Fitz and the Tantrums take the stage at Penn State’s Thon as surprise performer

The band Fitz and the Tantrums was introduced as the surprise performer Friday night in the first hours of Penn State’s IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon at the Bryce Jordan Center.

The surprise performer, also known as “the national act,” is a highly-anticipated event that starts off Thon weekend and is kept secret until the moment the act takes the stage. The crowd sprang up in cheers when the band, best known for their 2016 hit “HandClap,” were announced.

The indie pop and soul band originally from Los Angeles took the stage and began their performance by getting the arena to clap along to their song “OCD.”

Penn State students excitedly cheered and jumped along with members Michael Fitzpatrick and Noelle Scaggs as they approached dancers while on stage.

“Holy cow, there are a lot of you all here,” lead singer Fitzpatrick said. “This is amazing, you guys are blowing my mind.”

The six-person band spread across the BJC stage with Fitzpatrick and Scaggs leading the vocals and dancing along with the crowd sporadically.

Scaggs encouraged people to continue to donate to Thon before launching into the band’s hit song “Out of My League.”

The Fitz and the Tantrums concert was the first one of many performances throughout the weekend of dancing, live performance, and activities For the Kids. Thon raises money for Four Diamonds at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital in Hershey, and donations can be made through Sunday at donate.thon.org.

The guest performer is a yearly tradition, with rock band The Fray performing at last year’s Thon.

This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 9:45 PM.