As with many things in life, such as personal injuries, bad marriages, and police records, the Rum & Kidney Men came to be as the result of an odd series of coincidences and several pints of good ale. Happily, though, the outcome in this case has been an exciting new band playing traditional music from the British Isles, Brittany, and America, as well as contemporary compositions in the traditional style. The Rum & Kidney Men are known for lively instrumentals, featuring fiddle and bagpipes supported by guitars and percussion, and an entertaining repertoire of songs sung in a rich, four-part harmony. Based in Northern Virginia, the band performs throughout the greater Washington, DC region.