Rocky Lamonde is a champion of local artists, original material and live music in general.

He’s been making music in the Pittsburgh area since 1988, and he’s a flagbearer for old school rock ‘n’ roll since 2018 with his band The Borstal Boys, which makes its Youngstown debut opening for Noisy Mama on Saturday at Westside Bowl.

Lamonde produces other artists at Pittsburgh recording studio The Vault. And he created the website Music from the 412 (musicfromthe412.com) to promote the region’s musicians. The website features audio and video by area acts and has spawned a Roku channel and apps to access all of the programming.

“I saw a need I wanted to fill,” Lamonde said. “I’m totally outraged and disgusted by the amount of tribute bands and cover bands that come through the city and every city, even the big clubs in Pittsburgh. The biggest club is Jergel’s and if you look at their monthly schedule, there’s 12 tribute bands … There’s no really big scene for original music. I wanted to do something to help original music, so that’s why I started Music from the 412.”

He believes it’s making an impact. The feedback from other artists is positive, and he sees more and more acts sharing other bands’ music, and not just songs by their friends.

Growing the audience for original music allows Lamonde to keep doing what he loves.

The Borstal Boys started as an outlet for Lamonde’s original songs after playing for decades in Pittsburgh’s Torn and Frayed. He partnered with the guitar player from that band Vinny Q.

“My favorite band on earth is Faces, and his is the Rolling Stones,” Lamonte said. “It’s old school rock ‘n’ roll.”

It evolved into a band with other western Pennsylvania music vets Mark Ponsonby, vocals; Matt Ferrante, drums and vocals; Joe Pelesky, organ and vocals; and Dave Buzard, guitar.

That evolution is reflected in the title of the band’s 2021 album “Crumbs.” On the self-titled debut (the band takes its name from a Faces song), the songs already were written and played the parts needed.

With the next album, the musicians took the “crumbs” Lamonde brought in and shaped them into the songs they became, he said.

The Borstal Boys only played a handful of shows in 2023, but the band plans to perform more this year. Lamonde said the group is in the early stages of recording its next album, and it should be finished in the fall.

“I just love to play with my friends and enjoy playing music,” he said. “Honestly, I’m at the point in my life where I know my band is never going to be a huge band or anything like that. It would be nice if a song took off or something like that, but it’s not like I’m doing a show to get on the next big tour. I do it because I enjoy playing. Getting in a car and driving to Youngstown to play 12 songs, it doesn’t feel like a chore. If it ever does, I guess I’ll stop.”

If you go …

WHO: Noisy Mama and Borstal Boys

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday

WHERE: Westside Bowl, 2617 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown

HOW MUCH: $15 in advance through Eventbrite and $20 day of show.