Arden beats cold spell with Cajun heat

The Red Stick Ramblers opened with a blast of Cajun heat at the Arden Theatre Thursday night, dishing out spicy Louisiana hospitality to the 500 faithful that braved the -28 C weather.

The Baton Rouge five-piece strolled on stage, and by way of greeting, lead vocalist/fiddler Linzay Young said, “I talked to my wife today and it’s 81 in Louisiana. It feels like negative 81 up here.”

“Yeah, we had to go and buy close-toed shoes,” piped in acoustic guitarist Chas Justus, and throughout the two-hour concert continued to insert zippy one-liners in between songs.

Together since 1999, the Ramblers serve up about 200 shows and festivals a year with equal parts technical mastery and homespun charm.

They are champions of Cajun culture, an open, relaxed way of life that centres on food, family, friendship, music and dance. And the Ramblers’ music gives a special authenticity to the Louisiana sound.

Judging by the applause and whistles, local fans enjoyed the spliced toe-tapping Cajun, Texas swing, N’awlin’s jazz, honky tonk, country and rockabilly mix.

Young’s mellow baritone belted out Cajun French tunes of long lost or rejected love — nuggets such as La Vase de Meche, Les Oiseaux Vont Chanter and Two Step Condanmes, a playful tune about a man sentenced to 99 years.

As Young explained about Cajun music, “The lyrics are pitiful and depressing, but the music is really happy. Everyone wants to dance.”

Most of the songs were a mix from their last two albums, My Suitcase is Always Packed (2009) and Made in the Shade (2007). The title track for My Suitcase was written after the band realized they never fully unpacked their luggage before heading out to the next gig. And the Made in the Shade title track is a hell-raising white lightning tune with a lot of credit going to the showmanship of fiddler Kevin Wimmer.

Also on their set list was I’m Drinkin’ To You, a broken-hearted honky tonk song and the slow ballad My Bloodshot Eyes, a lusty peek into a fun relationship that’s run its course.

Lay Down in the Grass was a beautiful tune evocative of a lazy southern summer while Hot Tamale Baby delivered a sassy dance strut perfect for a party scene.

Goodbye to the Blues pulled at the heartstrings and The Cowboy Song, dedicated to all Alberta cowpokes, was a sweet melody that brought out the best of Texas swing and gypsy jazz.

But the funniest was The Barnyard Bachelor, a cock-of-the-walk song about a rooster that kept waking the band during a songwriting session. “A lot of people think a rooster is tough, but if you cook it long enough …” Justus said, his notoriously wicked humour cut off by the laughter.

The Ramblers, including Glenn Fields (drums) and Eric Frey (upright bass), travelled through an impressive array of work. They unabashedly squeezed from their heritage and created a lively celebration of roots music. All that was missing was a washboard.