Community /

Blogs

The opinions expressed in these blogs are solely those of the people who wrote them, and do not represent the views of WPSU or Penn State University.

Live Local Music

A look at Chronic Town

Posted by Shamir Lee on 06/10 at 10:43 AM

I stood at the top of the stairs, and already I could smell the sweet mixture of aromas emanating from the shisha downstairs. I was in Chronic Town, State Collegeâ€™s popular hookah bar. But I wasnâ€™t there for the hookah, I was looking at records. The Music Underground, which sells vinyl records and CDs, is basically a part of Chronic Town, with the music collection in plain view as soon as you reach the bottom of the stairs. The dark atmosphere and delicious smells, combined with the friendly service and comfortable seating automatically makes it one of my favorite places to go here in State College.

I have yet to try their hookah. The last time I was their, I bought about ten records from their record collection. They sell new records, as well as classics and rarities. They had Nina Hagenâ€™s Fearless album! I never thought Iâ€™d find that! The prices range from $2 up to about $40, depending on the artist, quality, release date, and/or legendary status. Not only do they sell records, they also provide a rental system that assists in events such as small public speaking affairs or shows with audiences of up to 500. They even offer a rental DJ system. Additionally, they repair and clean turntables, among other services. If you havenâ€™t explored this magical place yet, well, what are you waiting for? I’ve only been here a few times, but I definitely plan on returning more in the future.

Chronic Town is located at 224 West College Avenue, right next to Five Guys. Go with a few friends, or go alone. You donâ€™t have to smoke hookah. You can simply enjoy the music, or even play some of the arcade games they have set up. Itâ€™s open Sunday through Thursday from 12pm to 12am, and Friday through Saturday from 12pm to 2am.

For more information, visit Chronic Townâ€™s facebook, and check out the Music Undergroundâ€™s website.

Author: Shamir Lee
Bio: Shamir Lee is a senior majoring in Advertising. Sheâ€™s a writer for Penn Stateâ€™s CRITIQUE, a student-run business magazine. Additionally, she has created ads and flyers for One Heart, an organization fighting against child sexual abuse. Sheâ€™s interested in looking at cats, doing ballet, exercising, and ending animal cruelty. In her free time, she enjoys watching horror movies, some of her favorites being Satoshi Konâ€™s Perfect Blue and the 2003 remake of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre ("sorry, I just really like the cinematography"). Music is a big part of her life, as she plays piano, a little bit of guitar, and used to play saxophone. Some of her favorite musicians are Jason Becker, BUCK-TICK, Megadeth, Aivi Tran, Missing Persons, Nina Hagen, Prince, and Koji Kondo.