER, some of them are coming back in NEW incarnations like THE MILLIONS and THE FROGS OF FAITH...and some of them are just brilliant new acts that are going to blow your minds like THE SCRIBBLE MONSTER BAND and GABERDINE and LESSER BIRDS OF PARADISE.

There are other folks playing too, but I don't want to give it ALL away just yet!

OK, everyone has picked their songs but ME so I've got to go now and work on that.

Please come out on May 22, 2002 to The Plants Hoot Night at Schubas Tavern in Chicago. 8pm, all right?

Oh, and feel free to bring a favorite plant and we¹ll put it on the stage during the show. Come on, it needs a night out!

Like Dylan in the movies,

Thomas Dunning
xo

Get out of the city and into the sunshine,
Get out of the office and into the springtime!