It was hot out, Aug. 29, the second day of LouFest. Not yet unbearably so, but for the beetred masses, just the s lightest glint of sunlight made one wonder if it was all worth it. Could good music be worth never again being able to feel one’s face?

For the fans – myself among them – who turned out for the Carolina Chocolate Drops’ hour long set, skin cancer would mean nothing so long as we still had our ears. It wasn’t that the three musicians – Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens and Justin Robinson – were particularly flashly or outlandish. They might never play to a screaming crowd of many thousands at Madison Square Garden or let loose an arsenal of destruction during a guitar solo. But what they accomplish with aplomb is an hour of damn good music, music to bob the head, tap the toe and move the soul.

The Chocolate Drops play mostly ‘old time’ acoustic music, but they do so with a passion that the other various indie-darling acts at the festival don’t dare to show. Instead of seeming embarrassed about their tunes, the Chocolate Drops could probably talk passionately for hours about each and every chord, discuss the histories of their beats and divulge the secrets of their lyrics. And that’s before they start playing.

If you’ve not yet listened to their musical stylings, I highly recommend you pick up their latest album – Genuine Negro Jig – and try to get to a live show as quickly as possible. If you’re lucky, maybe Rhiannon will sing minus instrumental accompaniment, her voice alone enough to raise goosebumps.

Perhaps Dom Flemons will talk for a little while about the legacy behind their music, taking you into the roots of modern music.

And while Justin Robinson might be a man of few words, he joins his fellow musicians in being almost unfairly talented with every instrument he picks up.

I don’t care if the Carolina Chocolate Drops aren’t “your kind of music;” if you know what’s good for you, do yourself a favor and bring their artistry into your life today.