Donny Burns & The Third Degree took the Bryce Jordan Center stage Saturday afternoon to perform for the THON crowd. The band, led by singer Donny Burns, is known for electrifying the State College downtown bar scene. They have performed at THON for the last few years, each during different time slots.

The State College cover band kicked off their set with “How Far We’ve Come” by Matchbox Twenty. Next up was “When You Were Young” by The Killers. Two songs into the set, and the crowd was starting to overcome their mid-THON tiredness.

When they started to play “Life Is A Highway,” the crowd came to life. Greek letter signs were once again bopping up and down, and the BJC was singing along to every word. The band then transitioned into “Smooth” by Santana and Rob Thomas.

Next up was “What I Like About You,” by the Romantics, transitioned smoothly into “Born to Be Wild” by Steppenwolf.

Before starting the next song, singer Donny Burns took a moment to ‘cheers’ the crowd with his water bottle, and dedicate the next song to everyone in the BJC. The band then proceeded to play “My Hero” by Foo Fighters, continuing a strong run of classic songs.

Their cover of Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back In Anger” was a huge hit among the crowd, and had the BJC singing once again.

After taking a quick water break, the band was back to sing some more classics, starting with “My Sacrifice” by Creed. “Free Bird” by Lynyrd Skynyrd was easily the biggest hit of the set, giving the crowd a chance to dance and sing their hearts out.

The band closed out their performance with “Iris” by the Goo Goo Dolls. A great ending to a great performance from a band that has now solidified themselves as a THON favorite.

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