State College natives Ryan Gerber, Jeff Bundy, Chris Baronner and Josh Vargo are back together as emo group Ethel Meserve after a decades-long hiatus. The band played the first show of its reunion tour on Saturday in Chicago, and they play in State College Friday night.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better first show back. I think we’re all in agreement that it was packed from front to back. People were excited when a song started. Everybody knew the material, which is what you really want,” Vargo said.
They formed the band in the summer of 1994 in the underground State College post-hardcore and emo scene.
Ethel Meserve performed at house shows and other downtown State College and Penn State sites like the Wesley Student Center and Warnock Commons before splitting up in 1998. The group signed to indie label Numero Group in late 2024.
The label’s founder, Ken Shipley, released some of Ethel Meserve’s music in the 1990s through his previous label, Tree Records, and maintained a relationship with them. The rereleases prompted a reunion tour with a stop in State College on Friday at 7 p.m. at Manny’s.
"We never really got a chance to go and support our bigger recording efforts," Vargo said.
Baronner said he wants to inspire the next generation of musicians in his hometown.
“We’re older gentlemen, but when we were their age we were doing it, and you can still do that. You can still create art and music," Baronner said.
After State College, Ethel Meserve will perform in Philadelphia on Saturday night before a five-show run in Japan in February.
Erik Jones provided audio for the radio version of this story.