When reminiscing about crayon boxes, the competitiveness of box size comes to most people’s minds. Many may recall the importance of the ridiculous amounts of crayons that came inside just one box or cannot forget the feat of getting a picture put on the refrigerator door that used only the primary colors.

Contrary to the populace, when recollecting their childhood crayon-box sizes, members of the Roadhouse Blues Band, or Roadhouse as they typically call themselves, relate it to their musical upbringings.

According to the band’s “Crayon Theory,” some draw with every shade of blue or orange imaginable when creating music, while others figured it all out from the 12 crayons given to them as a child.

For example, Ryan Peterson (guitar, vocals, trumpet) draws with one of the larger boxes to create one-fifth of the band’s musical masterpiece.

Similar to Peterson, the rest of the group, Craig Bauman (guitar, vocals), A.J. Dexheimer (drums), Sean Lau (auxiliary percussion, saxophone, vocals), and Kevin Robert Rowe (bass, vocals), complete the melodic drawing with their vibrantly colored music educations.

Coming from all over the musical-genre map, the members of Roudhouse smoothly paint an eclectic sound and set it with a root in the blues. Common inspirations for the group include the Allman Brothers Band, Stevie Rae Vaughn, moe., Victor Wooten and especially Bauman’s grandfather Ron Kelin.

Although the group’s music remains quite unique, most of these influences surface at a Roadhouse show.

“We don’t even call ourselves a blues band anymore,” Bauman explained. As their style begins to stray in different directions, they conjure up a portrait of blues, jazz, extensive jamming, and fusion in each of their performances.

“We just try and play what the crowd tells us through its aura,” Dexheimer added. “[Playing is] like a release of sexual energy with the audience.”

Along with this sensual discharge, the guys claim that music cleanses their spirits. When writing, Roadhouse attempts to portray the true emotions of the members’ lives. “It’s not the importance of music in your life, but life in your music,” Bauman clarified.

In the song “Pain’s Highway,” Peterson seeks to describe the emotional trip of ending a relationship. Likewise, in “End of the Beginning,” Bauman associates the flow of a river with the stream of change that comes with leaving childhood.

Just as well as they reveal their spiritual sides, Roadhouse’s members can also illustrate how to have a good time; “Grass Roots” simply speaks of the band’s ability to enjoy all facets of life.

The group exhibits its joy with a myriad of covers to rile the crowds. In order to play covers, though, the guys must put their own Roadhouse riffs to the original music and lyrics. For their Feb. 7 show at Memorial Union the group decided to convert Eminem’s latest hit, “Lose Yourself,” into a rock/blues tune.

Roadhouse’s cover repertoire does not stop here, though; it jumps from the Scabs (when the members’ parents are not present) to Snoop Dogg.

The band confidently arrives at its shows without a clue of what it will be playing. In fact, they never write a set list. “Sometimes I even close my eyes and play,” Dexheimer said.

The band just comes together on stage, Bauman explained. Peterson added that the songs they choose to play also revolve around the crowd’s aura.

Because audience members range in age from five to 105, the ability to relate auras can be challenging. “Luckily, everyone has the blues,” Bauman declared

Since Roadhouse’s beginnings can be traced to the days when crayon-box size still spawned jealousy among friends, the members’ bonds with each other hold firm. Presently in separate cities and schools, the guys’ pre-show ritual consists of catching up on each others’ lives, while Bauman pushes the others to be ready on time.

A more ceremonious routine of Roudhouse consists of lighting a five-wicked candle, each wick representing a separate member. As the flame turns from five into one, Peterson explained, the members’ spirits do as well.

While ceremonies like these help Roadhouse stay relaxed and keep shows from becoming routine, the band’s peaceful off-stage nature is the opposite of its on-stage demeanor. In one show, Lau’s passion was so explosive that his nose started bleeding.

Focusing their energy during performances helps the guys connect not only with the audience but with each other as well.

Roadhouse looks forward to touring this summer, possibly in Arizona, in addition to recording a CD.

Bauman concluded that while long-term plans include earning degrees, most either in music or public relations, for now, “It’s all about sharing our crayons.”

Roadhouse can be reached through RoadhouseBluesBand.com, which includes a comprehensive listing of upcoming shows and sound clips.