Every Wednesday at Bar Bleu, 114 S. Garner St., Release hits the stage to the delight of the many students and local residents who show up for the weekly event.

But what is Release?

Is it a band? A DJ? And why is it every week?

Jon Carpenter, who runs Release along with Chad Bozzarelli (senior-hotel, restaurant and institutional management), hears these questions all the time.

"We get a lot of people asking us, 'What is Release? Is it a band playing?' " Carpenter said.

But Bozzarelli quickly clears up the confusion.

"It's basically a recurring weekly event that has a different lineup of electronic DJs every week," he said.

The event draws a mixed crowd of people both familiar and unfamiliar with electronic music.

"We like to try and target people who don't listen to electronic music so we can try and give them the right kind of experience," Bozzarelli said. "It's something you need to see for yourself."

Bozzarelli had hosted electronic music events in his hometown of Pittsburgh since 2000, and he and Carpenter formed Frontline Management to put together Release. From there, it was onto finding a place to hold the event; and Bar Bleu fit what they wanted.

"It's a lot about the atmosphere, the music, the lighting. It's perfect," Bozzarelli said.

Release started in June, when the co-organizers convinced Bar Bleu director of operations Dave Wells to give them a four-week trial run.

To help get a weekly gig, Carpenter and Bozzarelli told Wells that they would do all of the promotions, setup, tear down and booking for Release.

"I gave him a promise that we'd get at least 40 people a night and we've been way over that," Bozzarelli said.

Local music showcase, Roustabout! spurred Wells to give Release a shot. Bar Bleu hosted a number of the indie rock showcases last spring and since they were a success, it helped Wells make up his mind in favor of Release.

And he's glad that he made that decision.

"It's been a positive thing," Wells said. "They're good guys. It was a good situation."

The music featured at Release covers an array of electronic styles such as house, trance and drum and bass. Normally there are three to five DJs each week, including both local artists and out-of-towners from cities such as Pittsburgh and Cleveland.

"We try to use the locals as much as we can without overplaying them," Bozzarelli said.

Even the organizers get into it, each performing about once a month. Bozzarelli, who specializes in trance, will perform under the name DJ 2rip. Scott Sanders and Kris P also perform. A list of the featured DJs can be found on Frontline Management's Web site, www.frontlinemgmt.com.

With all of the DJs, Carpenter said that State College's only night of all electronic music offers something other acts couldn't.

"The music never stops," Carpenter said. "The DJs are constantly running the records into each other, beat mashing. There's never a moment when there's just silence during the night."

As the event has progressed, Bozzarelli said he has seen a steady increase in attendance. Nearly half of those in the crowd every week are regulars, he added.

One of those regulars is State College resident Brigitte Weinsteiger.

"There's something innately human about wanting to dance to music and Release provides that for me," Weinsteiger said. "I guess I come out every week because it's a place where people come together simply for their love of music."

Elizabeth Adams (senior-sociology) also attends Release every week for the music.

"To me being a raver is all about going to a party, going to a club and feeling that music," Adams said. "It's not about getting [messed] up. It's about coming out and ... dancing."

But another regular, Amber Lee Dominitis (senior-psychology) offers a simpler reason why she comes to Release.

"The reason I come out here every week is that it makes me smile," Dominitis said.