The 26th Annual Battle of the Jug Bands

Cabooze

We all know that guitars can battle it out. So can MCs, and anyone who's seen a teen rom-com from the '90s knows you can always determine ultimate coolness with a dance-off. What about a jug-off? Considering that Battle of the Jug Bands is fast approaching three decades of competition, perhaps jug battles are the most epic of all. The event kicked off with humble beginnings in 1979, a time when Kramer vs. Kramer was the top-grossing movie, Jimmy Carter was president, and the West Bank's Palmer's Bar, where the event took place, had not yet passed the hundred-year mark. Several wars and administrations later, jug bands are still showing their love for the musical sounds that jugs, kazoos, and washboards make. This year, around 20 bands will complete for 7 hours for the coveted Holliwood Waffle Iron, where their names will be engraved to live on in infamy. Though last year's winners were Chicago's Hump Night, many (if not most) of the bands competing are Minnesotan. And remember, playing the jug can make one pretty winded, so be sure to bring chips, hot dishes, mac 'n' cheese, and any other tasty potluck treats you'd like to contribute.
Sun., Feb. 10, 12:30-8 p.m., 2008