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Straying away from traditional sounds, the former features a wilder bluegrass style with rock 'n' roll grooves and jams.

But those who are fans of the Thumb area-based Blackriver Bluegrass Boys will notice they are completely "true" to their bluegrass roots. They are set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the downtown Lapeer theater.

"These guys are very traditional bluegrass," said Craig Martin, director of the PIX Theatre. "They all get around one microphone, and it's all acoustic instruments. They're fantastic. They really are."

For the past 11 years, Blackriver has been performing around the southeastern Michigan area, which is where all the band members call home. Banjo player and harmony vocalist Barry Brinker resides in Deckerville; guitarist and lead vocalist Gary Koester lives in Port Sanilac; lead vocalist Tim Brown, who plays mandolin, guitar and fiddle, is from Rochester; fiddlist Ron Patten is from Port Huron, and Gary Trigger of Carsonville plays bass.

"Some of us grew up around each other," Trigger said. "Two of us are in-laws related. Our fathers used to play music and entertain folks. We kind of picked up in their shoes.

We all loved country music. Once we got bitten by the bluegrass bug, here we are. There was no turning back at the point."

A cover group, the band performs popular songs from such bluegrass artists such as the Stanley Brothers, Bill Monroe, Ricky Skaggs and more. Using one microphone and huddling around it "like the old days," patrons won't see any monitors or speakers on stage.

"We don't need them. We're singing acoustically," Trigger said. "We believe this is the best way to blend harmonies. It works really good."

Blackriver performs around 15 gigs a year, primarily in the summer time and outdoors in Sanilac, Huron, St. Clair Macomb, Lapeer and Oakland counties, north of Detroit and up through the Thumb. In December, they played at the Sanilac Historical Museum in Port Sanilac.

When they started out, Trigger said he thought the band would last a couple years and then die out. Now they have gathered a small fanbase.

"We always love seeing new faces too," he said. "People enjoy what we do. Not so much the younger teens, although there are some that are into bluegrass."

Ten years ago, the band recorded a self-titled CD of 15 bluegrass songs. Those who purchased one would be glad to know it's a collector's item as only around 500 were sold.

But a new one is in the works, which will have a more gospel theme to it. It will possibly come out in the fall, Trigger said.

"We all love the music and we get along great with each other," he said, adding he loves the camaraderie and entertaining parts of the band. "You have someone who loves what you're doing, and you feed off them and they feed off you. The crowd is loving you. It's a sweet moment. Fortunately, it happens quite a bit."

Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

The Blackriver Bluegrass Boys can be seen on the Web at www.bbbontour.com.