Through the doors to the State Theatre’s auditorium, you find your seat and face the velvet curtains. You wait for the hush of the dimming lights, the first few notes from the orchestra to float over the air and the first sight of the stage as it appears from behind that concealing curtain, just brimming with stories that only need wait for the actors to bring them to life.

This is what you’re meant to see in the theater. What you don’t see, the world of the backstage, lies behind the fourth wall, behind the curtain, among the rigging, light booms and bricks.

This world, the often hidden backstage, will be revealed, open and new, as a music venue for the opening of the Back Stage Concert Series this season. This co-venture between the State Theatre, 316 Eau Claire St., and Volume One Magazine is an all-ages concert series, featuring some of Chippewa Valley’s finest musicians.

“With this series, it’s all about the space,” said Nick Meyer, editor-in-chief of Volume One. “It’s such a unique live music environment that people don’t often get to see and you can’t get anywhere else.”

Each concert in the series will be on the stage, with the curtains closed.

“You won’t be able to see the auditorium,” he said. “The whole audience is on the stage along with the band and the bar.”

The series, though all-ages, will have refreshments available, including beer, wine, and soft drinks.

“We thought it would be a fun experiment to use the backstage,” said Ben Richgruber, executive director of the State Theatre. “We’re transforming this venue into a completely new, big-city type of nightlife venue that is absent from this area.”

Though small, the backstage of the State may prove to be an intimate concert setting.

“The size is perfect for this type of concert,” said senior Ian Jacoby of Laarks. “It’s small, but not too small. It’s better when everyone is packed in and close to the stage – it makes for a really cool show. (Meyer and Richgruber) have really gone out of their way to make this not-your-average-type of concert.”

This new addition to the Chippewa Valley music scene preserves the nightlife and club aspect of the concert in contrast to the outdoor concert series that Volume One has previously held, Meyer said.

“The (Sounds Like Summer) concert series we produced had a big impact on the music scene because those who aren’t really interested in or don’t know much about music can see a lot of local bands that they didn’t know,” Meyer said. “And with this series, in contrast to the outdoor shows, you have a nightlife aspect that you just can’t get at a local bar. So much is emphasized on a cool experience in a cool environment.”

Showcasing local talent is a must, Meyer and Richgruber agreed.

“Everybody (performing in the series) is 100 percent related to the Eau Claire music scene,” Meyer said. “We’re trying to give a diverse representation of what’s available on the local music scene.”

Though the line-up for the series is not entirely set in stone, a wide variety of music is featured, ranging from bluegrass to indie to folk to rock. Kicking off the Back Stage Concert series at 7 p.m. today will be The Gentle Guest (indie rock) and The New North String Band (bluegrass).

“They’re both bands that have a lot of momentum right now,” Meyer said. “The Gentle Guest released a record last year that was awesome, and they’re working on a second right now. The New North String Band is on fire – they’ve been playing shows all over the country, and the singer is winning awards at music writing festivals.”

Along with showcasing local talent, the series may also invite attendees to experience styles of music they hadn’t before.

“While playing with The Gentle Guest, we get the opportunity to play for a group of people that may not be familiar with bluegrass,” said Eau Claire native Jake Henry, vocalist and mandolin player for The New North String Band. “When it comes to bluegrass, a lot of groups play the same traditional bluegrass music over and over again. However, we’ve decided to write several originals and have found a lot of success in doing our own thing.”

The first night of the series will prove to be an interesting combination with The New North String Band coupled with The Gentle Guest, he said.

“I think (Laarks’) Ian Jacoby described us best as ‘folky demon rock.’ We have a very Americana sound,” said Paul Brandt, lap steel guitarist for The Gentle Guest. “I’m looking forward to playing backstage at the State. It was weird at first (when filming the promotional videos), but you get used to it. It’s an interesting, intimate setting.”

The Back Stage Concert Series, equipped with this new, exposed backstage venue, is sure to bring the sounds of the Chippewa Valley to music lovers and non-music lovers alike, Meyer said.

For more information, head to www.volumeone.org/backstage, where you can check out the schedule and line-up as well as listen to tracks from and watch videos of the bands.