Pop punk singer Dave Melillo said he promises to break students' midweek malaise with an eclectic show tonight at the Abba Java Coffee House, 256 E. College Ave.

Melillo will share the stage with local bands Cloverleaf and Hopes High, whose different genres and sound might enhance the quality of the show, Cloverleaf band members said.

Melillo said it is hard to classify his music because it has some aspects of the pop punk and pop rock genres that will be evident by listening to the show.

"Some of our sound is pure pop punk," he said. "But then I have an acoustic part where I really bring it down."

The piano-rock band Cloverleaf, a band comprised of all Penn State sophomores and Pittsburgh natives, said its music is created around the piano.

"Our songs start at the piano, everything else follows," Cloverleaf drummer Garrett Bogden (sophomore-business) said.

Tonight's show was set up by Cloverleaf as a way to improve the dwindling music scene downtown, which recently lost the music venue Crowbar, and was replaced by the Cell Block, 420 E. College Ave.

"This [State College] is a perfect place to have live music. There is definitely an audience for it but it is hard to set up gigs," Bogden said.

Cloverleaf lead guitarist Ted Molnar said although it is hard to book gigs it is great to have the support of other local talent.

"It helps to have friends in other bands because they can help you get your music out, especially in this town with limited performance opportunities,"Molnar said.

Bogden said he welcomes a show that has a mix of bands from different genres.

"I hate going to shows where all the bands sound exactly the same," Bogden said. "Hopes High and Melillo are a little more pop punk than we are, but it's great to have that contrast, it's a good fit."

Melillo agreed that, although he has never played with either band before, working with different music types has worked for him in the past.

"My band and I have played with so many different sounds ranging from hardcore rock to ska bands that we just match the intensity level; we always find a way to fit in," he said.

Although Melillo has never played in State College before, he said he is looking forward to the college atmosphere.

"Normally we play for a younger audience, so I am always excited to play in front of slightly older people because they seem to understand our music a little more," he said.

Bogden agreed that the atmosphere amps them for the show.

"We just try to have as much fun as possible. If the audience is into it, we're into it."

Even though not all the bands define themselves as pop punk, they agree the genre influenced their sound.

"In the beginning I was inspired by music like The Starting Line, but as I got older I tried to adopt the personas and sound of Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel; they sum up what I would like to do with my career," Melillo said.

Although each band member is influenced individually by artists, Cloverleaf said Ben Folds Five is a driving force in its music. The band members say they will continue to set up shows to expose students to something new.

"We offer something a little different than normal," Bogden said.

Although none of the young artists are sure what their futures hold, they know that they want to keep going.

"I just want to keep touring and writing," Melillo said.

Melillo's EP, Talk is Cheap, his prelude to a full-length CD, was released earlier this year by Drive-Thru Records.

Cloverleaf agreed that touring is also on its schedule, as well as a follow-up CD to its first album, first.class.mind.ride, which was completed last January.

"We are writing new songs, working on recording a new album and planning on touring primarily the East Coast throughout the summer," Bogden said. "We really want this to happen."