Christopher Park spent his high school days rocking out to metal masters Black Sabbath, Deep Purple and AC/DC. Gradually, he diverted his attention to Blue Öyster Cult and its monster hits -- "Don't Fear the Reaper," "Godzilla" and "Burnin' for You."

Soon after, Park (sophomore-communications) broke the surface of popular radio tunes and went deeper into Cult's catalogue.

"They really became one of my favorite bands after I heard Extraterrestrial Live, which is an amazing live album," Park said. "I can't wait to see them since I have never gotten the chance before now.

Tonight could be the first time for many student fans like Park to see the veteran pioneers of heavy metal, Blue Öyster Cult, perform.

Local classic rock consortium WBUS-FM (93.7) is sponsoring the concert at the State Theatre, 130 W. College Ave.

"I really enjoy their music because in a sea of generic hard rock bands they really have a unique sound and are not afraid to do something different," Park said.

Despite the deceiving umlauted Swedish "Ö" in its name, the band, originally known as Soft White Underbelly, formed in Long Island.

Since its formation in 1967, Blue Öyster Cult has released 14 studio albums and five live albums.

Lead singer Eric Bloom and guitarist/vocalist Donald "Buck Dharma" Roeser are the two remaining founding members, while original keyboardist Allen Lanier departed in 2006.

Prioritizing time on the road over time in the studio, the band hasn't released new recordings since the 2001 studio album Curse of the Hidden Mirror and the live album A Long Day's Night in 2002.

The audience is expected to span several generations, said Kristy Cyone, marketing director for the State Theatre.

"I've attended Blue Öyster Cult concerts before and they usually vary from those younger than you would expect to the older audiences that have followed them for a while," Cyone said.

Michael Elia (junior-civil engineering) was 6 when his dad introduced him to classic rock. Blue Öyster Cult was the first concert his father ever went to, and its music became a mainstay on the family's car stereo.

"Blue Öyster Cult has some great songs and introduced new ideas to the genre," Elia said. "I personally play drums and guitar so I try to listen to as many types of music as I can for inspiration."

Fans can expect a vivacious production that is highly entertaining, Cyone said.

"No matter who you are, you can find something you like in their sound," Cyone said.