Rock for Choice is definitely about the music, they say, but talk to any of the members of the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA), and that heated vocal exigency comes across a lot stronger when discussing a woman's right to choose than when discussing low-key acoustic folk-rock.

"Rock for Choice gets the word out about what pro-choice really means and takes away some of the stigmas," FMLA President Marissa Rodriguez said. "I think the main misconception is that 'pro-choice' automatically means 'pro-abortion,' when it doesn't; it means believing in a woman's right to choose what's right for her. It means reproductive freedom. It means the freedom to choose to have a child or to choose abstinence or to choose to put a child up for adoption. It means safe sex education and affordable healthcare," she said.

There's so much more encompassed in the word 'pro-choice' than just abortion," Rodriguez added. Rodriguez does encourage all sorts of people to attend tonight's concert, which FMLA Event Chair Erin Stover said is more of a "consciousness-raising event" than a rock 'n' roll show.

Tonight's concert kicks off at 9 at Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge, 224 W. College Ave.

Local acts Lance Burgess, Peacefeather and Blasting Trout Overbite will provide the tunes, while feminist organizations such as the Centre County Women's Resource Center, Planned Parenthood and State College Medical Services will be on hand to distribute information about women's choice. Proceeds from the $3 cover charge benefit State College Medical Services, which offers abortion services, STD testing and treatment, and additional gynecological services.

Burgess, who plays "country-influenced folk-rock," said the one requirement to playing Rock for Choice was self-identifying as pro-choice. "My friend Barry who's in FMLA called me up and he was like, 'Are you against abortions?' and I said, 'I don't know, I'm a guy. I'm not sure,' " Burgess said. "I just think that as a male it's difficult to take a stand on either side. Which is why pro-choice is where I'm at. Let the woman make the decision."

Burgess (senior-English) has been playing and performing his stripped-down acoustic songs for about seven years. He said he's psyched to play Rock for Choice to support the cause, but also because it's an all-ages show, which is a "big deal in State College at this point."

"The campus clubs and benefit concerts are doing more for the all-ages music scene than anyone else," he added.

B. Barry, FMLA's public relations chair, said making sure Burgess and the other performers were "down with the cause" was of chief importance. He also commented on the fact that the bands aren't quite what people might expect -- instead of angry chick rocker (sorry, L7), there'll be an overwhelmingly male presence on the Rock for Choice stage.