Warning: Side effects may include out of control dancing, waving of arms and an immediate urge to jump around.The Lee Boys rocked The Varsity Theatre last Monday night alongside the Dirty Dozen Brass Band from New Orleans.The band made its third Baton Rouge appearance, playing at the Manship Theatre earlier this year and previously at Chelsea’s Cafe.The band, consisting of brothers Alvin Lee, Keith Lee and Derrick Lee and nephews Roosevelt Collier, Alvin Cordy Jr. and Earl Walker consider themselves to be one of America’s finest African-American sacred steel ensembles, having played with musicians Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, The Derek Trucks Band and Victor Wooten.With roots in the House of God Church in Perrine, Fla., their music is jam oriented and blends mixtures of funk, rhythm and blues and soul.Alvin Lee, rhythm guitarist, said he and his brother Glenn are really into ’80s music, which comes across in a lot of their songs.”We listened to a lot of Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder,” Alvin Lee said. “We’ve really just been blessed to be around a lot of different genres of music.”But what sets them apart from other blues jam bands in the country is the 12-string pedal steel guitar played by Collier. The instrument is a guitar mounted on a stand played sitting down.The different elements of their music are apparent in the sounds the sacred steel pedal achieves. One may actually be fooled into thinking a trumpet player or even a soul singer is on stage.Sarah Burns, international studies and creative writing junior, said she had a lot of fun with both the bands performing.”Even though the crowd was smaller for the Lee Boys, the band found a way to communicate to us and make us feel like a part of the show,” Burns said.Alvin Lee said fans really get into their music when they perform.”We try to let our message speak through our music,” Alvin Lee said. “We’ve been playing this music our whole lives, and it’s been working out real well.”John Hermann, sound engineer for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, said this is the first time the two groups have been on tour together and after only a few weeks, things are looking great.”The two groups decided to play shows together because it was kind of a mutual benefit,” Hermann said. “Both bands play to the same crowds who like jam band type music, so it works out in both of their favors.”Alvin Lee said by the two bands playing together, it gives the Dirty Dozen Brass Band an opportunity to put their arms around the Lee Boys and show them the ropes.”They’ve been like our big brothers and have really helped us out,” Alvin Lee said.By playing with many well-known musicians and gaining a name recognition, Alvin Lee said he hopes the band’s music can inspire people worldwide in the future.”We hope to spread to the world something we’ve been doing our whole lives which is the sacred steel style of music,” Alvin Lee said. ” Our goal is to just be real to what we do and hope that people will appreciate the message we send through our music.”The band has played at such big venues this year such as Bonnaroo Music Festival, New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival and the Voodoo Music Festival.The Lee Boys will make their television debut performing on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” on Dec. 8.- – – -Contact Joshua Chenier at [email protected]