Although he plays a mandolin and fiddle, Sam Bush will have the mentality of a rock star when he takes the stage this Saturday night at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.

"We like to put on a stage show," Bush said of his newgrass band. "We bring the rock and roll mentality to really entertain the audience."

Bush, who has released more than 20 albums in the past 35 years, helped create the newgrass movement -- a genre that combines bluegrass and rock music -- in the '70s and '80s.

"The music on my most recent albums is like the music I helped start in the '70s, but with a contemporary twist," Bush said. "We use instruments such as the mandolin, but our sound and music have evolved to incorporate reggae, rock and jazz."

Joe Apfelbaum, State Theatre programming manager, said many fans have bought tickets in advance, and he expects the revolutionary musician to play to an almost sold-out theatre.

"Bush is a very well-respected bluegrass guy, an artist who is doing new, interesting things within the genre," Apfelbaum said. "He's at the forefront of expanding the movement into jazz, reggae and rock. We want him to play here because he's an outstanding musician."

At the concert, Bush will mostly be performing songs from his new CD, Laps in Seven, a title he came up with after listening to his dog drinking water.

"My dog had such an irregular rhythm while drinking that the band and I were inspired by it. We constructed a whole song around the beat," Bush said.

Although some songs such as that one have light-hearted origins, some songs off the album have more tragic roots, including one about what happened in New Orleans.

"One of the others is about the survivors in New Orleans," he said. "It's about wishing those people had their regular old lives back, something I don't really think will happen now."

No matter what the message, Bush said what he enjoys most about his music is performing the songs in front of a live audience.

"My favorite thing is performing, feeling the instant circle of energy flowing around the room. It's not about the show biz aspect, it is about jamming out and sharing the music," he said. "I want to entertain people and make them forget about anything else but the music for a while."

Apfelbaum said anyone who enjoys music should come out for the memorable performance.

"Anyone who loves and appreciates music, especially rootsy stuff with a modern twist, is the target audience," he said. "But as it pertains to students, a lot of Sam's fans are the same folks who like the Grateful Dead and Phish."

Bush, said he has been inspired by such bands, along with the traditional rock and roll superstars of his youth.

"I grew up watching the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan," he said. "I've been inspired by all of them as well as the creator of bluegrass, of course."

This winter, Bush has appeared on everything from The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to a PBS special, but he said he is mostly looking forward to getting back on the road and especially to his stop in State College.

I love touring, meeting all kinds of people and seeing new places," he said. "I've never been to Penn State so I'm excited that I'm going to be in such famous college territory -- in the house of Paterno."