Banjo versus TV week 89: Chicago's Second Annual Battle of the Jug Bands

A check-in on the Banjo versus TV project — J.R.'s ongoing plan to spend more time on his banjo than on TV. This post covers 11/08/2009 through 11/14/2009.

The big event of this last week was, of course, Chicago's Second Annual Battle of the Jug Bands at Morseland, organized by Arlo Leach and featuring...

• The Brass Note Jug Band, whom I played with, playing...
  • I Can't Dance
  • Sun Brimmer's Blues
  • Bay Rum Blues
  • Feelin' Good
• The Barehand Jug Band, Chicago's busiest jug band, playing...
  • What's That Tastes Like Gravy
  • T'aint Nobody's Business What I Do
  • Cocaine Blues
  • Tear It Down
• Strictly Jug Nuts, this year's winners of the coveted sausage grinder trophy, playing...
  • Yum Yum Blues
  • What's the Matter with the Well?
  • One Meatball
  • Keep It Clean
• Deep Fried Pickle Project, whom I voted for (Sorry, Brass Notes, but they were great!), playing...
  • Tear It Down
  • Rubber-Legged Jim
  • I Saw Your Picture on the Internet
  • Fat Bottomed Girls / I Like Big Butts / Baby Got Back
• The Hump Night Thumpers, my former band that I'm going to go back to some day, playing...
  • Walk Right In
  • Mobile Line
  • KC Moan
  • Cocaine Habit Blues
• The Schticklers, Chicago's one-and-only Jewish jug band, playing...
  • Coney Island Washboard Roundelay
  • Cakewalk Into Town
  • Arkansas Traveller
  • Gimme Back My Wig

Additional entertainment was provided by our opening act, The Northside Southpaws, who played...

• Kohala March
• Vicksburg Stomp
• Carolina Glide
• Wobble March (medley of Stone Mountain Wobble / Sea March)
• Morning Glory Waltz
• Carbolic Rag
• Old Folks Better Go To Bed
• You're Gonna Quit Me Baby
• Toots
• Havana River Glide
• Jackson Stomp

...and by Hotfoot Annie, who tapped her way through...

• Nagasaki (accompanied by The Vaudeville Tramp)
• I'm a Yankee Doodle Dandy
• Mister Bojangles
• Pack Up Your Troubles In Your Old Kit Bag
• Side By Side

...as the votes were counted.

I was pleased with my performance. I held my own in Bay Rum Blues (my first VI-II-V-I song) and I bluesed it through both chords of Feelin' Good (the stage debut of my recently-developed string bending talents).

I also kazooed up a solo for Sun Brimmer's Blues and gutbucketed along with I Can't Dance.

There are gobs of photos at my Flickr set.

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Also in the last week:

• Purchased The Grascal's self-titled debut CD...
  
  
  
  ...because it's got Dolly Parton joining in on Viva Las Vegas.
• Added two songs to my Learning Songs list because I learned 'em for the battle: Bay Rum Blues and Feelin' Good.

Cross-posted at J.R.'s Banjo Hangout blog