For ex-Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker, an infatuation with rockabilly music started when he was young.

The music that was popular when Rocker was a teenager was over-bloated synthesized bands such as Yes and Emerson, Lake and Palmer. But when he heard the early sounds of Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley, he was hooked.

"You know, I'd say it captured me the first time I heard it, just the passion of it," Rocker said.

Rocker will be bringing his dirty rock 'n' roll sound at 9 tonight to Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave. Opening the show will be The Marauders and Thunderosa.

With rockabilly's fluctuating popularity, Rocker said he never tires of the music that drives his career. And his newest record, Bulletproof, reaches a new plateau for Rocker's solo work.

According to All Music Guide (www.allmusic.com), Rocker has finally made a solo album that hit the musical equivalence of his former band.

"I heard the record in my head before I made it," Rocker said. "It was what I was after. Rockabilly is alive and well."

Having gone to high school with guitarist/singer Brian Setzer -- his old band mate -- and still remaining good friends with him, Rocker said it's still hard to believe the band's popularity and cult status. The Stray Cats will be getting together for a gig this summer in California, Rocker said.

But for now, Rocker is pleased with his latest release and enjoys playing a rocking live show with his band.

"It's definitely a high-energy show," Rocker said. "I do stuff from my whole career, digging back and doing some Stray Cats, along with some covers as well."

Vocalist/guitarist of Syracuse-based rock 'n' roll act Thunderosa, A.J. Mancabelli, said he can only describe his band in one way: "quality arena rock at bar prices."

"Its just beer-soaked, hot-rod rock 'n' roll," Mancabelli said. "It will make you forget about how crappy everything else is out there."

Thunderosa rocks hard, with influences ranging from metal to country music, to anything that's good, Mancabelli said.

"I like to say that we sound like Johnny Cash, AC/DC and ZZ Top all got drunk and Buck Owens gave them a ride home," Mancabelli said.

Forming the band to escape the boredom of the Syracuse area, Mancabelli promises that Thunderosa's live performance will be anything but mundane. Audiences can expect smoke, lights and a rowdy ambiance. He followed this up with a warning for the State College crowd.

"We're coming to town and we're going to burn it down," Mancabelli said. "We're the hardest working band in show business; that's what I tell everybody."

Mancabelli said the band's name was actually stolen from his friend in Tucson, Ariz. The guy came up with the name "Thunderosa," and Mancabelli thought it sounded cool, so he used it for his own band.

"He borrowed my AC/DC Bonfire box set," Mancabelli said. "I got the name, he got all my AC/DC discs. I think it was a fair trade."

Thunderosa has one full-length album and will be selling it at tonight's show.

"We're going to be putting mayonnaise on them and eating them soon," Mancabelli said about Thunderosa's drive to push more album sales.

Ben Dumm, lead singer/guitarist of rockabilly act The Marauders, said he isn't really sure what he likes about the music he makes.

"That's like asking someone what they like about sex," Dumm said. "It's good music and it has a lot of integrity. It's fun like all good rock 'n' roll is."

After starting out in a punk rock act, Dumm had some rockabilly songs he had written and was looking to put them down on tape. He then got some friends together and recorded the songs; the result was the band The Marauders. The band rocks mostly original material when it plays live and strives for honesty in its live show.

"It's heartfelt," Dumm said. "We don't try and put on an act. We make sure we are having fun doing it."

Inspired by music as diverse as the Ramones and the Rolling Stones, Dumm said everyday things bring about the band's songs.

"It's just basically what we know: going to work, drinking, going out at night," Dumm said. "We don't limit ourselves to a certain style. We definitely want to keep it in a traditional rock 'n' roll vein."

The band has played multiple gigs in State College, and always looks forward to coming back.

"From what I gather it seems it has a diverse crowd," Dumm said. "People are willing to check stuff out they've never heard before. The owners, staff and crowds where we have played have all been nothing but good to us."

Tickets for the concert are $8 and 21 and over only. The doors open at 8 p.m.