The Cuyahoga Valley Frackers, an Akron-based acoustic quartet that plays area clubs regularly, are taking their show on the road. They are heading northward through the Valley and will appear this Saturday night, October 6 at The Barking Spider Tavern.

If you are a fan, here’s the chance to see the group in a different sort of venue. If you don’t know who they are and haven’t checked out this tavern, here’s your chance to do both in one swoop.

The Frackers (Michael Graham, Mary Plazo, Tom Schurr and Rob Thompson) are self-described as a pick up group of players from other bands – like the House Popes, Full Wave Rectifier and Brick Road Ramblers – who got together enough while playing acoustic melodies, that they decided to keep the momentum going and form their own band.

The Cuyahoga Valley Frackers in concert. Photo courtesy of The Frackers

According to the group, their musical inspirations are the likes of Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings, Uncle Tupelo, Josh Ritter and Whiskytown, among others. Within the band, they manage a diverse bunch of instruments – guitar, to be sure, but also banjo, mandolin, cajon and other percussive instruments as well as voice.

The music is based, as they say, in “a good mix of originals, traditional tunes and covers, with tight harmonies” that flow easily and not with strained precision. The group even goes a capella for a number of its pieces.

The Frackers are excited about appearing at The Barking Spider Tavern. They describe it as “a funky, intimate venue tucked away behind a coffeehouse on University Circle – when the weather’s warm, the door are open and you can enjoy the music indoors or out; when it’s cold, it’s cozy and warmed by a wood fire….”

The Barking Spider Tavern is know for providing a wide variety of musical styles for its audiences – from folk, rock and blues to jazz, bluegrass, reggae and gospel.

The Barking Spider Tavern.

The music at Barking Spider tends to run pretty much on schedule. The Frackers are slated to play at 8 p.m. as the opening act for the Bill Lestock Band, a group which also makes appearances on the Akron music scene with performances of traditional music.

The Cuyahoga Valley Frackers will appear at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 6, at The Barking Spider Tavern, 11310 Juniper Rd., Akron; 216-421-2863; www.barkingspidertavern.com. Admission is free.