By Rick Zeigler—
MUNCIE, IN—The GRAMMY-winning progressive Cajun band Lost Bayou Ramblers will be performing in a FREE outdoor concert as part of the 2026 Muncie Three Trails Music Series. The concert will take place at 7:00 PM on Saturday, August 22nd at the Brown Family Amphitheater on the campus of Ball State University. The Lost Bayou Ramblers will also be performing a special acoustic set at 7 PM to open the show. Parking in most of Ball State’s lots is free and open to the public on Saturdays.
Lost Bayou Ramblers’ evolution as a perversely progressive band rooted in Cajun traditions continues to excite, challenge, and redefine both genre expectations as well as cultural preconceptions. The group stands at the crosscurrents of Louisiana culture by inhabiting the gray area between Cajun and Creole, convention and innovation, mystery and a revelation, experimenting and growing the show to what it’s become today: an eclectic mix of modern sounds and rhythms with ancient Cajun melodies and lyrics.
With eight albums, two GRAMMY wins in the “Best Regional Roots Music” category, contributions to the score of the Oscar-nominated Beasts Of The Southern Wild, and touring with both Arcade Fire and the Violent Femmes, Lost Bayou Ramblers continue to swing wide from their Louisiana home base.The band was formed in 1999 by brothers Andre and Louis Michot, performing the roots Cajun music they learned as members of Les Frères Michot, the family band their father and uncles formed in the 80’s. The current LBR line-up is headed-up by Louis (fiddle and lead vocals) and Andre (accordion and lapsteel), now joined by Bryan Webre (electric bass), Johnny Campos (electric guitar), Eric Heigle (electronics and acoustic guitar), and Kirkland Middleton (drums).
By 2012, the group had five albums under their belt, including a GRAMMY nomination for their 2007 release, Live a la Blue Moon. The band then released its most progressive and sonically experimental record up to that time, Mammoth Waltz. With the stylings of producer Korey Richey (LCD Soundsystem, Arcade Fire, Givers) and the help of guest artists Gordon Gano, Scarlett Johansson, and Dr. John, Mammoth Waltz was named #2 in the “Top 21 Louisiana albums of the 21st Century” by the Times Picayune, and acted as an invitation for all music lovers to tune in to the hypnotic Cajun rhythms Lost Bayou Ramblers have been known for since their inception.
In 2018, their studio album, Kalenda, brought them a GRAMMY win for “Best Regional Roots Music Album.” Lost Bayou Ramblers have continually integrated new sonic elements into their live performances, always experimenting and growing the show to what it’s become today, an eclectic mix of modern sounds and rhythms with ancient Cajun melodies and lyrics. Please join us for what is sure to be a unique and exhilarating show.
The Muncie Three Trails Music Series is a non-profit partnership between Muncie Downtown Development Partnership, Muncie Arts and Culture Council, and Rick Zeigler, series founder and organizer. The mission of the series is to bring critically acclaimed, national recording artists to perform at Canan Commons, Muncie’s premier outdoor performance venue, located in the heart of Downtown Muncie. A second mission is to promote the many recreational, artistic, and cultural attractions located along, or in close proximity to, Canan Commons and Muncie’s popular “Three Trails” — The White River Greenway, Cardinal Greenway, and Muncie Arts and Culture Trail. We hope attendees will heed our slogan, “Explore the Trails, Enjoy the Music.”
Complete information about the Muncie Three Trails Music Series can be found at www.munciethreetrails.com.
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