THOMASTON — Over the last three years, something has been subtly shifting in the Midcoast. It hasn’t been overtly noticeable to everyone, but if you grew up here in the 1980s, raged in the decade-long party that was the 1990s, suffered through the stagnant, suffocating lack of a cultural scene in the 2000s, something is different now.

Midcoast is becoming way hipper. But it’s still an underground secret in a lot of ways.

National magazines have already picked up on the art and foodie trend in the Midcoast, and now live, original music is picking up steam.

The Strand, Camden Opera House and Rockport Opera House are largely responsible for higher profile acts, but bar bands have traditionally been small, local and well, what you come to expect from a bar band — until now. Along with Rock City Café (Velvet Lounge) in Rockland, and Three Tides in Belfast bringing in national, alternative, high-energy acts, there’s a new kid in town. For the last six months, Billy’s Tavern in Thomaston has begun to stand out as a tastemaker when it comes to attracting outstanding, up-and-coming music.

Portland band Tricky Britches (try saying that three times fast) is coming tonight to play at Billy’s. While Tricky Britches describes themselves as “old-time country, with a bluegrass kick and the bounce of a street-corner jugband” Burke puts a finer point on it.

“They bring a young, alternative and a little more edgy sensibility to their music,” he said. “They have taken the old style of bluegrass, country and freshened it up with a very contemporary feel.”

Burke is Generation X, with musical influences drawn strongly from the 1990s. “We like to bring in original music," he said. “We’re very eclectic, but want to draw a high caliber of talent. We’ve brought in Irish bands, Gypsy bands, indie folk-country-alt bands. We brought the 1920s and 1930s jazz band, Tuba Skinny. We were the first to bring Primo Cubano, a Cuban band, here, and now they’re regularly coming back to the Midcoast. Only in the last six months have we been getting very serious about making Billy’s a premier music venue, bringing bands from all over the country.”

The atmosphere at Billy’s Tavern, named after Burke’s father, Billy, is modeled after an Irish pub. The bar opened in 2007 and ever since, they’ve been finding ways to connect the small town of Thomaston into the larger developing cultural scene of Rockland. Burke, whose wife, Brooke and two children, have lived here since 1999, said, “We’re always so amazed at how many cool things are going on in the Midcoast. We’ve gotten such a huge reception to the music, that we feel that’s a way we can distinguish ourselves, even in the summer time, when people have so many great choices. You can go for a hike, go for a sail, go out to dinner and then, after 9 p.m., you can come out and hear a world-class band.”

The large expansive room with dark walls, dark wooden tables and a gas-fired stove appeals to the type of patron who likes a hometown bar to feel cozy, but not overly fancy. On live music nights, all the tables and chairs are moved out of the way to accommodate dancing. On several online reviews, some patrons have complained that the music is way too loud, but others will counter that’s why the phrase “if the music is too loud, you’re too old” was invented. 

Dan Engel, who does the live music booking for Billy’s “is doing a phenomenal job,” said Burke. “He has the passion for music and a keen eye for talent.” Their spring lineup includes bands from Brooklyn, N.Y., Athens, Ga., and all over Maine. Next weekend, The Ghost of Paul Revere, a “holler folk band” from Portland will be back up to play at Billy’s.

“If you want to sit in a theater and watch an act perform, that’s great for some. But, for those who want to have a drink, dance and have some fun, it's a very different scene. We’re trying to showcase the cream of the crop in terms of original music and give people in this area an opportunity to see bands that are on a big-time trajectory. What we’re trying to do is get the bands here so people can see them before they get too big,” said Burke.

• March 1: Tricky Britches, starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $5 and proper ID is required. To keep on top of their upcoming musical lineup, follow Billy’s Tavern on Facebook or visit their website.

Kay Stephens can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com.