Sting is coming to the Bryce Jordan Center on April 26 -- but not to be overlooked is his opening act.

Indie-pop band Phantom Planet will be performing as the opener for Sir Sting, an opportunity that most any band or artist would jump at.

"It's pretty incredible, if you had told me two or even 10 years ago that I'd be opening up for him ... it's a huge honor," drummer Jeff Conrad said. "You would think it would be like opening for Jesus, but [Sting's] so down to earth."

Phantom Planet, from the L.A. area, takes its moniker from a '60s sci-fi movie of the same name and has been up and coming in recent years.

Its hit song "California" became not only a hit single, but eventually was used in the opening credits of the popular FOX series The O.C., which pushed the band into an even brighter spotlight.

Phantom Planet has produced three full-length albums, the most recent of which is without original drummer Jason Schwartzman, who left band in 2003 to pursue a full-time acting career -- he most recently starred in I Heart Huckabees.

However, new drummer Jeff Conrad said that contrary to what some believe, Schwartzman's departure didn't have much to do with the group's musical sound change, which is more akin to bands like The Strokes.

"I think that kind of sound came up before [Schwartman] left ... playing every night we just naturally started to get that sound going. When you see the band live it sounds more like the second album, but there' s other influences from the other albums, too," Conrad said.

Conrad has been holding down a place in Phantom Planet since he left the band Big City Rock.

"The kind of touring I'd done before was like eight guys in a band ... completely independent. Touring with Phantom Planet is much more comfortable," Conrad said. "Everything I do now is like icing on the cake for me."

While many people fail to acknowledge that an opening band plays at all, let alone really well, and only come to a show for the headliner, sometimes the opener is well worth the ticket price.

"The majority of people going to a show don't know who the opening act is ... unfortunately, a lot of people miss opening acts, for one reason or another," said Greg Gabbard, owner of City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave. "I think Phantom Planet is a great pop-guitar kind of band, worth checking out."

Student interest for Phantom Planet seems to be fairly high, especially since the band is coming with hugely popular Sting.

"Phantom Planet has a lot of things in common with Sting; their sound reaches back to early rock but additionally brings a neo-rock essence to the table," Greg Reese (junior-information sciences and technology) said.

People expecting to hear pop anthems like "California" all night will be in for a surprise, one that may make big fans out of some who only had heard Phantom Planet's major hit.

"I think we've had a fair amount of people just to come see that song and end up liking the band in general. We hope we put on a good enough show to get people to like us as a whole, not just for one song," Conrad said.

Conrad also added that Phantom Planet doesn't see its evolution in sound slowing down any time soon.

"I think it's any band's duty to just keep evolving and changing and growing ... to get at the core of what they are as a band ... there's probably going to be a drastic change again on our next record as well," Conrad said.

Upon the question of what that change might sound like, Conrad thought for a moment and gave his prediction.

"Songs that have a kind of battle cry and war anthem type sound -- like we're coming to get you and kick your ass," Conrad joked.