The ordinarily quiet halls of Ida Noyes were rocked by three South Side blues bands during Blues and Ribs, a night of food, music and dancing Friday.

Drawn to the event mainly for the free food, students packed the table and floor seats within half an hour of the doors opening. The food lines were full as visitors waited to enjoy St. Louis ribs and spinach pie, as well as the standard sides of cole slaw, potato salad, and corn muffins. Organizers ran out of ribs around 11 p.m.

On the first floor, the rock-influenced sounds of Charlie Love and the Silky Smooth Band filled the air while a bright strobe light added to the effect.

Nellie Tiger Travis and the Men in Black performed in the library as some couples shed their inhibitions and kicked into swing sequences. The band covered a number of classic oldies such as The Temptations’s “Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch,” and “My Girl,” prompting the crowd to sing along.

Those who ventured up to the third floor were rewarded with the Nu Blu Band’s trumpets, trombones, and drums. The band played a creative fusion of big band flair, blues, disco, and contemporary pop.

“[The event] ran more smoothly, had better traffic flow and attendance this year than past years,” said Padma Chirumamilla, the public relations representative for the Council on University Programming, which sponsored the event.