You know the feeling. When you hear a new band for the first time and one by one the goose bumps rise. That’s when you become aware.

One man, Gregg Latterman, is more aware than anyone. Founder of AWARE records, Latterman is dedicated to making sure the best of unsigned bands get heard.

Conceived in 1993, AWARE was founded as an organization that produces compilation discs that feature songs by local, unsigned bands from all over the country.

“What prompted the whole thing was about three years ago everything I listened to was good music,” Latterman explained. “But you wouldn’t know about these bands unless you were from their hometown.”

So, while working as a CPA in Boston, Latterman gave birth to AWARE . What started out as a one man operation out of “a desk in the corner” of Latteman’s apartment, has become a full fledged record company launching its own long-play discs.

“Major labels are a marketing machine,” Latterman said. “I wanted to figure out a way for networking bands. Now, we have a pretty big office and we’re doing full-length records, not just compilations.”

The AWARE compilations have had an amazing reputation, though, for bringing unsigned bands to the spotlight. Past AWARE alumni include Jackopierce, Hootie and the Blowfish, The Verve Pipe and Better Than Ezra, to name a few.

With the above having traveled into the major label jungle, one might think Latterman is feeling sidelined. On the contrary, he’s forever grateful.

“It’s awesome that they’ve gone on and they’ve actually helped us,” he said. “They still do lots of stuff for us and it’s good to know they were a part of AWARE.”

But it’s the current line up of AWARE artists on the road promoting the new release, AWARE 4, that are getting all of Latterman’s help. The tour features four AWARE bands. Atheneum, Farmer and 19 Wheels open up for headliner Stir.

Natives of St. Charles, Mo., Stir hooked up in 1993 playing a melodic blend of aggressive guitar riffs and introspective lyrics.

Citing influences such as Van Halen, Led Zepplin and Air Supply, (what?) the trio of Andrew Schmidt on vocals and guitar, drummer Brad Booker are destined to be the next AWARE breakthroughs Latterman said.

You can check out Stir and the rest of the AWARE tour when they roll into People’s Bar and Grill tonight at 9 p.m. Cover is a bargain at $3 and 21 gets you in the door.