If you were watching the THON 2021 livestream Friday night, you may have noticed a super-cool guy jamming out on his guitar alongside OK Otter.

That guy was none other than Eric Weiss. Aside from playing at THON with his band and being a former committee member, he is also an adult cancer survivor himself, so naturally, the organization holds a special place in his heart.

We sat down with Weiss to ask about his time at Penn State, discuss his experiences as an Onward State photographer, and learn what it is was like to perform at THON.

Onward State: How did you get into music?

Eric Weiss: My dad and grandfather both play guitar so I was always around music growing up. I used to sit and watch, mesmerized by their playing, and wish I could play like them. They both continue to be incredibly encouraging when it comes to my musical endeavors. Fun fact: The amp I played through at THON both this year and last is my dad’s first amp, a 1971 Fender Vibrolux Reverb.

Onward State: What’s the story behind your guitar?

Eric Weiss: My current guitar is a Fender Jazzmaster; it’s been my main guitar for the past few years. The range in tone you can get out of it, from super bright and Tele-esque to dark and ambient, is really helpful when you’re in a cover band and switching from The Beatles to Bieber at the drop of a hat.

Onward State: What was it like to perform at THON as a Penn State alum?

Eric Weiss: It’s so great to come back to Penn State to perform as an alum, not only as a musician who spent countless nights playing at The Darkhorse Tavern (RIP) and Cafe, but also as a former THON Committee Member (shoutout OPP). It’s a perfect way to give back to a cause that’s incredibly important in such a personal and meaningful way.

Onward State: Do you have any specific memories from THON when you were a student?

Eric Weiss: I was on a great OPP committee sophomore year (shoutout to Molly’s Gold Diggers), and I won’t forget what a great experience that was with so many great people. My parents also came to visit from Pittsburgh to check out THON that year, and one of the last photos I have with my mom before she passed away from breast cancer is of the two of us on the BJC concourse that weekend.

Onward State: How did your time as an Onward State staffer influence your professional life?

Eric Weiss: My time as an Onward State photographer definitely set the tone for some of the more visual aspects of the career I’ve pursued in architecture. A lot of the time I spent framing images of Old Main, Pattee Mall, and other campus landmarks helped me to develop an eye for what makes a captivating piece of built environment, and how that piece is best captured.

Onward State: What is your favorite local State College band?

Eric Weiss: To be honest, after being out of State College for 8 years I feel very out of touch with the local band scene, so I’m hard-pressed to pick a favorite local band. I will give a shoutout to Lowjack. I’ve played in bands with both Dan and Joe and those guys are incredible musicians, so I have to give them props.

Onward State: What’s your favorite Penn State memory?

Eric Weiss: My favorite Penn State memory is probably a collection of weeknights at The Darkhorse Tavern circa 2011 known as “Smoothe Thursday.” I played drums in a band called Fred Smoothe and the Midnight Social, and our Thursday night gig at The Darkhorse came to be known as #SmootheThursday. All of our friends would come out—it was like a big house party except you could get Pazzo’s wings, Tonto’s, and lumberjack shots.

Onward State: What are the band’s future plans?

Eric Weiss: Our near-future plans are just to get back to playing live music. Obviously, 2020 took a big hit on the live music industry, and we’re hoping to get back to playing in front of live audiences instead of computer screens as soon as possible!

Onward State: Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians and creatives?

Eric Weiss: You’ll likely never be surrounded by more people who do what you do, so spend the time to make connections, learn from them, and collaborate as much as possible. It becomes infinitely more difficult to form the kind of creative bonds you can form in college once you graduate, but the ones you make while there can last a lifetime (or at least until you’re 31, that’s the best I can promise at this point).

Onward State: Per Onward State tradition, if you could be any dinosaur, what would you be and why?

Eric Weiss: I’m gonna go velociraptor, only because they star in my personal favorite scenes from Jurassic Park. However, all official OK Otter dinosaur statement requests should be made to Michael Doyle, our bassist, vocalist, and resident Dino expert.