Smoothly-syncopated reggae rock band The Perkolators is set to liven up Levels Nightclub at 9 p.m. tonight.
The deceptively young State College six-piece has been playing together since high school, drummer Matt Price said.
“We’ve been playing for 10 years or so now,” Price said. “It started with throwing a keg party with a reggae band.”
Each member grows from an interesting musical background, with guitarist Eric Milinchuk and bassist Ed Colby having come from a metal upbringing. After dabbling in several other projects, The Perkolators have finally solidified their sound with recordings and a new E.P., Price said.
The band’s new release is titled “Head Soup E.P.” and consists of five songs. The band now plays frequently around various events in the State College area, building a fan base and rallying support for its new EP, Milinchuk said.
“We’re down to play anything,” Milinchuk said, laughing about accepting an invitation to play at an Easter Egg Hunt this spring.
The band has managed to find publicity in the area. Last week, it performed a live acoustic set for 90.7 The LION FM. Videos of these live sets are available on The Perkolators’ Facebook page.
The group hopes to distinguish itself from the other cover bands downtown with a unique reggae twist, Price said.
“We’re taking classic rock and pop, but we’re doing it all our own way,” Price said. “People have never heard them done the way we do them.”
The band has met a good response from the bars and parties it has played. As for a future, members plan on focusing on getting their names out into the community, Colby said.
“We plan to grow as a band and become something new,” Price said. “Something different from the other Top 40 cover bands in town.”
A link to download The Perkolators’ “Head Soup E.P.” can be found on its Facebook page. The band hopes to record more in the near future, Milinchuk said.
“We’re working on more originals,” he said. “In the future, there will be an album released. I’m thinking in the summer.”
Tickets for tonight’s show at Levels Nightclub where the group is set to perform with DJ Rasta are $3, and each customer’s first drink is free before 10 p.m.
