Live Bands Performing at THON

Posted by Matt D'Ippolito on 02/17 at 12:07 PM

It’s that time of year again at Penn State: THON weekend. And that means essentially 46 hours of back-to-back music blasting from the loudspeakers of the BJC. One of the highlights are the many cover bands that will grace the stage. Here’s a rundown, in order of appearance, of who will be performing this year and what to expect from each band.

Table Ten: These guys are regulars on the bar scene here in State College, and are THON veterans. They like to add a reggae feel to their covers.

Fred Smoothe and the Midnight Social: You may recognize this band from Smoothe Thursdays at the Dark Horse. According to their Facebook page, they play “Hits from the 80s, 90s and today!”

My Hero Zero: Much like the Midnight Social, expect these Saloon regulars to play a mix of the newest dance and rock hits and those of the 80s and 90s. They play a great Sweet Caroline.

Velveeta: A staple in State College cover band scene, and also with a presence in Pittsburgh, this band styles themselves as a “lean, mean rocking machine.” They specialize in what they call, “cheesy 80s music.”

Lowjack: With southern and folk influences, this band plays some mean jam band and country/folk hits, including some from Dave Matthew’s Band, Charlie Daniels’ Band and Old Crow Medicine Show.

Total White Out: You may know these guys as 5 Cherry Lewis. The band changed its name only a few months ago. They played at THON last year, too, with a very eclectic set that included covers of boy bands like the Backstreet Boys, rappers like Kanye West, and even old-school rocker Chuck Berry. But you can expect mostly contemporary dance and rock covers from them this year.

Dave Joyce and the Long Barrels: These classic rockers have changed their name from Dave Joyce and the Slow Pitch Band. This will be their second performance at THON.

Jason O: The My Hero Zero frontman is set as the main attraction for 20 minutes this year, presumably performing his own looped guitar solo music, a Jason Mraz-esque style.

Kate Weston: Her “Never Alone” collaboration FTK with Penn State sophomore and THON PR captain Dan Fratoni made her a YouTube sensation.

Gates Tomorrow: This Hershey-based band got their start at a mini-THON fundraiser. Guitarist Michael Broda is a Four Diamonds child, according to The Daily Collegian. Who knows what to expect from these THON newcomers?

Go Go Gadjet: IndiGo-Go made this exciting local band famous. Expect a high energy set full of fun covers and fantastic surprises from these crowd-pleasing THON vets, who will once again be the closing band at THON.

Noticeably absent from this year’s lineup is the JR and Natalie Band, who have traditionally been a THON staple, playing a wide range of covers including R&B, classic rock and country. This will be the first year in the memory of any PSU senior that the group won’t be playing THON. Regardless, the cover bands at THON 2012 are sure to be big crowd-pleasers, pumping up dancers and onlookers alike and setting an exciting atmosphere throughout the event.

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