Funk-soul band The Blue Method will return to the State College scene at 10 p.m. Saturday at Zeno's, 100 W. College Ave.

"We love the Zeno's crowd, it's packed," said lead singer, trumpet and valve trombone player Brian Williams. "The people are up from the time we start to the time we finish -- it's total madness."

Zeno's General Manager Dave Staab would tend to agree with Williams.

"I have six or seven touring bands that I'm using on a regular basis," he said. "They are my No. 1."

Staab said he liked having the band back because of their effect on the crowd.

"They were a hit from the first show," he said.

The Blue Method is a five-piece band from Philadelphia that uses the trumpet, valve trombone, guitar, bass, drums and alto and baritone saxophone.

The result of this array of instruments is the high-energy funk Staab is welcoming back to Zeno's for the eighth time.

"I feel lucky to have them," he said.

Williams described his band as sounding like The Jackson 5, Marvin Gaye, or Stevie Wonder, but he added that when you throw in saxophonist Tom Long, a new animal is born.

"We kinda sound like nobody," he said.

Another reason Staab likes to have the band back is because of their musical talent and the band's great stage presence.

"They're as skilled as it gets," he said.

Blue Method Bassist Mark Dappollone said the band's live shows are usually a unique experience.

"We always play a little bit different each show," he said.

He added that some of the band's new music comes from frequent improvisations during shows -- a common practice for the band, Dappollone said.

"The direction it goes depends on how it starts," Dappollone said, adding that band members usually write songs together.

Williams said that when writing, the band tries to vary song styles, making songs good, without being too "catchy."

Dappollone said the fact that members come from diverse musical backgrounds adds to the band's appeal. Members listen to anything from jazz, classic rock, R&B, and some hip-hop. Drummer Theron Shelton listens to "everything," Dappollone said, and he mysteriously knows the lyrics to every song.

The band's constant attempt to tour and write music at the same time can be difficult, he said.

"It [touring] puts a lot of time constraints on writing," he said, adding that the band has been writing together for years and has a lot of material to work with.

The Blue Method's debut album, Kill the Music: Volume 1 has been out for about a year, and they are hoping to be back in the studio this winter.