Some bluegrass will be sprouting in State College this spring.

New Jersey-based band Railroad Earth is kicking off its nationwide tour tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. at The State Theatre.

Formed from one of The Garden State's most popular bands, From Good Homes, Railroad Earth consists of members Todd Sheaffer, Tim Carbone, John Skehan, Andy Goessling, Carey Harmon and Johnny Grubb, who perform anything from banjos to pennywhistles.

Soon after the band's formation in May 2001, it landed spots at major music events including the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, its 10th concert ever.

Bellefonte native Skehan, now the band's mandolin player and vocalist, started out playing piano and guitar.

After getting "bitten by the bluegrass bug," he picked up the mandolin.

Skehan described that the band's foundation as a very informal beginning.

"It was pretty casual and unintentional," Skehan said.

"We had known of each other through studio sessions and Tim [Carbone] used us for different recordings he held."

Typically classified as bluegrass music, Railroad Earth avoids being grouped into any particular "scene," according to Madison House Publicity.

Incorporating such music types as folk, rock and roll, jazz and even Celtic music, the band members tend to categorize themselves as a "jam band."

But even with the band's ability to improvise, it keeps a motto: "do it in service to the song."

The band members know though that their sound is not the traditional bluegrass.

Skehan reminisced about how on one occasion, while they were setting up to perform, some traditional bluegrass fans packed up and left at the sight of the band members getting out drums and speakers.

"We're definitely not straight-up bluegrass," Skehan said.

"We break the bluegrass taboo by, first of all, having percussion instruments, and also by being plugged in."

As for what to expect at tomorrow's performance at the State Theatre, the band typically plays some "extended exploratory pieces," Skehan said.

"There will be a lot going on, especially with Andy [Goessling], who sometimes plays eight instruments during a performance," he added.

Music fan John Hendrickson (freshman-English) said that he agrees with that classification of the band.

"They appeal to jam fans and middle-aged yuppies," Hendrickson said. "There's a heavy emphasis on strings, everything from violin to mandolin. Most songs are built around a central groove with real folk-y lyrics."