Musical laser shows returning to Osmond

By LISA KIENZLE
Collegian Staff Writer

Students with musical tastes ranging from heavy metal to classic rock to '80s tunes may find a common interest inside Osmond Lab in upcoming weekends.

The Society of Physics Students and WKPS-FM radio, Penn State's student-run radio station, are teaming up to sponsor a series of laser shows Friday and Saturday nights beginning tonight and continuing through April 10 in 117 Osmond. Admission to the shows is $4, which includes 3-D glasses.

Students can view shows set to the music of their favorite bands such as U2, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and heavy metal groups.

The shows combine lasers, stereo sound and sometimes artificial smoke to create animated images projected on a screen to accompany the music.

Students who have attended the shows in previous years enjoyed the effects.

Amy Nawrocki (freshman-speech communications), who attended a U2 show last year, said, "At first, I really didn't know what to expect. But the combination of lasers and smoke with music I love was really impressive."

Others find the shows provide not only visual entertainment, but insight as well.

"Sometimes you don't think about the lyrics," Jenny Mikesell (freshman-international business and marketing) said. "But when I saw the laser show, I had more of an idea of what the song was about."

The society began offering programs nearly 10 years ago, but in a much more basic form, said Greg Whipple, president of the society.

The older shows consisted of a group of science students manually controlling the lasers and a boombox providing the sounds.

Three years ago, however, New Jersey-based company Prismatic Magic Inc. approached the society and offered to do similar shows. Now, all shows are pre-programmed and controlled by computer, Whipple said.

"There are three different lasers: red, green and blue, and there's a system of mirrors, lenses and shutters," he said.

"The shutters close off what color light you want. Mostly it's the lenses and mirrors which make the image."

Computerized lasers have improved the quality of the programs, specifically the sound and picture quality, Whipple added.

The show repertoires have changed as well. Now, traditional Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin will be joined by the laser show "Metal Machine," featuring Metallica's Enter Sandman and One, and a production, called "Hits of the '80s."