The Jugtown Pirates of Lake Champlain
Jugtown Pirates was a jugband which counteracted the status quo and gave people a tangible example of how to live fully and semi-functionally in an afflicted society. The instrumentation revolved around mandolin, guitar, washboard, and jug/washtub bass, with a standard upright bass replacing me. From 2002 to 2006 I played jug, upright washtub bass, and hand drums until returning home to Burlington to renovate my then recently purchased victorian home.
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Our methods for cross country travel were resourceful, to say the least. We got most of our necessities from dumpsters: veggie oil fuel (thoroughly filtered), clothing for merchandise (screen printed and embroidered), and a lot of food (many food-not-bombs busking events were held). We would identify a hip town based on the reports of friends we had made earlier in the journey and, once arrived, find the best spots to busk. Inevitably we would make a few bucks and a few friends, who would lead us to other interesting people and places. Usually we'd get connected to a venue owner or at least someone with a good house for hosting, and spend a few days building buzz for an event we'd perform at.
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Our second sold out show at Higher Ground in South Burlington had an unusual promotion strategy: we coordinated a city wide treasure hunt, organizing fans to dress as pirates and spend an afternoon at one of a dozen or so participating businesses where they would pose riddles to participants. When treasure hunters guessed three riddles correctly they were given the time and location of a party that evening where they received a gift bag consisting of two tickets to the show and several party favors. The lot where it was held was mostly obscured by a 20'x16'x20' inflated "television" made with construction plastic and clear duct tape which had a video projector on the inside playing show footage on the "screen." When a participating band began playing it was the setting of an epic dance party with party goers acting as shadow puppets on the screen. These shenanigans guaranteed a lot of buzz in anticipation of the actual show at HG, for which we conscripted a crew of puppeteers who floated winged eyeballs and UFO's above the crowd among other psychedelic phenomena.
The song "Peaches: the rainbow warrior" was written about me by the lead singer, making reference to crystal healing and sleeping through alarm clocks.
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Converted a school bus to run on veggie oil and conduct a largely improvised nation-wide tour, resulting in 52 stage shows
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Collaborated with band mates to organize a city wide treasure hunt, spontaneous show promotion "freak outs," and busking schemes
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Sold out the state's largest room twice
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Dumpster dove for food, fuel and merchandise, traveling up to 500 miles with 8 dollars between eight of us