Red Stick Ramblers at Lafayette Brewing Company

The Red Stick Ramblers provided a great soundtrack to the NCAA basketball tournament, which I watched on the tiny TV at the Lafayette Brewing Company tonight.

The band certainly hopped a lot more than than the IU players did during their game against Arkansas. The twin fiddle attack of Linzay Young and Kevin Wimmer was invigorating. I liked bassist Eric Frey, too. But guitarist Chas Jutus impressed me the most; he's a flat-pickin' fool. Justus' blues, gypsy jazz and Western swing riffs added an unusual twist to the Cajun base the other musicians provided.

The slower tunes were nice — Young's vocals were especially were especially good — but I had a hard time hearing them above the chatter of the crowd from my perch at the bar. I didn't have that problem when the band got rowdy. Their eclectic blend of musical styles got everyone rocking for memorable version of March Madness.