The "Magic School Bus" will be leaving State College tonight, destined for Millheim.
More specifically, the Bus is a school bus that will shuttle concertgoers to the Elk Creek Café & Aleworks in Millheim for tonight's installment of its weekly Thursday Night Pub Jam. The Bus will leave State College from the corner of College Avenue and Allen Street at 7 p.m. and return at about 11:30 p.m.
The Café hosts an assortment of musical acts for the Pub Jam, but Millheim's distance from State College, about a 30 minute drive, may be inconvenient for State College residents.
Bonnie Herman, one half of the duo Toast & Jam which will perform tonight, said she and her friend Elody Gyekis, a promoter of tonight's show, feel it's a shame people are unfamiliar with Elk Creek Café and the concert series.
"It's an amazing place," Herman said. "It's a brewery and restaurant that also hosts live music."
Herman (senior-English) said her main goal for tonight's show was to raise money for Global Medical Brigades, a charity that sends groups of volunteers to provide medical aid for citizens of developing countries. Half of all tips the bands receive will be donated to the charity.
Herman and Gyekis, Class of 2008, handled promotion of the show. Herman said Gary Gyekis, Elody's father, originally came up with the idea of a bus providing transportation to the show. They decided the Bus could become a bimonthly event if there was a positive response.
Herman and Gyekis created an event listing on Facebook to advertise for the Magic School Bus, and the response was even more positive than they expected.
"People called us that day," Herman said. "Tickets sold out
within the first couple hours."
Tim Bowser, owner of the café, said the Magic School Bus idea was specifically targeted at students who are under-21 or don't have a car, with the added benefit of reducing drunk driving.
"It should be a lot of fun," Bowser said.
The café offers an assortment of beers brewed in-house, as well as local, organically grown food.
Though tickets for the bus are
sold out, Herman said people who
are interested in attending the
show can still drive there. There is
no cover charge, but Herman encouraged concertgoers to bring money
for the Global Medical Brigade.
Toast & Jam is a newly formed duo featuring Herman on vocals and Eric Goeller on guitar and harmonica.
"We're kind of a folk rock band," Herman said. "We do a good amount of our own original songs."
Toast & Jam also plays a selection of covers from artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez and Joni Mitchell, Herman said.
Goeller is also the lead guitarist and vocalist for funk rock trio The Electric Lemonade Stand, the other band on the bill.
Questions about the event can be directed to elkcreekmagicschoolbus@ gmail.com.
