If it's variety you want, it's variety you'll get from Gettysburg-based Philadelphia Avenue. The acoustic duo can segue from Elvis to Gordon Lightfoot to Incubus without blinking, a skill they've been honing for five years throughout the Central Pa. scene. "We do anything from Elvis Presley to stuff you hear on the radio today," says singer/guitarist Michael Sneeringer. "It's just a huge variety. It's blended and mixed up. But we try to make it something that's full of harmonies. With two guys on two guitars, we try to make it as big a sound as possible. We're pretty much known for our singing."

Sneeringer met up with fellow singer/guitarist Rick Eckenrode about five years ago in the most likely of places: the stage. "I was playing in a band, and I kind of got frustrated with all the different personalities. And I ran an open mic night, and [Rick] happened to come in," Sneeringer explains. "It was basically an acoustic-type thing. We sat and sang together, and our voices really blended with the harmonies and all that, and I just said, 'Well, this is it. This is what I gotta do.' And he was pretty much the same way." Once united, the duo began compiling a monstrous catalog. "We have a ton of originals, but we also have 200 to 300 cover songs we can pull out of our hats," Sneeringer claims. "The covers are our bread and butter. You have to keep that going, and then throw in your originals."

Philadelphia Avenue released its first album in the summer of 2002, a self-titled collection of originals Sneeringer says are comparable to a singer-songwriter you might have heard of: "Me, myself, and I," he laughs. "It's just unique. There's no real influence, I'd say. It's life experience, and everything you hear throughout your life. I really don't think it's like anything out there. It's just nice, melodic music. Some of it kind of pulls your heartstrings, some of it's a little more in-your-face. Just philosophical music, I guess."

Don't expect Philadelphia Avenue to sign that record contract anytime soon. "We both have families and we both have businesses we need to take care of. So it's a side thing, but it's an important thing, too," Sneeringer explains. "I'll sell my songs off to somebody, and if they want to use them, I don't care. I'm not out for it for the glory. Maybe a couple of dollars, but that's about it."

Visit the duo at philadelphiaavenue.com for more info.