State College’s very own Brass Cadillacs  reinvigorated the BJC with an early morning set that helped  them stand out from what seemed to be a never-ending country concert at THON. No rookie to THON, the local band prides itself on its good vibes, throwbacks, and most importantly a deep dedication to all things Ska music.

If you’re unsure what Ska music is, think every 90s movie montage song or a Tony Hawk’s Underground video games soundtrack. Ska is famously known for its upbeat brass sections, and a pairing of quick intricate bass-lines and loaded punk-style drumming.

Opening with the likes of essential middle school throwbacks like “Dirty Little Secret” and “Mr. Brightside,” the ska band put its touch on the classics with the addition of a groovy brass section and sharp vocals that got the dancers up and moving, and shamelessly singing along.

Brass Cadillacs then decided to show THON its bread and butter, classic 90s punk/pop-punk Ska, with numbers from Green Day, Reel Big Fish, and Cake that had THON feeling reminiscent of the good ole ’90s.  Sensing a crowd that needed a jumpstart, the band kicked off a “15 minute power hour” of early 2000s hits from Jimmy Eat World, Yellowcard,  and Fall Out Boy, and even included a cover of the crowd favorite “Valerie” by The Zutons.

Riding the throwback wave, the Brass Cadillacs had THON spectators of all ages jamming out to their unique Ska covers of Disney hits such as “I Just Can’t Wait To Be King” from “The Lion King” film. With the crowd feeling the full effect of the nostalgia, the band decided to keep everyone singing with more throwbacks from the 80s and 2000s with “Take On Me” by Aha and a true Penn State crowd pleaser, “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains of Wayne.

To pack a final punch and get the BJC feeling really energized, the band ended its set on a high note with another couple of crowd favorite sing-alongs with a Ska twist, including hits by Paramore, 4 Non-Blondes, and The Killers. But none came close to the energy the cover of “Come On Eileen” by Dexy’s Midnight Runners provided to a BJC crowd in need of a charge-up in the early hours of THON.

If you didn’t get quite enough of the throwback and Ska vibes Brass Cadillacs brought to the THON stage, they are the designated Cafe 210 West band every Thursday night, and from personal experience, they never fail to deliver anything short of a good time.