After 25 years of making music together, regional rock band TUGG will take the stage one final time with founding member Jake McLees before he steps away from performing.
The band shared the news this week on its Facebook page, posting a message written by McLees announcing his retirement from music. The farewell show is scheduled for Feb. 7 at the Temple Theatre in Viroqua.
“TUGG has been one of the great constants of my life,” McLees wrote. “A brotherhood built on countless rehearsals, long nights, early mornings, basement shows, packed rooms, and miles upon miles in a van together.”
Over the years, McLees said the band became more than a musical project. Instead, it grew into a shared commitment built on trust, growth, frustration, laughter, and showing up for one another year after year. Those experiences, he said, helped shape who he became.
He thanked his bandmates for believing in him, pushing him, forgiving him, and standing beside him for decades. The memories, inside jokes, and shared exhaustion, he said, will last forever.
While the decision did not come easily, McLees said the timing feels right. He and his wife are expecting their first child in March, and together they continue to grow The Big Lady, a restaurant venture they co-own.
At the same time, McLees pointed to the physical demands of working as a chef, challenges with hand strength, and his nearly two years of sobriety. Because of that, he said stepping away from music allows him to be fully present and grounded in this next chapter.
“This is not an ending filled with sadness,” McLees wrote. “It’s one filled with gratitude and excitement.”
One final night together
TUGG described the Feb. 7 show as a celebration rather than a goodbye. The band invited fans to gather one more time to share the music, the memories, and the community that carried them through the years.
Following the announcement, fans responded with an outpouring of support. Many thanked McLees for years of music, while others shared plans to attend the farewell show and celebrate his next chapter.
Even so, McLees made it clear he is not leaving the band behind. Instead, he plans to support TUGG as a fan, a supporter, and, as he wrote, “always a brother.”
The concert takes place Friday, Feb. 7, at the Temple Theatre in Viroqua. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 and available at httix.com.
“There’s no other way I’d want to close this chapter than surrounded by the music, the people, and the community that carried us all these years,” McLees wrote.
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