CHRISTINA O'CONNOR Special to The Roanoke Times

Ben Hurt plays classic folk rock tunes at Oddfella's Cantina in Floyd. Oddfella's features live music on a stage tucked in the corner of the restaurant.

FLOYD -- Music is a part of Floyd, so it's a part of Oddfella's Cantina.

"We're rich with diverse musicians in the area," said Kerry Underwood, co-owner of Oddfella's in downtown Floyd. "It's been part of the restaurant for a long time, and I think music's a part of Floyd."

Oddfella's features live music on a stage tucked in the corner of the restaurant. Artists play everything from blues to bluegrass to folk to Celtic.

Most are local performers, but some come from places such as New York, North Carolina and Europe.

Underwood, with partner Julie Arrington, took ownership of the restaurant about a year ago. Music had been a part of the restaurant, and Underwood said it was important to keep it.

"It's part of our ambiance," she said. "I think music is very much a draw, along with our food."

Windfall, an acoustic quartet made up of Michael and Kari Kovick, Dave Fason and Rusty May, played for Oddfella's dinner crowd Aug. 22.

"They usually have a good crowd," Fason said.

He said the band plays Oddfella's two or three times a year. During the dinner hour, the band tries to keep the music quiet, but once people settle in to relax and have a couple of drinks or dessert, the musicians turn the sound up.

"You have to be watching the crowd at a place like this," Fason said. "You have to be quiet when they want to talk, but we get louder when they get louder."

He said a smaller venue rather than a large concert or festival is nice because the members of the band can have more interaction with the crowd and see their reactions to the music.

Music notes is a feature series written by Amy Matzke that showcases places to hear music in the New River Valley. Have a favorite stage? Contact Matzke at amy.matzke@roanoke.com or 381-1674.