When The Safes singer and guitarist Frankie O'Malley and drummer Patrick O'Malley were returning from seeing their parents on their wedding anniversary Saturday night, the two witnessed a UFO. Or so claims Frankie.
"UFOs exist -- it's pretty much a scientific fact that the government won't admit," Frankie said. "I know if I tell people I saw a UFO, they'd think I was crazy, but I had Patrick with me. I took it as a sign from God that we are going to take over the universe as the world's biggest band."
In the meantime, The Safes will be playing tonight at the Darkhorse Tavern, 128 E. College Ave., along with local band The Maximums.
Frankie's leanings toward the supernatural seem to play a part in how he sees his band's music as well.
"It's like a spiritual experience when we're performing, channeling higher spirits and gods," he said. "By the time we're done playing, we're drenched in sweat, but it's sugary fun pop music that girls love and dudes do, too."
The band's sound is very garage rock-oriented, and although the band's records run the gamut from mellow and intricate to loud and raucous, Frankie said he focuses on the former when performing live.
The band's albums often feature more expansive instrumentation, but the three-piece band is forced to strip down these experiments in concert.
"To be perfectly honest, I think live we're better as a three-piece," he said. "Live, we sound like a rock 'n' roll dance party."
Frankie said the band has two finished albums and is shopping around for labels during the tour. The band has already been writing new material and plans on playing a few of these unreleased songs tonight, he said.
Although the band has played State College many times in the past, it keeps coming back for the great response.
"Roust! is one of our favorite places in the world to play," O'Malley said. "The kids that come out are awesome and love rock 'n' roll. Sometimes kids at other colleges can be too cool."
Jesse Ruegg, a promoter with Roustabout! who is putting on tonight's show, said the band always gets a good response from its audience.
"I think they have the right details for a rock 'n' roll band," Ruegg said. "They're just doing what they know and writing great pop songs."
The Maximums, who is opening the show, is another band that simply describes itself as rock 'n' roll.
The band has been playing together for about a year and a half, guitarist and singer Nathan Curtis said, but they only started playing shows about three months ago.
"We're well-rehearsed, unlike most bands around town," Curtis said. "We're no Miller Lite band -- you need at least grain alcohol."
Although the band is new to the local scene, its shows thus far we have been well received, Curtis said.
"Our last shows have been alcohol-stoked mayhem," he said. "Two women were immaculately conceived at our last show."
