There's been a darling change in the local music scene -- a Cherry Darling, that is. Cherry Darling Productions, a new booking company in State College, is now having weekly shows at the Brewery, 233 E. Beaver Ave., on Tuesday nights.
Company creator and owner Meredith Rebar, a Penn State alumnus with a degree in marketing, said she's always wanted to do something in music management. "I've always been interested in music, even though I'm not necessarily a musician," Rebar said. "Ever since I was 13, I've been running shows and helping bands and taking pictures. Only when I got into college did I realize I could turn that into a career." Rebar also hosts a Thursday night radio show on The Lion 90.7 FM; the name Cherry Darling stems from her radio name.
"I saw Grindhouse, and [Cherry Darling] was the main character," Rebar said. "She was a go-go dancer turned zombie killer. ... It sounds cheesy, but I think it's empowering. I thought it was perfect." Rebar plans on linking her radio show and Cherry Darling Productions together, in hopes that each will enhance the other.
"The Thursday before each of the Tuesday shows, I'm going to have one of the bands playing that show come into the studio and play a few songs live and introduce themselves," Rebar said.
Between the radio show and the concerts at the Brewery, Rebar said she hopes that she'll grab people's attention.
Rebar said Cherry Darling Productions is currently a concept that will eventually be turned into a real business. Ever since she moved to State College a year ago, she's been trying to get involved with the local music scene and help turn things around.
"There's not a unified music scene here, as many know," Rebar said. "I've heard a lot of great stories about how great the music scene was five years ago, and I definitely want to start it again."
Rebar said that while right now she only has Tuesday nights reserved at the Brewery, she plans to expand her business to other nights and bars across State College. Eventually, her hope is to turn Cherry Darling Productions into a full-fledged production company that will branch out through Pennsylvania and down the East Coast.
Unlike many of the other local production companies, Cherry Darling Productions plans on bringing several different genres of music to the area.
"People want to go somewhere and listen to original music," Rebar said. "The Roustabout! seems to pick the same type of band every time, whereas Nittany Booking shows are always all ages. This has its own niche. We'll have one show that's country-rock, one hip-hop night and one punk night."
Rebar said she didn't want to limit herself to any one venue and hopes that every Tuesday night, people will come expecting something new and different. Unfortunately, though, the shows are going to be 21+ since they're hosted at the Brewery.
"That will be limiting to some of our crowd, but at the same time, it will open up other avenues - the graduates, the alumni, the residents. They might be scared to go to an all ages show, but this might be something that they're attracted to," Rebar said.
Although Rebar just started hosting shows at the Brewery, they're already doing well, said Scott Scheader, a representative from the Brewery. "It really brings in a huge crowd," Sheader said. "There's always a buzz about seeing three bands in one night."
Rebar said she thinks the shows have been successful because people in the area are starving for some original music amidst all the overabundance of cover bands. She wants to give people a chance to see innovative music, and also give musicians a chance to play in front of a wide variety of people.
"I'm trying to get the name out there," Rebar said. "I want to give people who are like me a place to go, a place to meet people, a place to meet new bands."
