The crowd was up and out of its seats, dancing and cheering well before Sharon Jones even appeared on stage.
Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings performed to a packed State Theatre Friday, touring to promote their new album, "100 Days, 100 Nights."
Jones began the night by asking the Dap-Kings to "give me some loosen up." She then sang "How Do I Let a Good Man Down." State College native Ian Hendrickson-Smith, one of the Dap-Kings, improvised a baritone saxophone solo with Jones, who told him that since he was home, he had to "represent."
Audience member Sherri Orlofsky said Jones is a good performer and great singer who puts on a must-see show.
"I heard she is very dynamic on stage and interacts with the audience a lot," she said.
Jones made it a point to fully connect with the audience, asking several members to come on stage with her and dance.
She also asked the audience to sing, "Oh, oh" every time she pointed the microphone at them during the song, "Nobody's Baby."
Jones then performed a new song, "When I Come Home," in which she showed an excited and energetic audience her "camel walk," "funky chicken" and "Mashed Potato" dances.
Though Jones said goodnight to the audience after she sang, "100 Days, 100 Nights," the crowd erupted into applause for minutes after the group exited the stage -- prompting an encore.
Jones ended the night with gospel tune "Answer Me," but not before talking about her love for dancing to a supportive and cheering crowd.
"Dancin's in my blood, it's in my genes, it's in my roots," she said.
Matt Steck (senior-telecommunications) said he first heard Sharon Jones at City Light Records.
"I thought it was completely out of the ordinary. Me and everyone in the store that heard it thought it was really cool," he said. "I don't know much about the genre, but it was enough to bring me here."
Chris Fenstermacher (senior-turfgrass science), who was looking for new music to
appreciate, said he first heard Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings a few nights before the show.
"It's something different," he said. "It's not something I'd normally go out of my way to see."
Orlofsky said Jones reminds her of other soul musicians.
"If James Brown were a woman, he'd be Sharon Jones," she said. "She's great."
