CHICAGO -- Dear Milwaukee,

Last night I expected absolutely nothing, for a Tuesday evening in Chicago at a club with no draw of its own and a cover charge. The club hadn't booked any local openers although it said it would, so it really was looking pretty grim.

On the drive from Dubuque to Chicago I stopped to oggle Galena, Ill., and came across a jackalope with a feather stuck in its tail.

Last night's show was a bit like that feathered jackalope; a strange situation. Word of mouth pays off, and we had an intimate evening with newbies who were convinced to come out by friends from Wisconsin, plus Ziggy, a long-time fan and an unbelievably active supporter of the music scene. I've met few like him (David in Milwaukee), who attend several shows per night on a regular basis. I am so grateful.

Ziggy referred to cathartic music as "jujutsu," in the sense of redirecting emotions and energy outward. Hmm!

One of the girls is the Art Director for collaborative theater group, "Blank Line." Increasingly, people tell me that my performances are theatrical, which I find interesting, especially on nights when I don't feel that I've pushed that element with costuming. Somehow that still comes through through facial expressions. I love this description, it means that the audience can sense that I'm giving all I can to communicate. Anyway, her group sounds fascinating, they do site-specific pieces (once cleared a Victorian house for five weeks! Wow!) and I'm about to check out their Web site before driving to Indianapolis. Their next show is in June, I'm so there.

We stomped, we clapped, we had fun- thank you so much for telling your friends about shows in other cities. Last night turned out to be a fabulously intimate evening with red tea lights and audience participation! A feathered jackalope, if you will!

Il'll be back in Chicago for a collective art/music show at Cole's on February 6 at 8 p.m. See you there and tell your friends!