Government Issue, a nationally known hard-core rock band, will perform during the Underground Music Festival 1989 at the Scorpion Sunday.

Five other bands will play in the festival, which is the first of its kind in State College, Eric Thies, one of the festival's promoters, said.

Electric Love Muffin, from Philadelphia, The Outcrowd, from Maryland, Hope, from Philadelphia, Dare To Defy, from Westchester, and Johnson Slappers, from State College, will play hard-core rock from 1:30 p.m. until about 8 p.m., Thies (senior-film), said.

The bands will be playing mostly originals, he said.

"The main problem with State College is that there is not enough alternate or underground music outlets in this area," Thies said.

He said the show is for all ages and no alcohol will be served.

"We want to put on a show that University students as well as high school students can go to," Thies said.

Government Issue's latest album is called Crash, Thies said. Electric Love Muffin and Outcrowd have albums as well. Electric Love Muffin's is called Playdoh Meathook, and Outcrowd's is New Music Solution.

"Hope includes ex-members of McRad and Little Gentlemen, two great Philly bands," Thies said.

"Dare To Defy. . .sounds like a combination of Ludichrist and the Cro-Mags," he said.

Johnson Slappers, of which Thies is the drummer, features former members of Macrame and Oriental Lickmasters, Thies said.

Johnson Slappers is comprised of three University students, Thies, Eric Komar (junior-film), guitar and vocals, and Ken Haupt (junior-economics), bass and vocals.

Jeff Thies, drummer and manager of Dare To Defy, said "We're psyched to play in State College!" All kinds of people come out to see them play, he added.

The festival is being presented by Four-Ten Productions, a non-profit organization, Thies said. "Five guys are actually promoting the show," he added, saying that "Four-Ten is my apartment number."

In addition to Thies, Four-Ten Productions is made up by Trey Hartstern (junior-mechanical engineering), Gregg Miller (senior-liberal arts), Lou Smith (senior-math) and Pete Sullivan (junior-chemical engineering).

"Making money is the least of our concerns," said Thies. "Every large college town has a venue that showcases underground or alternative music. Penn State doesn't. We hope to bring some of the bigger name underground acts to Penn State."

The Scorpion is acting as host for the festival, Thies explained. Four-Ten Productions is handling the promotion of the event, and the Scorpion divides part of the profit with them. "They've been very cooperative," he said.

"I hope it goes well for the guys," Bob Berrigan, owner of the Scorpion, said.

He said Four-Ten Productions is taking a big risk with the festival.

"State College is pretty apathetic toward new music," Berrigan explained.

He said this is the first time this many bands have played at the Scorpion in one event.

There is a $7.00 cover charge for the festival.