Ska music may be re-invading the airwaves soon -- that is, if one of the genre's pioneers have anything to say about it.

Catch 22 will return to State College for an all-ages show Tuesday at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

Also on the night's bill are Jersey punksters Don't Look Down and emo-rocks The Liar's Academy.

Catch 22 bassist Pat Kays said that at least on most days, it doesn't feel like his band has been recording and touring nationally for almost 10 years.

Kays also noted that he's thankful for the kind of consistent success his band has enjoyed.

"What keeps us going for everyone in the band of course is that we all love performing," Kays said.

Kays said that he thinks the ska backlash that began in the late 90s is finally over.

Everywhere the band goes, kids are starting to get back into the genre.

"Now the kids are "allowed" to like [ska] again," Kays said. "The younger kids that are just getting into it, that's who is supporting the scene, not just us, or ska, but every band pretty much."

Kays said that he has started to notice kids coming to shows in their "ska gear" again.

They're doing this just as they did during the mid-90s radio ska craze.

He said that along with ska and punk, the band also adds some jazz and other genres.

This, he feels, helps Catch 22 appeal to many different audiences, not just the ska-punk demographic.

Kays said that the bands last album was in a very different direction than it's previous albums and that he and the rest of Catch 22 have been hard at work on a new album.

"I'm starting to see a very clearly defined Catch 22 for the next few releases," Kays said. "We did three records that each had its own kind of sound and on the new stuff we have been writing we really know what we want to go with it."

It's like all three of those sounds put together, he added.

Ryan Ogren, singer/guitarist for Don't Look Down, said that although his band isn't always well received by Catch 22 fans, he has been having a good time on tour.

"There are a lot of ska kids who don't care about any of the bands and are just there to see Catch 22," Ogren said. "But a lot of them have been pretty open minded and gave us a chance."

Ogren said that although it has been interesting touring with a band that has a style so much different from his band, he doesn't foresee any more ska tours in Don't Look Down's future.

Ogren added that because of some problems with the label's inability to promote "The Fear in Love," he plans on going home after this tour to begin work on a new album and look into getting out of the band's contract so it can sign to a different label.

Dave Wells director of operations for Crowbar said that he constantly received requests for Catch 22 to return.

So, naturally, the band was booked as soon as it was available in the area.

"They are a great band," Wells said. "And always a great draw. That kind of music always does well here."