Fat Patty's, Huntington, WV - 07.31.11 from 9:45pm to 11:45pm

It was crowded in Fat Patty's for a Sunday night. With exceptional Philly Cheese-steaks (thanks Josh) in our bellies, we were ready to hijack the surprisingly eclectic jukebox. Here are the top 15 based on PAR (Positive Audience Reaction):

1. Like a Prayer - Madonna
2. Stuck in the Middle With You - Stealers Wheel
3. I Want You to Want Me - Cheap Trick
4. Rolling in the Deep - Adele
5. Bennie and the Jets - Elton John
6. Mr Brightside - Killers
7. Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
8. Paper Planes - MIA
9. Summer Breeze - Seals and Croft (How weird is that pick btw?!)
10. Werewolves of London - Warren Zevon
11. Shattered - Rolling Stones
12. Lithium - Nirvana
13. Howlin For You - Black Keys
14. How Soon is Now - The Smiths
15. Say it Ain't So - Weezer

Barracuda Raw Bar & Grill, Coconut Grove, Miami, FL - 03.14.11 from 10 pm to 3 am

Bucking futt hair Batman, this night was entertaining! Barracuda's was a special place...various hanging plastic fish, pirate flags and a wooden bear (I think it was a bear) in the corner created a visual playground for our Jukebox Hijacking this Monday evening. With the barkeeps permish (thank you Liz and Jeff) we carried on to victory...and here they are:

1. Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People
2. Let's Pretend - MGMT
3. God Save The Queen - Sex Pistols
4. Pinball Wizard - The Who
5. Hold On I'm Coming - Sam & Dave
6. Grace Kelly - Mika
7. That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
8. Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
9. Heartbreaker - Pat Benatar
10. Praise You - Fatboy Slim
11. Gypsies, Tramps & Thieves - Cher
12. Short Skirt, Long Jacket - Cake
13. D'yer Mak'er - Led Zeppelin
14. Ray of Light - Madonna
15. One Step Beyond - Madness

Patriot Saloon, New York, NY - 03.08.11 from 7 to 9:30 pm

On the southern end of Manhattan island sits the infamous "Patriot" bar. It is know for cheap beer, big-boobed-barmaids and a fully stacked country jukebox. While C&W is normally outside the Hijackers' expertise, we managed to entertain everyone from the rough-neck regulars to the German tourists. Special shout out to Dee for the extra heaping helping of her hospitality.

And here are the top 15, based on PAR (Positive Audience Reaction):

1. There's a Tear in My Beer - Hank Williams Sr.
2. Cocaine Blues - Johnny Cash
3. Running Scared - Roy Orbison
4. Sweet Hitch Hiker - Creedence Clearwater Revival
5. Streets Of Bakersfield - Buck Owens
6. Sweet Little Sixteen - Jerry Lee Lewis
7. You Ain't Woman Enough (To Take My Man) - Loretta Lynn
8. Beer For My Horses - Toby Keith
9. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer - George Thorogood & The Destroyers
10. I'm Shakin' - The Blasters
11. Gimme Three Steps - Lynyrd Skynyrd
12. Positively 4th Street - Bob Dylan
13. Can't You See - Marshall Tucker Band
14. Take This Job And Shove It - Johnny Paycheck
15. Secret Agent Man - Johnny Rivers

Our night ended at Radio City Music Hall with a live performance by alt-country wunderkind Bright Eyes.

Orange County Social Club, Carrboro, NC - 03.05.11 from 10 to midnight

While manual jukeboxes are charming, they can be challenging. This evening at Orange County Social Club near the University of North Carolina (UNC) our jukebox posed two main challenges; the zero was not working on the number pad and the magazine flip kept jamming...poop.

Never-the-less, with our guest hijacker in tow, we accepted the challenge and here are the top 13 in order of PAR (Positive Audience Reaction).

1. Time Won't Let Me - The Outsiders
2. It's Like That - Run-D.M.C.
3. Everywhere With Helicopter - Guided By Voices
4. Unknown Brother - The Black Keys
5. Deceptacon - Le Tigre
6. Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
7. What Light - Wilco
8. Upon This Tidal Wave Of Young Blood - Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
9. Lalita - The Love Language
10. Good Vibrations (early take) - The Beach Boys
11. The Ghost In You - Psychedelic Furs
12. Let's Talk About Girls - The Chocolate Watch Band
13. Footloose & Fancy Free - Camera Obscura

Our selections were so intense the jukebox had to be unplugged...and the hijack was over.

The Whig, Columbia, SC - 02.27.11 from 7 to 11 pm

Beneath the 1200 Main building in downtown Columbia, SC we entered The Whig through a graffiti-filled hallway. Plunging drapes, various animal skeletons (including a saber tooth tiger skull that triples the potency of your jaeger bomb upon a "tooth dip") and a dim orange glow set the stage for this eclectic Jukebox Hijackers affair.

The jukebox was special. No internet connection or touchscreen here, just a good ol' fashion Rowe model A magazine flip CD jukebox...delightful. Aside from the pet hedgehog named Fern at the end of the bar, this crowd was steeped in "indie" culture and railed against anything mainstream (except for sublimely ironic twists such as ELO.)

To date, this has been our most challenging and rewarding hijack...and here are the top 15.

1. Day Tripper - Nancy Sinatra
2. Streets of Baltimore - Gram Parsons
3. Psycho - The Sonics
4. Rumble - Link Wray
5. Telephone Line - Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)
6. Norwegian Wood - The Beatles
7. I Can See For Miles - The Who
8. Respect - Otis Redding
9. I Put A Spell On You - Screamin' Jay Hawkins
10. Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
11. Orgasm Addict - Buzzcocks
12. Let's Go Get Stoned - Ray Charles
13. Little Darlin' - The Diamonds
14. Maybellene - Chuck Berry
15. Stop Your Sobbing - Pretenders

Lula's Pub, Downtown Wilmington, NC - 02.19.11 from 9pm to 1am

This particular evening was in honor of a certain Hijacker's birthday. Usually, we would post the top 15 songs based on PAR (Positive Audience Reaction) but this list reflects the best songs of the night according to the Birthday Girl!

1. Where Is My Mind - Pixies
2. O Valencia - The Decemberists
3. The Jean Genie - David Bowie
4. If I Ever Leave This World Alive - Flogging Molly
5. Laid - James
6. The Hardest Button to Button - The White Stripes
7. I'm Amazed - My Morning Jacket
8. Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
9. 1901 - Phoenix
10. Call Me - Blondie
11. Basket Case - Green Day
12. I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
13. Gamma Ray - Beck
14. Strange Times - Black Keys
15. No I In Threesome - Interpol

These people have the same birthday:
Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day)
Larry The Cable Guy
Paris Hilton
Tom Jones
Michael Jordan
René Laënnec (invented the stethoscope in 1816)
Jerry O'Connell (fat kid in Stand By Me)

ROUND TWO: Sea Porch Cafe, Don CeSar hotel, Tampa, FL - 01.31.11 from 10 to 11:30 pm

There was a second round at Sea Porch Cafe in the Don CeSar. This time there were more people and our hijacking led right into "Karaoke Night"....

1. Stuck In The Middle With You - Stealers Wheel
2. How Soon Is Now? - The Smiths
3. Werewolves Of London - Warren Zevon
4. Blister In The Sun - Violent Femmes
5. Beautiful Day - U2
6. Shattered - The Rolling Stones
7. I Want To Be Sedated - Ramones
8. Loser - Beck
9. The Devil Went Down To Georgia - Charlie Daniels
10. If I Ever Leave This World Alive - Flogging Molly
11. Dog Days Are Over - Florence And The Machine
12. Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough - Michael Jackson
13. Mr. Brightside - The Killers
14. Promiscuous - Nelly Furtado
15. Summer Breeze - Seals & Crofts

ROUND ONE: Sea Porch Cafe, Don CeSar hotel, Tampa, FL - 01.30.11 from 10 to 11:30 pm

We walked into the Sea Porch Cafe in Tampa's Don CeSar Hotel to 3 bar tenders, 3 customers and complete silence. We knew what had to be done. Let there be music, and there was music.

PAR (Positive Audience Reaction) deemed these worthy:

1. Say It Ain't So - Weezer
2. Daft Punk Is Playing At My House - LCD Soundsystem
3. Magic Carpet Ride - Steppenwolf
4. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood - The Animals
5. What's My Age Again? - Blink 182
6. Veronica - Elvis Costello
7. Burning Down The House - Talking Heads
8. She Talks To Angels - The Black Crowes
9. Black Horse And Cherry Tree - KT Tunstall
10. Big Girls Don't Cry - Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons
11. All I Have To Do Is Dream - The Everly Brothers
12. Last Nite - The Strokes
13. Whenever, Wherever - Shakira
14. We're Going To Be Friends - The White Stripes
15. Well Thought Out Twinkles - Silversun Pickups

Racing Bar, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico - 01.27.11 from 10 to 12 pm

After a day at the newly renovated Mayan ruin Ek' Balam, cochinita pibil tacos and a dip in the pool, we were ready to rock our local barra.

Here's the top 15:

1. Stereo Love - Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina
2. Gloria - Patti Smith
3. 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
4. Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Cyndi Lauper
5. The Chain - Fleetwood Mac
6. Centerfold - J. Geils Band
7. Going To California - Led Zeppelin
8. Clocks - Coldplay
9. We Are All Made Of Stars - Moby
10. Signed, Sealed, Delivered I'm Yours - Stevie Wonder
11. Changes - David Bowie
12. I Got You Babe - Sonny and Cher
13. You're The One That I Want - Grease
14. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
15. Chan Chan - Buena Vista Social Club

Then we ran out of pesos...

Whiskey Creek Sports Pub, Masonboro Island, NC - 01.21.11 from 7 to 9 pm

Three words: camo, coors and country...that's what one might notice first about this bar we moseyed into on an early Friday night. Based on our lack of expertise in the pop-country genre, it might have been easier to hog-tie a baby cow in six seconds then to gain any Positive Audience Reaction (PAR) here.

Against stiff odds, we managed to wrangle this county crowd and here's the top 15:

1. Hot For Teacher - Van Halen
2. Tupelo Honey - Van Morrison
3. Somebody Told Me - The Killers
4. Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress - The Hollies
5. Louisiana Woman, Mississippi Man - Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn
6. Blue - Jayhawks
7. Pretty Woman - Roy Orbison
8. Gin and Juice - The Gourds
9. Daydream Believer - The Monkees
10. Shattered - Rolling Stones
11. Heavy Metal Drummer - Wilco
12. Son of a Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield
13. Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
14. Cowboy - Kid Rock
15. Patience - Guns N' Roses

Alley Cat Lounge, Indianapolis, IN - 01.17.11 from 9 pm to 1 am

Two cheeseburgers and a couple of dollars began the Jukebox Hijackers affair with the highly regarded Alley Cat Lounge in Indianapolis, Indiana. As we walked past a dumpster, stray cats and other "alley" fare we were welcomed by a brightly lit and inviting interior of said dive bar.

It was early but as the crowd thickened and the tunes played on, these 15 songs earned the most PAR (Positive Audience Reaction).

1. Laid - James
2. Feeling Alright - Joe Cocker
3. Where's My Mind - Pixies
4. Cherry Bomb - The Runaways
5. Shattered - Rolling Stones
6. Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet
7. Jump Around - House of Pain
8. Sure Shot - Beastie Boys
9. Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode
10. Copperhead Road - Steve Earle
11. Dog Days Are Over - Florence & the Machine
12. Jane Say's - Jane's Addiction
13. Alive and Kicking - Simple Minds
14. Streets of Philadelphia - Bruce Springsteen
15. Sister Golden Hair - America

No Rain by Blind Melon would have made the list but was vetoed by the bar tender...and that's how the game works.

Fibber's Public House, Wrightsville Beach, NC - 01.11.11 from 9 to 10:30 pm

"Is this your iPod playing?", said one unsuspecting listener to the really, really, ridiculously good looking bartender. Little did they know, the Jukebox Hijackers were in da house.

After days of being snowed-in, we were itching to commandeer a scene. Fibber's had a decent crowd for an icy Tuesday. Of the 30 songs selected, these are the 15 that garnered the most PAR (Positive Audience Reaction):

1. Maggie May - Rod Stewart
2. Waterfalls - TLC
3. Pennyroyal Tea - Nirvana
4. Me and Bobby McGee - Janis Joplin
5. Spiderwebs - No Doubt
6. Love Song - Cure
7. Story of My Life - Social Distortion
8. That's Not My Name - The Ting Tings
9. Longview - Green Day
10. It's All Over Now - Rolling Stones
11. Electrolite - R.E.M.
12. Call Me - Blondie
13. Dirty Harry - Gorillaz
14. Tush - ZZ Top
15. We Belong - Pat Benatar

And then we ran out of quarters...

Btw, Roy Orbison's sweeping epic It's Over went over like a fart in church. Lesson learned.

Triangle Lounge, Wilmington, NC - 01.08.11 from 12:30 to 2 am

Jukebox Hijackers kidnapped the ears of fellow patrons at Triangle Lounge in Wilmington, NC last night. Of the many songs we played, here are the top 15 based on Positive Audience Reaction (PAR)...which we define as spontaneous dancing, audible singing and intermittent air guitars.

1. Mr. Brightside - Killers
2. Paper Planes - M.I.A.
3. Woman - Wolfmother
4. 99 Problems - Jay Z
5. Loser - Beck
6. Just Like Heaven - Cure
7. I Wanna Be Sedated - Ramones
8. Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
9. I Would Die 4 U - Prince
10. I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs
11. Bad Romance - Lady Gaga
12. I Bet you Look Good on the Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
13. Don't Come Around Here No More - Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
14. Is There a Ghost - Band of Horses
15. Queen Bitch - David Bowie