Bounce to the pop jams of rainbow druids.

Looking for goofy indie-pop fun tonight? Hustle on down to The Crocodile to check out the Bonnaroo Preview Seattle edition featuring Rubblebucket, Babes, and The Hoot Hoots! The event series, sponsored by Angry Orchard, spans five cities all featuring a local Bonnaroo hopeful who needs your vote to make the stage in Tennessee. It’s the next generation of Battle of the Bands with online voting and social media determining the victor!

The Hoot Hoots lead vocalist, Adam Prairie, hopped on the phone with us and answered a few of our inquiries about the band and their upcoming show in Seattle.

Have any of the band members ever been to Bonnaroo?

None of us have been, but we’re all super stoked about the possibility because we’d totally love to be a part of that experience. We’re so honored that the opportunity is on the table.

Now the task is just mobilizing people to vote!

What is your favorite Seattle venue?

The Crocodile happens to be my favorite venue, but full disclosure, I’ve been working as a booking assistant with them for over a year. But even before that was the case, we’ve just always had great shows at the venue because of the great stage sound, both for performers and audience members. The staff in particular is the nicest and their production manager is awesome to work with.

Those rainbow robes… Were you going for magical gay (flamboyant?) wizards? Fabulous acolytes of Indie Pop?

We just thought it would be fun after having done the psychedelic 60’s production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The idea was creepy dark, but bright rainbow druid-esque. We also had the LED glasses which I made myself and now I’m on version 3.0 since its predecessors went through the wringer.

Who was the musician that inspired you to pick up your instrument?

Adam: For the guitar, I was obsessed with Led Zeppelin growing up and I’d listen to records and try to play those parts even though I was just failing at it. For songwriting, it was Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin’ that did it for me.

What bands have influenced you guys?

Flaming Lips, the Unicorns, and Weezer’s 1st two albums

You guys started in Chicago, how’d you end up in Seattle?

Chris, my brother, and I grew up in the small farm town of Clifton, IL. I met Christina at Knox College which is also in Illinois. Christina is actually from Bainbridge Island, so that’s where the Northwest link started. Ben was originally from another band, Friends and Family, with whom we worked with previously, but is no longer together. Once that band broke up, Ben needed a place to stay, so we invited him to stay with us but also to jam and it just ended up working out for us.

What’s the latest project you guys have been working on?

So far while we’ve been in Seattle we’ve put out three albums and one EP. Ideally, we wanna get an EP out before the summer. We’ve also got this project called Pizza Pulpit where local bands get featured and can play in the smaller room in the back of the Crocodile and have pizza. It’s just a little something for when we wanna help out a band that’s touring, but this sized-down space might work better for them.

Are you guys still on tour? Where are some of your next stops?

Our two week tour just ended. We went out to the 10 year reunion (for Christina and Adam) at Knox College and back in our modded Prius. And yes, it totally fits all our gear and all four of us. We also happened to film our next music video on that trip so you’ll kind of see how we all crammed in it. Our next show is out in Spokane but that is just a one off. We are gonna try getting some more writing done and cat napping with cats.

What inspired Thoughts for Food, your Youtube series of critiques?

Started on a whim when we were just kinda bored and did it for fun at our rest stops on tour. We thought, “You know what would make this food better?” We’re hoping to do other products. Maybe Prius?

Anything else you’d like people to know? Fun facts?

We would just like to say Sriracha peanut butter popcorn is one of the best things on the planet and also the Official Snackage of The Hoot Hoots band movie nights.

We create a lot of the merchandise we sell while out on tour, including the new line of ladies undie pants with apples on the cheeks. Making the merch ourselves is not only more fiscally feasible, but it is fun to do and makes the gear a genuine expression of gratitude to the folks that come out to support the band.

We also record all our own music and we even built the studio in the house we’re living in.

How do you feel about this show? What time on Monday are you guys going up?

We are super excited about playing with RubbleBucket and getting to see them live again, we’ve opened for them before and we will be on stage at 9:00pm rock show time.

PARTICULARS:

• When: Monday, October 26 / Doors at 8:00 pm
• Where: The Crocodile
• Who: All ages
• Tickets: $17

Get your tickets here.

Photos by Scott Stucker.