The lights went dark before the show. Not just in the room, but throughout the city.

Thanks to a bit of bad luck, Luther Wright and the Wrongs began its tour in New York during the blackout this August. They will finish the first leg of their tour at the Maintenance Shop Saturday.

However, not even a power outage could stop them from playing music and enjoying themselves.

“We got beer and nachos and spent all night jamming with members of the other bands,” Luther Wright says.

“You could actually see the stars in New York City.”

The band members say they are excited to return to the M-Shop. They played there last February and Wright says they really enjoyed the experience.

“You’re surrounded by the crowd. It’s intimate, but you can still pack in a lot of people,” Wright says.

“It was one of the highlights of the tour.”

Wright says the band’s style doesn’t always appeal to audiences in university settings, but Iowa is different.

“We have an old country sound — sometimes university crowds aren’t into that,” Wright says.

“But it was cool in Iowa. There was a good, wide age group.”

The band is sometimes billed as bluegrass, but Wright says the band’s sound shouldn’t be classified that way.

“We don’t call ourselves bluegrass, even though we draw on a lot of bluegrass styling,” Wright says.

“We have electric drums and guitar.”

Luther Wright and the Wrongs have been together for six years, Wright says. During this time, they have recorded four albums.

Besides Wright, two of the five members currently on tour — bassist and vocalist Sean Kelly and guitarist and vocalist Dan Curtis — have been around for the band’s entire existence. Megan Palmer, a fiddle player originally from Ohio, joined the band a year ago.

Drummer Mauro Sepe joined the band last January. Sepe and Wright were in a grass-punk band together with Wright’s brother George seven years ago, Wright says.

When Wright’s drummer got married and left the band, he remembered Sepe.

“I thought I better call my old buddy Mauro,” Wright says.

“He has brought new life into the band.”

Wright says they will be emphasizing their new album, “Guitar Pickin’ Martyrs,” during Saturday’s performance.

However, they also shape their shows around the audience.

“If everyone is up talking and drinking, we’ll play some different songs than if people are sitting on their hands,” Wright says.

The songs on “Guitar Pickin’ Martyrs” were written primarily by Wright.

“Its sort of a concept album, written around the broken-heart story,” Wright says.

The group’s next album will be a showcase of the band, including songs written by Curtis and Kelly. Those at the M-shop Saturday will get a sample of these new songs.

Wright says fans should support not just them, but all live country performers.

“One of the great things about country is you can sing about heartache and still dance to it,” Wright says.

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Who: Luther Wright and the Wrongs

Where: Maintenance Shop

When: 9 p.m., Sunday

Cost: $7 students, $10 public