There’s just really no other way to put it.

There is no way, none, that any recap I could write would do Total Whitout’s performance justice. They made me laugh, cry, sing along, fist pump, and jump up and down, all in their hourlong set. However, since I have to write something or I lose my seat in Press Row, here goes nothing as I try to put one of the best live music experiences I’ve had into words.

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Total Whiteout, a five-piece band from State College, is making their second consecutive THON appearance, and for good reason. The band features energetic frontman Eric Henkels on lead vocals, guitar, and keys, Pete Macartney on lead guitar, Chris Mower on keys and vocals, Kevin Franklin on bass, and Simon Wernovsky behind the drumkit. Together, the band members interacted, jumped around and gave a truly memorable performance.

They opened with their own rocking rendition of Sweedish House Mafia’s “Don’t You Worry Child”, (which has become a hit at THON 2013) followed by will.i.am’s “Scream & Shout”. Next they played Rihanna’s “We Found Love”, which prompted the entire BJC to throw their diamonds up in the air.  The whole BJC sang along when they played a Backstreet Boys Medley, featuring, “I Want It That Way” and, “Larger Than Life”. The rest of their set included crowd favorites such as “Titanium” and “Beauty and the Beat”.

Chris Mower took over the mic at a few points, giving frontman Eric Henkels a break, singling lead vocals on Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out of Heaven”, and “Wild Ones” by Flo Rida.

In the spirit of the 2000’s, they next played a medley including “Harder Better Faster Stronger” by Daft Punk, J.Lo’s “Waiting for Tonight”, “Listen To Your Heart”, and “Cotten Eyed Joe”.

The second half of their set was also amazing, but it had several high points that stuck out to me.

• A very tolerable cover of Taylor Swift’s, “I Knew You Were Trouble”
• The “Ohhhhhh…..Ohhhhhh…..Ohhhhhh….Let’s Go State!” Cheer, which was covered very well by drummer Simon Wernovsky. (I would know, I was a drumline reject. I learned it.)
• They had the entire BJC, and I mean the entire BJC, jumping and dancing around to both Wobble, AND Sandstorm.  It was awesome. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

For their last song, they changed gears entirely, and rounded out their set with and emotional performance of Coldplay’s “Fix You”, which ended with frontman Eric Henkels in tears, and I doubt he was alone.

Overall, Total Whiteout gave a fantastic performance with great song selection that kept everyone in the BJC jumping, fist-pumping, and singing along. The energy in their show was infectious, and they gave a performance that’s surpassed many other bands I’ve seen live. The entire band jumped up and down, and hit fantastic harmonies, breaks, and punches in every song they played, and had the entire BJC rocking along with them every single second they were on stage.

“This is the best event in the whole world” frontman Eric Henkels said, and he and his band’s performance helped re-energize the BJC to make THON the experience it is.