ROCKLAND – The blues is more than a fair-weather friend in Rockland.

Thousands turn out for a week in July when the North Atlantic Blues Festival comes to town, but increasingly, blues musicians are finding a receptive audience in the Lime City even during the dark nights of November.

On Monday, Nov. 15, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Bnois King perform, and then on the following Monday, Nov. 22, Carey and Lurrie Bell come to town. Both groups will play at the Time-Out Pub on South Main Street.

Paul Benjamin, who launched the Blues Festival 10 years ago, is responsible for extending the blues season, booking acts at the pub.

Time-Out owner Jim Beaulieu said blues music is a regular at his bar from February to December.

“The blues shows are doing great,” he said. “It’s quite a draw,” topping even rock acts.

On Monday, Beaulieu took a phone call from someone in Presque Isle asking about the music schedule. And there’s a regular crowd that comes to Rockland from Bangor to get its blues fix.

Beaulieu credits Benjamin for building the audience in Maine for blues of all stripes, from big-city electric boogie to rural acoustic blues.

Smokin’ Joe Kubek, a Texas electric guitar player who developed his chops playing with the late Freddie King, falls into the former category. Kubek hooked up with Louisiana native Bnois King 15 years ago to form a musical partnership that creates an interesting twist on the blues.

Kubek, 47, said he listened to guitar players such as Eric Clapton and Peter Green as a teenager, and then discovered the African-American blues players who inspired the white English musicians. As a result, Kubek’s approach to the electric guitar is influenced by rock.

“It was a kind of a Texas thing,” he said of his rock guitar tone and attack. “We got introduced to it through the English cats.” But soon after, Kubek discovered the original sources.

“I was into B.B. King when I was 14,” he said.

Kubek’s solos are largely devoid of the vibrato and string-bending technique many blues players rely on, and instead feature a driving, clean approach. The result is a fresh, exciting take on a familiar genre.

Bnois King comes from a different musical tradition, Kubek said, and brings a different approach to playing harmony behind Kubek.

“Bnois has got a jazz background,” Kubek said, “but at the same time, [his playing] is simple.” King sings lead on their most recent record on the Blind Pig label, “Show Me The Money,” and plays some of the guitar solos.

The album entered the Billboard blues chart when it was released in June, Kubek said.

“We got to slide in between Britney and 50 Cent,” he joked.

The pair play about 200 shows a year. They just returned from a tour of six European countries.

“I love Maine,” Kubek said. “It’s a great state. I have a blast.”

Carey and Lurrie Bell, a father-and-son team from Chicago, roll into the Time-Out the Monday after Kubek and King. Their sound is pure traditional.

Carey, the father, is a blues harmonica player of astonishing technique, as evidenced on their latest record on the Alligator label, “Second Nature.” Son Lurrie plays acoustic guitar. Both take turns on vocals, favoring mostly traditional blues songs.

Tom Groening can be reached at 338-3034 and groening@midcoast.com.