The 1998 Riverat Hard Rats Cafe

Band Scramble

Enter by 10:30 am, Wednesday, September 16th!

Contest begins at 3:00 pm!

This is your chance to meet new friends and musicians and play in front of an audience, judge a musical competition, help with score tabulation etc., or just listen in a very relaxed atmosphere. Grab your friends and head to the Riverat Camp to see who wins the "Band Scramble Champion" button.

There will be 8 'coffee' cans at the Riverat camp with the following labels:

              - Acoustic Guitar                                       - Mandolin

              - Bass                                                       - Banjo

              - Fiddle                                                     - Other (any other instrument, including vocals)

              - Judge                                                      - Helper (score tabulators, paperwork shufflers, etc.)

By 10:30 am , on Wednesday morning, September 16th, enter the competition by putting your name in the can which displays the name of the instrument you want to play in the scramble. Everyone who enters will get to participate. If you would like to be a judge or helper, put your name in the 'Judge' or 'Helper' cans. You can only enter your name in one category, as a musician, judge or helper.

At 11:00 am, names will be drawn from each can to form the groups. All competitors must be present to meet their band members, decide on a band name and choose the spokesperson for the group.

Bands will perform 3 songs at the American Ratstand just southeast of the Hard Rats Cafe (Riverat camp toward the West end of the Pecan Grove). Bands will be judged on tuning accuracy, arrangement, musical performance, showmanship, entertainment value and costuming with discretionary points awarded for presentation and/or songs relative to the 'Hard Rats Cafe' theme or rodentia in general.

At 2:00 pm, all potential judges and helpers will meet at the Riverat camp. The number of people who put in their name to judge or help will determine whether we draw names, have shifts, etc. At this time we will explain the rules, judging criteria and other tidbits of needed info to the judges and helpers. So, if you put your name in the 'Judge' can or 'Helper' can, please be at the American Ratstand at 2:00 pm!

At 3:00 pm, the spokesperson of each group will draw a number from a hat and each band will play in sequence based on the number drawn.

Buttons for competitors will be presented at the end of each set with "Special" prize buttons awarded to each member of the winning groups immediately following the contest.

We expect this will be a very enjoyable time for everyone who participates, whether you are a musician, judge, helper or member of the audience! For added comfort, bring your own lawn chairs and refreshments.