For those suffering the winter blues, a day in the tropics might be in order. Tropical Eruption of Fun, an event sponsored by SPC, the Student Center and Non-Traditional Student Services, on Jan. 26, will provide such an escape.

The event will include a showing of the film, Get Shorty, comedy from D.C. Benny, RSO games, food and storytelling.

The Jungle Dogs, a local band, will take the stage at 9:30 p.m. in the Student Center Ballroom D.

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The band’s music ranges from the fast beats of ska to some funky 70s grooves.

Crowds sometimes find themselves jumping, moshing, dancing and occasionally forming a Conga line. Sometimes audiences do all of these things at the same time. It is a style of music that must be seen to appreciate the sound.

People say, let’s go see the Jungle Dogs,’ not let’s go hear them,’ said bassist Eddie Chappa.

The band members are performers as well as musicians. Entertaining the crowd is as important as hitting the right notes, Chappa said.

The Jungle Dogs is a band committed to putting on a good show for its fans. The band tries to look good for the crowd, Chappa said.

In picking a set list the band reads the crowd a few minutes before the show. If the crowd is already out on the dance floor, the band hits the crowd right away with up-beat tunes they will recognize, Chappa said.

Some crowds are a little more sluggish in getting into the music.

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It starts with a shaking of the head, then dancing in place and before too long they’re out on the dance floor, Chappa said.

The Jungle Dogs was the first band from Carbondale to release a CD. The band now has three CDs out and has started on its fourth.

I think it will be the best one recorded yet, said Larry Daly, the trombone player.

Robbie Stokes, a promoter and back-up guitarist for the band, said the CD will be out by the end of the semester.

The new album features songs such as Wake Up The Sun, You Can Look But You Better Not Touch and The Beer Is For The Ska.

Stokes said most of the songs have already been written and the band has been performing them in concert.

The recording of the CD will not take as along as past efforts because most of the material has already been written, Daly said.

The Jungle Dogs is about having fun and enjoying music. No, it won’t transport anyone to the tropics, but the groovy sounds may provide a little eruption of fun for the weekend.

The Jungle Dogs plays at 9:30 p.m. Jan. 26 in the Student Center Ballroom D. Admission is free.