Michael Glabicki is returning to his roots.

But before he does, he's making one more solo stop in State College.

Glabicki -- the creative force and lead vocalist behind the eclectic, Pittsburgh-based rhythmic rock band Rusted Root -- will bring his stripped-down, acoustic show to the Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave., Wednesday.

The show marks the second time in less than two months that Glabicki, who last appeared at the Crowbar on Dec. 11, will touch down in State College.

Primarily a vocalist and guitarist, Glabicki's beginnings as a professional musician can be traced back to 1988, when he left college to work on songwriting and arrangement. He eventually hooked up with longtime friend Liz Berlin, with whom he started staging acoustic performances.

Glabicki and Berlin then expanded their act to include a rhythmic section, and in 1993 they finalized the lineup, which now consists of a seven-piece ensemble that fuses traditional and ethnic sounds with a mixture of melodies and drumbeats.

The group has recently enjoyed some time apart, allowing band members to pursue solo projects. Percussionist Jim Donovan is currently touring with his "Drum Workshop," and Berlin has played some solo shows around Pittsburgh.

Jenn Wertz -- who left the band in 1995 to form the group Lovechild but has since returned to the lineup -- has also performed in and around Pennsylvania.

And for Glabicki (who has played independently-booked solo shows for several years) it was the success of the Dec. 11 performance at the Crowbar and another solo date in Pittsburgh that led the singer-songwriter to schedule a more extensive individual tour. In addition to Wednesday's performance at the Crowbar and a three-date stand at the Club Café in Pittsburgh, Glabicki also added two shows in Ohio and a stop in Erie to the current tour.

"We took that date, Dec. 11, right in finals (week) just more or less to get him in the room and into the establishment, and it still received a great response," said Crowbar owner Dave Wells. "That's why we're bringing him back now. He's extremely talented, and we're looking forward to doing lots of things with him."

Despite the success of the solo tour, however, the show at the Crowbar may be the last chance -- for a while, at least -- that Glabicki's fans have to catch his act in an intimate setting. After a roughly one-year break that ended with the group's reunion show in Pittsburgh in July of 2000, Rusted Root returned to the studio to complete a still untitled group effort, set for release in early April.

Following the album's release, the ensemble plans to revive their high-energy, improvisational live show with an extensive North American tour, according to Donovan's official Web site.

Until then, however, Glabicki will concentrate on finishing his solo dates, which wrap up in Erie on Feb. 15.

Wells said he expects Glabicki to perform a combination of old and new material Wednesday night, making the concert a unique opportunity for Rusted Root fans.

"It's Michael, and he's doing the stuff that he always did," Wells said. "If you know that voice and those lyrics, it's really great because you're so up close and personal with this guy."

The show is open to all ages, and tickets are $6 in advance and $8 at the door.