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The last
few years of doing the Hoot Nights have been increasingly
exciting and much more challenging to produce. Since the beginning
of the show's run we've had over 100 different artists or
bands perform on our stage...yet we still have a stable of
6-8 friends - I mean performers - that I will always beg to
return to sing for me - I mean - you. FRISBIE, NORA O'CONNOR,
CATHERINE SMITKO, JUSTIN ROBERTS, JACQUIE KRUPKA of THE PLUNGING
NECKLINES, STEPH TURNER, JOE CASSIDY of BUTTERFLY CHILD and
DAG JUHLIN.
Let me not
forget the Hoot Night bass players who I always turn to for
musical guidance and inspiration! JACKIE SCHIMMEL and EDDIE
CARLSON, my goodness, who haven't they played with?
THOMAS NEGOVAN,
LARRY BROWN, VICTORIA STORM, TOMMI ZENDER, ERIC Z, STACEY
EARLY, DEANNA VARAGONA, ELIZABETH CONANT, JASON NARDUCY, ETHAN
SEMONE, FRANCES, BRYTER,! All of these friends have worked
so hard over the years to bring the shows to life and are
deserving of so much gratitude and respect. Chicago, these
are OUR artists. The Hoot Nights are OUR salons. How can something
so ridiculous be so important?
The artists
are all creating very exciting music and a network of talent
and resources has evolved from which everyone seems to be
benefiting. One person from one band is producing a track
for another person's demo from another band; the cross-pollination
is constantly happening...I guess that's how!
It started
out that these kinds of collaborations only happened on the
Hoot Night stage, now they're happening in our work, our labour.
There are
many people that have walked the Hoot path with us; some are
still around, some have moved on, and some will never be invited
back. Too many to mention, so please forgive any negligence
on my part as I've tried to recreate here the last 8 years
of this ride we've all been on.
I must give
props to those at Schubas like Anastasia Davies who booked
The Royalty Hoot for me and gave me my first break, and Doug
LeFrak, Matt Rucins and Mike Schuba for still giving me more
breaks in the hope that I'll get it right at some point. They
get a big kiss for every time they remember to use my name
in the ads for the show!
Finally,
there is someone we must mention here...
Our beloved
and loyal Hoot Night audience! You know good shit when you
see it, don't you? Thank you for coming and paying to see
our obnoxious self-indulgence over and over and over again!
So what if the newspapers in Chicago NEVER freakin' report
on us...we're still packing 'em in and you're still talking
in the back of the room!
We love
you. Thank you for giving us the chance to do what we do.
No really, if you didn't come to the shows, Schubas wouldn't
book us...and then this shit would all be over girl. Now how
sad is that?
Boyzone
love,
Thomas Dunning
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