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Gramma's Saggy Jug Takes Top Honors in 2008 Battle of the Jug Bands

For the third year in a row, the coveted Holliwood^® Waffle Iron was won by an out of state band. The Viroqua, Wisconsin based Gramma's Saggy Jug band, who were also the 2006 Champions, came back again this year winning the 26th annual Battle of the Jug Bands, held Feb. 10, 2008 in Minneapolis' Cabooze Bar.

However, we have been informed that the waffle iron will be on display in Minnesota, on the West Bank no less!

al...
just so everyone can know,
the waffle iron is proudly living on the west bank at bedlam theatre for the duration of the year.
folks can gaze upon its glory and see some good theater and live music all through 2008 right there on 6th st off cedar ave.
cheers-
grandpa saggy

Twenty bands competed in this year's battle for the coveted trophy, which passes from Chicago's Hump Night Thumpers, the 2007 winner.

As always, a massive crowd packed the Cabooze to schmooze, listen to jug band music, and enjoy some fine cooking at the potluck.

Honorable mentions went to Sliced Bread of Arkansaw, Wisconsin for "Best Song Selection", Redd Brickham and the replacemnt Window Smashers of Minneapolis for "Best Vintage Instruments", and to Rag Mama's Riverbottom Gang of Minneapolis for "Best Bang (or was it band?) for the Buck".

Thanks to all of the volunteers and Cabooze staff people who made last year's event possible, the 2008 judges Kurt Gegenhuber, Dick Himes and Terry Morse, and finally to to all of the wonderful people who attended the battle, brought potluck, and donated at the door.

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A Tradition Reinstated

The Pre-Battle
Jug Band Jam
Saturday before the battle at the Eagles Club

Space for an informal pre-battle jug band jam was graciously provided by the Eagles Club (25th Avenue + 25th St in Minneapolis), on the Saturday

before the battle.
The get-together gives us the opportunity to meet and greet our fellow jugbanders and fans from across the midwest, swap songs, compare home-brewed musical contraptions and eyeball the competition.

This reinstated a tradition that was interrupted with the closing of the Viking Bar back in 2006. While it was a last-minute booking, several jugbanders were able to make it to the gathering.

King-sized thanks to booker Vince and the staff at the Eagles.

Eagle's Club MAP HERE ~ Cabooze MAP HERE

click on pictures to see big versions

JUG BAND JAMBOREE
Craig Kent

Grab your washboard grab your jug
going down to the West Bank and party tonight
Gonna drink that stuff till our brains get numb
gonna pick and grin till the cows come home

chorus
Jug band jamboree come on down and join the fun
jug band jamboree come on down it's all for free

Here comes Willie free as a bird
and he don't have a care in the world
gonna play that bottom sweet and low
but he ain't drivin' when it's time to go

With the snow flying, subzero temperatures and cabin fever setting in, it must mean that the Battle of the Jug Bands is just around the corner. For 26 years, jug bands have convened to determine who takes home the coveted traveling waffle iron trophy.

If you were at the 2008 Battle you know that the competition was stiff. Twenty bands -all of them top notch- went kazoo to washboard as they battled it out on the stage of the Cabooze.

Thanks to emcees MJ Mueller, Charlie Lawson and Matt Zinser as they diplomatically kept the bands on time and honest. No one wanted to leave until the last band played and the judges came in with their decsion.

In the end it was Wisconsin's Gramma's Saggy Jug that wooed the judges, took the honors and gained the right to have their name engraved with the past winners on the coveted Holliwood® waffle iron.

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Below are the Lyrics to that song that the
White Lightnin' Waffle Stompers did about the Battle this year:

There's my baby looking so fine
got me rockin' and a reelin' man I ain't lyin'
grab a partner and get up and dance
or grab a kazoo and join the band

Bring something good for your friends to eat
or just bring yourself and stomp your feet
keep an eye on the waffle iron we all know why
with Judy around it'll get up and fly

We got Snaky Dave Ray in our hearts today
his spirit lives on in the music we play
we got Dylan not Bob, Soupy, Fritz and White Rabbit
singing jug band music is here to stay

I sing the chorus after every verse
but I don't know how you want to print it.

* * * * * * * * * *
the Craigster asks

"Am I going to have to copywright them first so Cannon's Jug Stompers or The Memphis Jug Band don't record it and make a million and claim they wrote it? Or Mama's Saggy Jugs? Or whatever Fat Chance's name du jour is???"

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