The Viper and His Second String made the Viper’s Milwaukee debut this past weekend, playing on Friday, May 7 at the venerable Coffee House as part of a 4-band jug-band benefit for the Central City Church’s Food Pantry. The line-up also included the great Larry Penn and his Washboard Band (featuring Dave Fox), Peter Lee, and the Grumpystiltskyn Jug Band.

Here, filmed by Sue Peacock, is The Viper and His Second String performing “The Viper’s Blue Yodel no. 6.02 x 10 to the 23rd.”

The Viper plays jug, harmonica, and baritone ukulele. On the newly built washtub bass is Riley Broach, who also played ukulele and washtub drum for the show. And filling out the Second String on the suitcase and tambourine is the vastly overqualified John Peacock, who also at various points of the evening applied his one good arm to the banjo ukulele, washtub drum, and toy piano.

Friday, May 7, 2010
The Coffee House, Milwaukee, WI

• The Viper’s Blue Yodel no. 6.02 x 10 to the 23rd (on YouTube)
• Das Kapital
• Maggie Mae
• Hey! Rounders (on YouTube)
• Uncle Bud (on YouTube)
• Stopper in My Hand

“Stopper in My Hand” and “Uncle Bud” were new for this show, the latter a work-up of a tune collected by Zora Neale Hurston. “Maggie Mae” is a Liverpool skiffle standard I’d played with the Paint Branch Ramblers in Maryland, and the “Blue Yodel” is one I’ve been kicking around for a couple of years, though playing it with a band for the first time this show. “Das Kapital” and “Hey! Rounders” are old standbys from the Everything for Everyone era with The Viper and His Famous Orchestra.