If you are:

A. A State College resident

B. Under 21 years of age

C. Not into paying cover charges

D. Not living under a cultural rock and enjoy live music from time to time

Then have no fear, Hot Topic is here to provide you with your acoustic fill of free performances from local and big label artists. Just a simple car or bus ride down to the Nittany Mall can provide you with early evening entertainment that will end early enough for you to study afterward.

These Hot Topic sponsored concerts include past performances from national band Sing it Loud, as well as multiple local artists. Events to look forward to in the future can be found here, and will even include a release party for the Twilight DVD on March 21.

I just recently experienced my first acoustic set in the store, and I was blown away by how the intimate setting enhanced the one-man-with-a-guitar performance by local artist, Joel Dobbins. To experience it for yourself, you can check out the video taken at the performance under the multimedia of the Collegian Web site, or you could head out the mall for the next acoustic set.

-- Beth Ann

http://www.blink182reunion.com/

Blink- 182 is reunited, and it feels so good.

Well at least for me, a 19-year-old college student who still mainly listens to the pop-punk genre that usually pertains to screaming, crying high school girls who are too cool for the Jonas Brothers. I remember being one of these girls, but I was ridiculed by my friends for straying towards the alt rock section of Best Buy instead of buying the newest installment of Britney's discography. My first encounter with blink-182 came when I stayed up passed my bedtime on night in grade school watching a documentary about blink on MTV. It gave an inside look into the production of their self-titled album, which was the last before the big break-up. I remember Tom and Mark talking about the process of writing the lyrics for the major single from that album, "Feeling This." They said they each went into separate rooms where one wrote the verses and one wrote the chorus, and ironically, they both ended up writing about sex. My 12-year-old self was fascinated. I guess I'm glad that I took an interest in bands who actually wrote their own music at such a young age. I bought this album, and was made fun of by my grade school cheerleader friends for being "gothic." I perservered through the ridicule, and went on to buy Catalyst from New Found Glory and Hangover You Don't Deserve from Bowling for Soup. Pretty soon, those same friends who had made fun of me were accompanying me to shows at the Electric Factory and letting me burn their SoCo cds. One actually even introduced me to Boxcar Racer. From then on I was hooked, and now I interview punk bands every other week for Punk Nights and the Brewery, and I love every minute of it.

The members of blink released a message to the public that stated they were "picking up where they left off and then some," including recording a new album. So I hope all critics saying the summer 2009 tour is just a gimmick can be silenced when blink-182 gives us a whole new batch of tracks to add to their list of iconic anthems. If and when this new album comes out, I hope there are a few more 12-year-old girls who reach for it in the record store and share the same experiences I have had as a fan of this.

-- Beth Ann

There've been plenty of Valentine's Day playlists compiled in the past, and it's hard to try to improve on the formula. Instead, this mix tries to mine the pop music catalog for examples of more offbeat romance, which turns out to be a surprisingly common theme. Even Eric Clapton's "Layla" was a musical love letter to his best friend George Harrison's current wife... and that's a tame example. Some of these might not be appropriate for the easily offended.

"867-5309/Jenny" - Tommy Tutone: This 1982 hit is a famous example of slight perversion in pop lyrics, with lead singer Tommy Heath proclaiming his love for a girl whose number he found written, ostensibly, in a bathroom stall.

"Necromancer" - Gnarls Barkley: You might be able to tell from the pun in this song's title what it's about (nec-romancer, get it?) but its twist ending redeems it slightly from the extremely taboo subject matter.

"How Dare You Call This Love" - The Darkness: Songs about jailbait have been disturbingly prevalent in pop music, from The Beatles' "I Saw Here Standing There" to The Police's "Don't Stand So Close To Me." This song, by defunct British group The Darkness, sounds like a standard love song until the line "I can't wait for the day when you finally turn 16" gives it away.

"Stacy's Mom" - Fountains of Wayne: This novelty hit is essentially the opposite of the previous song and should be self-explanatory.

"Little Ghost" - The White Stripes: Jack White's written several songs about unrequited love for the late Rita Hayworth, so lyrics in which he wines and dines a phantom don't come as a surprise.

"Double Team" - Tenacious D: This song suggests the possibilities of a ménage à trois with the members of joke rock duo Tenacious D. What girl could resist?

"If You're Into It" - Flight of the Conchords: The dudes in Flight of the Conchords are another comedy duo possibly interested in a threesome, but they're a lot more polite about it.

"I'm in Love With My Car" - Queen: Freddie Mercury wrote quite a few famous songs about love, but drummer Roger Taylor's contribution to 1975's seminal A Night at the Opera album is by far the most offbeat example in Queen's catalog.

"Big Bottom" - Spinal Tap: "Tush," "My Humps" and "Fat Bottomed Girls" are perhaps more well-known odes to the derriere, but the bone-headed double entendres in this anthem by fake hard rock group Spinal Tap help it rise to the top.

-Andy

To share a little of my love for French music, here's a new one by Malajube. A late bloomer, I fell in love with Trompe L'oiel last year, and I just found this, which is off the new album, Labyrinthes. I suggest you take a listen. It's always quality and fun from these French Canadians.

-Jill

It's been three years since I experienced the Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival for the only time in my life thus far .
Radiohead headlined, naming their show one of their all-time favorites and filming it for an upcoming DVD; My Morning Jacket put on a three-hour late-night extravaganza with covers of The Who, The Band, and The Rolling Stone; and Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers pulled out hit after hit, as well as Stevie Nicks, for tens of thousands of half-bored hippies.
And after several heat-related dizzy spells, a smorgasbord of disappointing sets and sound problems, swarms of dirty folks roaming around in various states of undress, and over $50 spent on corn dogs, there's a chance I may be getting roped back into making the 12-hour trek to Manchester, Tenn. and back.
The 2009 line-up was leaked late Monday night on TV on the Radio's MySpace and it may be the best-looking one yet, especially after last year's crummy mish-mash of headliners, Pearl Jam, Metallica and Jack Johnson, which I legitimately thought was a joke at first.
The list of artists covers every pivotal point in my musical life; the 8th-grader (Phish, Beastie Boys, Nine Inch Nails, Snoop Dogg, Galactic, Ben Harper), the senior in high school (Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Andrew Bird, The Decemberists, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists) and my current self (David Byrne, Elvis Costello solo, TV on the Radio, Of Montreal, Animal Collective, St. Vincent, Grizzly Bear).
Yes, I used to be a pretty devout Phish fan in the day, and I'd be lying if I said I wouldn't enjoy seeing the reunited group once (or twice) more. Besides, where else does anyone expect to find Raphael Saadiq, Merle Haggard and Kevin Barnes together in one weekend?
Tickets are in the $220-250 range, so I'll have to mull this over a bit more, but visit www.bonnaroo.com to see the entire list of artists and decide for yourself.

-Kyle

Ok, I have to give a shout out to one of my favorite hometown bands. Great American Soundtrack was started just over a year ago, but they have already made a lot of headway in the Philly music scene. Not only can the group boast about the starting of their own "street team," but they can also add to their repertoire sharing the stage with Valencia, Mae, and The Morning Light. Below is a video of the band playing their single "Lines."

I mean, what kind of girl doesn't love a pop rock song that begins with the line, "Hey girl, don't you look beautiful." Vocals from front man Kurt Cain-Walther are intricate but soothing, and the look on his face is priceless when he hears the crowd singing back the lyrics to his song in the video of their show at the Trocadero in Philly. This song has been playing as the background noise to my studying all week. If you're looking for something a little more relaxing, also be sure to check out their cover of "Red Red Wine" originally sung by Neil Diamond, which is also featured on the band's MySpace page. It will have you thinking of the beach instead of the ten degree weather in State College. Look out for their new album entitled People You Know, which will be coming out sometime next month.

-- Beth Ann

Being a disappointed Eagles fan, I only had invested interest in three things last night during the Super Bowl.

1. The one second Miller High Life Commercial
2. The hour-long Office episode that immediately followed

And, of course, the super duper halftime show starring Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street band. Bruce not only rocked the asses off everyone in the arena, but he also provided a few hilarious moments which I have listed for your convenience:

1. Bruce commanding viewers to "STEP BACK FROM THE GUACAMOLE DIP" and "PUT THE CHICKEN FINGERS DOWN!" (0:45)
2. Bruce sliding into a cameraman, thus giving the impression that he was indeed humping all of us watching at home. (3:42)
3. The exchange between Bruce and Steve during "Glory Days":
"WHAT TIME IS IT STEVE?"
"IT'S BOSSTIME!"

Hell yes, that all happened. Check it out now before Youtube removes the videos!

Part 1: "Tenth Avenue Freezeout"

Part 2: "Born to Run," "Working on a Dream," "Glory Days"

-Rich