The band Canoe Ridge performed at Butler Little Theatre last February for the Keystone Opry series. Submitted Photo

A series of toe-tapping traditional bluegrass and country bands are gracing a Butler stage several times this year, with the kickoff concert scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14.

The Keystone Opry series at Butler Little Theatre will have several performances spanning into April, and promoter Zach Rearick said the goal is to give a voice to local music groups.

“It’s tough to find a place to play anymore and connect with your audience,” he said. “Bars don’t book as much live music anymore.”

Rearick helped organize another bluegrass concert event at the BLT last year, and the success of it prompted this expansion.

“We did a couple last year; we had a good turnout so we added a full season … We ended up selling out the first show,” he said. “The theater was happy with the turnout, and we were ecstatic.”

The band Echo Valley performed at Butler Little Theatre last February for the Keystone Opry series. Submitted Photo

The performances on Saturday will feature two local bands, Border Ride and Tug Creek. Rearick said listeners can expect a lot of traditional bluegrass and country songs and maybe a few originals.

“Border Ride has been around for years; they’ve performed a good bit in the area,” he said. “They’ve been emerging and rebranding themselves, really pushing hard at it again. Tug Creek is an extremely traditional bluegrass band, with a lot of veterans to the bluegrass scene.”

Rearick said the Keystone Opry has another concert planned for November, as well as a Christmas special with his own band, Middleground.

He added that audience members tend to appreciate the theater setting for shows and that anyone looking for a traditional music experience in an intimate venue will love the shows.

“It’s America’s music, in my opinion,” Rearick said of bluegrass.

For more information on the Keystone Opry’s concerts, visit keystoneopry.com.