"We want everybody to be able to come in and see us, even if it happens that they're 18 instead of 21," he said. "We want to be the Harry Potter of rock and roll, appealing to all ages."
Locksley has recently garnered a much wider audience thanks to the mtvU video rotation of its video "Why Can't I Be You?" despite not being signed to a label.
"We're one of the first unsigned bands to be in rotation on that [mtvU]," Collins said. "I guess that shows that it really is based on the music."
Such success could easily lead to label interest, but Collins said the band is more interested in maintaining its artistic focus.
"We have had offers, and we've decided that right now the best task for us is to keep control of our music," Collins said. "And obviously the way to do this is to keep it self-contained."
Van Fossan said Locksley would be an exciting live act.
"They sound very Beatle-esque, '60s pop," he said. "They're very exuberant live. A lot of times they wear matching outfits and wear their names on their shirts."
He said Locksley and Camera, another early pop-influenced rock band, shared a similar live atmosphere.
"Camera and Locksley are both really fun, dance-y bands," he said. "It's a good Roustabout! to kick off the semester with."
Shane Sahene, of Camera, said he looked forward to playing alongside an equally poppy band.
"It's extra special when we get to play with a band that's a similar style musically," Sahene said.
"Most of the shows we've played in New York, the promoter's mentality is to get as diverse a crowd as possible. It doesn't make a cohesive event."
Sahene said in addition to Camera's pop sensibilities, the band has an edge to it.
"There's some other '70s stuff like Buzzcocks and Madness and the Clash, a whole variety of bands like that, that have an influence on us too," he said.
Collins said the balance of pop with a rock edge has been one of the early struggles for Locksley.
"We can fit into either category," he said. "We want to have the pop side that is accessible, and it's fun too. We love to write songs like that. But at the same time, music has changed."
Collins said some good advice gave the band insight and direction with its music.
"When we first moved to New York, we were way poppy," he said. "Somebody told us, 'You guys are good, but you have to realize, punk happened.' I thought that was good advice."
With pop and punk mixing together at tonight's Roustabout!, there should prove to be something for teens and 20-somethings alike, as well as for the bands. Van Fossan said all-ages shows have a little extra excitement to them.
"I'm really excited to be playing an all-ages show in State College," he said. "They're the most fun, that's for sure."
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