Let's face it -- State College is not exactly the entertainment capital of the world, no matter how many people wear those "What Happens in State College Stays in State College" T-shirts.

However, if one were so inclined to go hunting for ways to enjoy oneself in lieu of (or in combination with) getting crunk and going to football games, one could find some very worthwhile diversions in Happy Valley.

While it's not exactly Las Vegas, State College has enough going on that anyone, 21 or not, can have a good time.

Music

Now that Crowbar is gone from College Avenue, State College is with one fewer concert venue for the bands that can't fill the Bryce Jordan Center. There are, however, several other venues and ventures filling the music void.

The Darkhorse Tavern

Although The Darkhorse Tavern, 128 E. College Ave., may seem like just another bar, it is the regular host of Roustabout!, a staple of the State College music scene. Although Roustabout! occasionally has all ages shows at the Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge, most of the ongoing concert series' events will be 21-and-over events at the Darkhorse on Wednesday nights. The series usually hosts original rock bands from the mid-Atlantic region. Nationally successful acts such as Yo La Tengo, The Spinto Band, and matt pond PA have played Roustabout!, usually before they make it big.

The Abba Java Coffee House

At first impression, a church might not seem the ideal place to listen to the devil's music. That doesn't keep The Abba Java Coffee House, 256 E. College Ave., from hosting open mic nights as well as full sets from original local bands. Since it is in the basement
of St. Paul's United Metho-
dist Church, the café is a
comfortable venue for Christian bands, but there are diverse acts at the open mic nights.

Dragon Chasers' Emporium

By day, the Dragon Chasers' Emporium, 209 W. Calder Way, is a store for aficionados of glass pipes and their related recreational uses. But earlier this year, the store started opening its doors for local bands. The small venue hosts local acts as well as regional ones, usually on the weekends. As opposed to the Darkhorse Tavern, these shows are usually not 21 and over, so even underclassmen can enjoy them.

City Lights Records

Over the summer, City Lights Records, 316 E. College Ave., became the last remaining record store in downtown State College when Arboria Records closed its doors to the public. The store has been in business since 1985, and though the business has declined, it's the best place to go for hard-to-find CDs. It also features an extensive record collection, music DVDs and a friendly owner in Greg Gabbard.

Movies

There are three off-campus theaters in the State College area. However, besides the regular Hollywood fare, there are often free weekend showings of art house flicks at the C.A.F.E. Film Series, shown on big screens in Chambers Building, Kern Building or Carnegie Building on campus. C.A.F.E. stands for "Critically Acclaimed Film Experience," so you'll feel smarter after watching the films there.

Theatre Productions

Aside from performing arts and theatre events at the Pavilion Theatre and the Playhouse Theatre, there are a number of student organizations devoted to theatre.

Among them is Outlaws, a weekly production of student-written, student-directed, student-acted plays. The performances take place every Thursday in Room 6 of the Arts Building.

In addition to Outlaws, there is No Refund Theatre, another free production that takes place every Friday and Saturday night at the Forum. Like Outlaws, the plays are student-directed and student-acted, but they are usually adaptations of more popular works.

A newer, up-and-coming theatre outlet is The Full Ammo Improv Troupe. The troupe is growing quickly and will have performances two Sundays a month this fall.

Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge

There are few places more relaxing than a coffeehouse, and the Tall Shiva Hookah Lounge, 224 W. College Ave., is a prime example of that. The cool spot features more than 20 flavors of tobacco in addition to serving coffee and tea. It's fun, it's cheap and it's relaxing, especially if you can't get yourself into the bars.

Students Organizing the Multiple Arts (SOMA)

Not a place or event, but an organization, the Students Organizing the Multiple Arts (SOMA) put together concerts, art shows and other student-oriented events on and off campus. This past spring, SOMA hosted an indie rock concert at the HUB-Robeson Center, a psychedelic funk show at Schlow Library and a Black and White art show at Dragon Chasers' Emporium. The organization also hosts open mic nights throughout the year.