The Blakes — recently named one of Seattle’s top 10 bands to watch — are coming to the Dog House on Saturday.

One member of the successful rock band is a 1998 graduate of South Whidbey. Drummer Bob Husak met his current bandmates, two brothers from B.C., while he was working at a Seattle coffee shop in 1999.

They started writing music together and the band took off from there.

Now, the successful team of musicians that has a national tour and an EP under their belts have returned home to play venues around the Northwest.

It doesn’t matter if the venue is big or small, in a big city or in a small town, The Blakes branch out with their music so all kinds of people can see them play.

“One thing we learned from the road is that it’s so much bigger than just your town,”

guitar player Garnet Keim said. “Having fans in small towns is just as important as having fans in big towns.”

The Blakes aren’t worried about fitting in with Seattle’s “scene,” they really just want to play their music and make people dance.

“We are a dance-rock band. Bottom line. We go out and make people dance,” bass player Garnet Keim said.

“It’s the least new thing you’ve ever heard of in your life — but it’s always worked,” Keim said.

The Blakes said their music is influenced by of all major stages of good ole rock ‘n roll.

“It’s a little bit retro ‘60s,” Husak said.

“Take a little ‘70s and ‘80s. Throw in a little 2000s,” The Keim brothers said. “And add a little ‘90s.”

The Blakes said they aren’t into the heavy-screamer sound that a lot of bands are putting out these days; they have their own thing going.

“If all of the bands are trying to be heavy and dark, it starts to get rehashed. It’s not creative and interesting,” Snow Keim said.

“I think that what made Black Sabbath so cool in the ‘70s was that they were the only ones doing that sound,” he said.

Husak said he’s excited to come back to the island to perform.

“It’ll be cool,” Husak said. “I’ll get to see some old friends that still live here.”

Husak said he’ll also get to visit with his dad who still lives on the island, too.

This is the fifth time The Blakes have played on Whidbey, but it will be their first time performing at a bar or restaurant.

“We’re going to put the Dog House into the ocean,” Husak said.

The band likes their audiences to have a lot of fun listening to them play, and they have fun performing, too.

“We are pretty energetic on stage, so people like that,” Garnet Keim said.

There’s nothing else quite like being on stage, Husak said. It’s his favorite part about being a musician.

The band members also said they like working for themselves, and while doing something that their hearts are totally into.

“We’re working hard at what we do,” Snow Keim said. “And the reward is so much greater because you worked that much harder.”

Right now, The Blakes are concentrating on improving as musicians. And they said a lot of that comes from performing.

“We’re all getting play time, that’s the most important thing for a band to get better, being on stage and learning how to perform,” Garnet Keim said.

“The better you get at something, the more you can express yourself through that,” Snow Keim said.

The Blakes perform about four times per week.

Audiences who watch the band play are getting a sneak peek into some of the songs on The Blakes’ upcoming album.

Their CD — with the current working title of “Modern Man” — is scheduled to come out in April or May.

The three musicians are eager to see what the future holds, but are also just happy to be where they are right now.

“Where we want to be is where we’re headed. We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Husak said.