Courthouse Nights turns up the heat with the Lost Bayou Ramblers

By Anthony Collins

LPR Editor              ______

     If you’ve ever found yourself tapping your feet to a fiddle while sipping an Abita under a Louisiana sunset, chances are you’ve heard the unmistakable sound of the Lost Bayou Ramblers.

This Friday, June 20th, Courthouse Nights is bringing the Grammy-winning Cajun rebels straight from Lafayette to the lawn in downtown Lockhart, and it’s going to be a night to remember.

Founded by brothers Louis and André Michot in 1999, Lost Bayou Ramblers have spent the last 25 years redefining Cajun music. Their sound fuses old-world Louisiana French traditions with rockabilly swagger, punk energy, and even a dash of psychedelia, all while singing in Cajun French. Think ancient melodies colliding with electric fuzz and irresistible rhythm.

The band’s resume reads like a musical odyssey. They’ve appeared on Jack White’s American Epic, scored scenes for the Oscar-nominated Beasts of the Southern Wild, and have notched two Grammy wins, first in 2018 for their album Kalenda, and again in 2023 for a live orchestral collaboration with the Louisiana Philharmonic at New Orleans’ Orpheum Theater.

And they’re just getting started.

The Ramblers have collaborated with an eclectic lineup over the years, from Dr. John and Scarlett Johansson to Ani DiFranco and Gordon Gano of Violent Femmes fame. They’ve been praised in Rolling Stone, National Geographic, and The New Yorker, and were named Entertainers of the Year by the Big Easy Awards in 2019.

“This is the kind of music that hits you in the chest and gets your feet moving,” says Courthouse Nights Executive Director Rachel Lingvai. “We haven’t had Zydeco on the square since Jesse Lege in 2023, and we knew it was time to bring that Louisiana heat back.”

The evening kicks off at 7:00 PM with DJ Island Time, setting the vibe until the Ramblers take the stage at 8:30 PM. Expect a joyful mix of tradition and experimentation, and a few surprises, too.

Hungry? Stop by the Commerce Café for Cajun fare served up patio-side, plus drink specials from vendors all around the square.

As always, it’s BYO Everything, or just show up and grab what you need on the square. The music happens on the southside of the courthouse lawn, right in the heart of downtown Lockhart.

So, bring a blanket, grab your crew, and get ready to dance the night away.