It’s 8 PM on a Friday, and State College is buzzing with activity. Two men sit alone on the porch of a house west of campus, watching packs of students walk past. One group in particular turns down the driveway. Feeling the beat of drums and bass vibrate beneath their feet, they head towards the porch. The air grows thicker as they walk down the stairs to the home of the music. There’s a crowd, deep purple lights, and, as they push their way through the people, they come face to face-with a band. One member sings as another masters their guitar, strumming the chords and creating an insane blend of rhythm. They are either going to explode the foundation of the shaking basement with their energy or explode on stage, taking the audience by storm.
These shows appear around State College all the time in venues such as Webster’s, Dumpster Fire, Sharkies, Your Mom’s House, and other basements of houses. They are essentially parties with live music, advertised through word of mouth.
This band, however, was a band called “No Thanks.” Though that particular band no longer plays, bassist Ryan “Weastie” Weast and guitarist Brody Weiss continue to play in a newer band called “Alvarius,” emitting a vibe that is both psychedelic blues with hints of punk.
Weiss, the guitarist, began playing when he was about sixteen or seventeen. He recalls that he was honestly just bored— he had a guitar sitting in the corner of his room, and, decided to pick it up one day. Ever since he has yet to put it down. “It’s really fun to see all the hard work we’ve put into making these songs. You see people react, and you are like ‘Thank God, it works’,” said Weiss. He may feel stressed before a show, but the second he begins playing and sees the crowd’s approval, it’s totally worth it.
The outreach is bigger now. More people have been coming out this year, so they’ll have to play multiple shows in one night. Despite the size, however, the crowd is just as accepting.
Bassist Weastie emphasizes the understanding nature of this community. Before he was in the music scene, when he would try to go out, people were not as accepting. People were denied or needed some sort of gender ratio to be permitted to go inside. Meanwhile, this community is always bringing everyone along.
“I found out about this through someone in one of my classes during my freshmen year. I was just invited,” he says. Weastie started playing bass in January 2020. His music style had developed into genres that demanded more real instruments such as classic rock, yet he never expected to be in a band and write his own music. The very first time he went to a house show, he recalls seeing so many awesome bands. At that moment, he decided that he wanted to be on stage one day. “It seemed straight-up fun to have people dance to your songs. It’s satisfying,” he says.
“Being in a band is about sharing the things that I love with other people. It’s giving back to a community that gave me so many pleasant times”
In general, State College is an accepting place, but as a member of the LGBTQ+ community in this group of music lovers, you “don’t just feel accepted; you feel powerful. People don’t just not make fun of you, they actively encourage it,” said Weastie. “I really want to emphasize that point.”
So, how can you find out more about this underground music scene on campus?
Follow the Instagram account @houseshowstatecollege. Though they don’t post the addresses of the shows, they post flyers. Weastie recommends direct messaging the bands themselves rather than the big account, for they will get back to you sooner. And, of course, go see the totally awesome band, Alvarius.
Tweet or tag us @VALLEYmag with pictures of you at the show!
