(PITTSFIELD, Mass.) – Folk-rock group 10,000 Maniacs – one of the original “indie-rock” groups – brings its vintage 1980s “college-rock” sound to the Colonial Theatre on Saturday, September 27 at 8pm.

Founded in fall 1981 in Jamestown, N.Y., by Robert Buck, Dennis Drew, Steven Gustafson, John Lombardo and Natalie Merchant, with Jerry Augustyniak joining in 1983, the group went on to score numerous hit singles in the late 1980s early ‘90s, including “Like The Weather,” “What’s The Matter Here?” “Eat for Two,” and covers of Cat Steven’s “Peace Train” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Because the Night” (their biggest chart hit), and toured with the likes of REM.

Over the years, the group has undergone several lineup changes, most notably the departure of lead singer and lyricist Natalie Merchant in 1993, who went on to enjoy a solo career. For much of the time since then, Mary Ramsey – John Lombardo’s duet partner in their group, John and Mary – has assumed the role of lead vocalist, often to great acclaim, although the group has never enjoyed the sort of commercial success it realized with Merchant.

The band’s last few albums have been crowd-funded, and their upcoming release, “Twice Told Tales,” is a collection of traditional folk songs from the British Isles.