Living Colour's sound is loud, its performance sometimes erratic, and its words always socially conscious.

The band, which addresses issues such as AIDS, civil rights and drug abuse, will bring a hard rock sound with a message at 8 p.m. Sunday in Rec Hall.

This social awareness is one reason why the band is performing here the night after Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Gerard Louison (senior-health policy administration), a Black Caucus member, said Living Colour recognized this weekend as an opportunity to play a concert and speak to the African-American community at Penn State. After the concert, the band will hold a general assembly meeting with University blacks.

Vogel said the Black Caucus was the deciding factor in persuading Living Colour to play here. Before accepting this concert date, the band had asked if it would be playing to a black or predominantly white audience.

"They're going to make an impact on Penn State in two different ways . . . musically and intellectually," Louison said.

After releasing its debut album Vivid, the band set out on a long and successful tour which covered the United States, Europe and Japan. Now that the band has released its second album, Time's Up, the band seems to be returning to smaller arenas.

Steve Vogel, the chairman of the University Concert Committee, said "after their tour with the (Rolling) Stones, they wanted to take things back to their roots where they were doing small clubs and universities with a more intimate audience." Living Colour had opened for the Rolling Stones' "Steel Wheels" tour last year.

"This is a step in a right direction to have a band with a political message. Conscious music is coming around in all music genres," Louison said.

Mike Bezner (sophomore-civil engineering) said, "I'm psyched and I can't wait! I've seen them before and I expect it to be loud and full of energy." Bezner, who said he was more than ready to sleep out for tickets for the concert, has been following the band's career since high school.

The concert also includes an opening performance by Urban Dance Squad. This funky, reggae-like band from Holland is enjoying a lot of exposure from its release hit "Deeper Shade of Soul."

Vogel said the concert committee paid top money for this concert, "several tens of thousands" of dollars. "But it was worth it," he added.

Before the concert, radio station WQWK FM 97.1 will air an interview with Living Colour. The station also will announce the winner of a blood drive contest to win a Living Colour compact disc and go backstage at the concert.

"It's definitely a plus to get a socially conscious group and Living Colour is very socially conscious . . . to the max," Vogel said.

The concert hasn't sold out yet, and Vogel said tickets will be sold until the concert.