Students have the chance to drop their midterm blues tonight and “Gang Up on the Sun” at Georgia Theatre.

Band member Joe Pisapia said he joined the band five years ago, after Guster’s music became too complex for a three-piece.

“Mostly I’m a guitar player, but in Guster I play guitar, bass, keyboard and other things,” Pisapia said. “Because we experimented a lot with this last record, I can do a little bit of everything now.”

With his own studio, it’s hard to keep Pisapia away from recording, even during his downtime.

“It’s so fun to get lost in the world of writing songs on my own,” Pisapia said. “I’m learning the petal steel guitar. I’ve always wanted one – I guess I have a healthy addiction to it.”

Playing with Guster tonight is Brett Dennen from California.

“When I first heard the description of Brett Dennen’s music, it was completely different than I thought it would be,” Pisapia said. “He has a world-music influence in his sound – a little bit Caribbean with an African groove and a folky (sic) theme because of his lyrics and vocals.”

With 10 people sharing a bus, Guster’s ride can stay noisy, Pisapia said.

“The crew and band share the bus,” he said. “During pre-show time, the crew is loading the stage; it’s the quietest time on the bus, so we take advantage of it.”

After the show, fans may have the chance to meet Guster.

“Guster is great because they have a nice variety of song styles and moods,” said Elisa Armsby, a sophomore from Atlanta.

“Their lyrics are really easy to identify with, and their sound isn’t too processed.”

Armsby said she plans to attend tonight’s concert, and Pisapia said the band will have a “meet and greet” after its performance.

Pisapia said he is excited to visit Athens again.

“I realized there is one town that redeems every state for me; Athens is one of those hidden cities. I love it,” he said.