When Jason Christensen won the Midwest regional Jimi Hendrix Guitar Competition a few years ago, he easily blasted away the rest of the competitors.

Jason performed a cover of Hendrix’s “Manic Depression,” and included with it the amazing feats of playing behind his head and with his teeth.

“[Playing with your teeth] is exactly the same as playing with a pick except you use your teeth,” Jason said.

Scarlet Runner, hailing from La Porte City, has participated in numerous contests which have gained the band not only exposure, but bragging rights as well. The band won a Battle of the Bands contest in 1996 and was semi-finalists in Musician Magazine’s Best Unsigned Band contest two years in a row.

“I’m not really comfortable with any sort of praise or anything which is kind of weird, but it makes us feel really, really good that people enjoy listening to our music,” Jason said.

As vocalist/lead guitarist for Scarlet Runner, Jason sings with a soulful, bluesy voice and plays like a musical genius. Drawing from the techniques of Stevie Ray Vaughan and Johnny Lang, he grabs the listeners’ attention and keeps it.

And he’s only 19 years old.

With a birthday coming up within the next month, Jason doesn’t mind the age factor at all.

“I’m actually kind of glad that we’re getting out of the ‘being young’ stage,” he said. “It worked real well at first because it was kind of a gimmick to play off of to get people out to the shows.”

Now people are coming in flocks to catch a glimpse at Scarlet Runner’s unique rock ‘n’ roll vibes.

The band formed seven years ago when Jason joined up with friend and drummer Luke Rathe. When the two decided they needed a bass player, Jason’s younger brother Jack came into the picture.

“Luke lived next door and he played the drum pad at the time and my brother played the acoustic guitar,” Jack recalled. “When they decided they were going to start a band they needed a bass player, and they kind of conned me into joining the band with them.”

When the band started out, it played songs with blues overtones which were influenced by the Christensens’ father’s albums.

“We started out playing blues. None of us exclusively listen to the blues, but that’s just what we started out on,” Jason said. “After awhile, it was only natural for us to incorporate our [Red Hot] Chili Peppers influence and our Pearl Jam influence.”

Regardless of what style the band plays, Jason has no problem describing his band’s sound.

“It’s rock, but there’s a little blues tendency sometimes,” he said. “We just try to call ourselves a rock band because there’s a lot more freedom than being a blues band. We’re not a blues band by any stretch.”

Scarlet Runner, named after an “African bean plant,” take to the stage what Jason calls a “fun show.”

Jason is proud of the fact that his band can reel in an audience’s attention with the group’s magnetizing stage presence.

“We try to bring as much energy as we possibly can. The songs are completely different every night. We all have a tremendous love and appreciation for music, and I think that shows through,” he said. “We try to make it more of a show, and not a come-and-have-a-couple-drinks-while-you-talk-to-your-buddies’ thing.”

The band is currently engaged in a Midwestern tour in support of its second album, “Departure,” which is a follow-up album to “South Chain Gang.” The album features 11 original songs, mostly composed by Jason, and explores many styles, including soaring rock sprinkled with hefty blues tunes.

“I don’t hate it yet,” Jason said with a sarcastic tone in his voice. “I just don’t know of many artists that sit there and listen to their stuff and dig on their stuff.”

Fans can dig on Scarlet Runner at the M-Shop Saturday at 9 p.m. Tickets are $4 for students and $5 general admission.