Pittsburgh rock band The Clarks is coming back to State College, but this time they are sharing the stage with two New York acts.

The Clarks will be playing with Brooklyn-based rock 'n' roll band The Damnwells and songwriter Julian Velard at 9 tonight at Crowbar, 420 E. College Ave.

"It is definitely a rock show. It is always good energy between us and the fans," The Clarks bass guitarist Greg Joseph said. "You'll have fun, you'll be singing along with everybody else by the end of the show, and it will put you in a good place while you're there."

Tonight's show may offer a brief midweek relief from the stress many college students face.

"Everyone performing tonight knows it is all about having fun, and besides, what else are you going to do on a Wednesday night at Penn State?" songwriter Julian Velard said.

The Clarks have performed at Crowbar several times in the past.

"The [Clarks] deliver a great show every time," Chuck Smitley, general manager of Crowbar, said. "[The Clarks] tend to draw a varied audience. They have a huge fan base all over western Pennsylvania."

In a venue the size of Crowbar, the band and the audience have a chance to interact.

"The crowd's energy has a tremendous effect on the band," Smitley said.

Tonight will be the first time the three acts in the lineup will be playing together, but two of the performers have a history with each other.

"The Damnwells and I are friends," Velard said. "We are all from New York and hang out in the same place. I have never played with The Clarks but look forward to meeting them."

The musicians are not classified as the same genre, but Velard said the sounds do not have to be the same for the artists to put on a good show.

"Our sounds may be different, but all the artists performing are great songwriters," Velard said. "Because I have worked with so many different types of musicians, I can shape my performance to complement them."

Joseph defined his band's sound as "American guitar rock" with influences from U2, R.E.M., Tom Petty and Ryan Adams.

The Clarks began playing music together while the members were students at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in the late 1980s.

"We got interested in music by listening and watching a lot of bands, lots of shows," Joseph said.

The band began by playing at fraternity parties and has since gone on to record multiple CDs and make appearances on TV shows like Late Show with David Letterman.

"The Letterman show was one of the moments I am most proud of," Joseph said. "It was a highlight for the band."

The Clarks began as a cover band, but Joseph said he knew the group wanted to make its own music eventually.

"We always wanted to make original music. We thought of quitting at some point in the beginning but how can you quit on something so good," Joseph said.

The Clarks' manager, Rishon Blumberg, said the band continues to stay busy while touring.

"Currently, the band is putting the finishing touches on a live DVD and live CD for summer release, as well as continuing to tour and perform with bands such as Sister Hazel and Edwin McCain in early spring," Blumberg said.

Joseph said The Clarks are enjoying the life of musicians and are not confining or defining themselves in any way.

"I don't know where we are going to be in 10 years. It is not worth thinking about. Life comes one day at a time. So far it has been a great ride," Joseph said.

It's a good life and a decent living, Joseph said.

"Approximately 70 percent of The Clarks' shows sell out, and they draw the largest crowds in western Pennsylvania," Blumberg said.

Members of both The Clarks and Velard said that they were excited about playing in State College because of the fan base and the atmosphere of a college town.

"I love college towns. They are the most open crowds," Velard said. "They are there to hear music, and they want to like you."