The numbers read like those on a football scoreboard: 36-6.

But in this case, 36-6 represents the number of musicians scheduled to travel to Ann Arbor and East Lansing, respectively, in November.

The numbers came Tuesday from the online concert Web site Pollstar, which doesn't necessarily list every concert in every city but still paints a picture that Ann Arbor has a more vivacious music scene than the Lansing area.

Yet, some music lovers are trying to change that image. At the front lines are the Residence Halls Association and POP Entertainment - two student groups devoting more time and money to bringing an increasing amount of music to campus.

The organizers

POP Entertainment Director Jason Rogalewski and RHA Director of Special Events Eric Bolf met last year while on the University Activities Board. They have since moved on to their current organizations, but Bolf and Rogalewski maintain their close relationship.

Rogalewski said his group, which has been around for more than 50 years, has many music-industry connections, while RHA has the resources and planners to make sure the shows go on successfully.

RHA and POP have collaborated for seven on-campus shows this semester - the most recent being tonight's Guster show at the MSU Auditorium. In comparison, POP organized five shows during all of last year.

Yet, concerts do not magically appear on campus. Bolf and Rogalewski agree: There are many kinks that need to be worked out for each show.

"A lot of bands aren't big on bringing shows to campus," Rogalewski noted. "You have to reassure them that you're not just some kid who wants to bring his favorite band to campus."

Bolf said sometimes the problems are even simpler than that.

"The music scene is changing in general," Bolf stated. "Bands are asking for so much more money. We don't recoup all our costs - we usually break even."

It cost about $30,000 to bring the Saves The Day show to campus last month, Bolf said. Each on-campus student pays $21 a semester in RHA dues, which helps fund these events. Bolf added the reason for the eight-show RHA lineup this fall, as opposed to the two-show schedule last fall, is the reallocation of budgetary funds.

Last fall, RHA brought Ja Rule and Eminem to campus. Bolf said the success with those shows has led RHA and POP to try and bring in more popular acts.

Another reason RHA has increased the number of musicians coming to campus is the result of an online poll conducted last year. Students were asked what they would like to see their RHA taxes go toward, and more events was the No. 1 response.

Association officials say this year's concerts have been successful thus far because of the diverse mix of music and the low ticket prices that have been offered. Breslin Center acts, such as the Red Hot Chili Peppers, typically charge upward of $50 a ticket, whereas most RHA and POP shows, which usually are held at the Erickson Hall Kiva, Union Ballroom or the Auditorium, hover around $10 a ticket.

While the acts RHA and POP bring in usually aren't as mainstream as Breslin performers, both groups revel in the ability to bring up-and-coming artists to campus.

"It's going to make the Breslin Center rethink things when you can see seven or eight of our shows for the price of one Red Hot Chili Peppers ticket," Bolf said.

Common Grounds, a student-run concert venue in the basement of Akers Hall, also features local live entertainment. Formerly the site of a snackshop, the venue now serves MSU students of all ages, allowing them the opportunity to both experience and participate in the East Lansing music scene. At least eight shows are scheduled each semester at Common Grounds, said assistant programming coordinator Khalid Ibrahim.

The venue hosts a mix of local talent and national acts.

But it's not just people on campus who are trying to expose locals to the music scene.

The Temple Club, 500 E. Grand River Ave. in Lansing's Old Town, frequently features local music. The most recent example was this past Friday when 16 local, regional and national bands, including The Hard Lessons, all took the stage in one night.

Mac's Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, also is a supporter of local music. Mac's booking agent Steve Lambert said the establishment has about 16 shows per month and said he tries to match a local band with each national touring act.

But that's not always easy, Lambert said, when there's not a plethora of local bands to showcase. Still, Mac's likes to pair an area band with a national act at most of its shows.

"The music scene in East Lansing has a lot of room to grow," Lambert said. "A lot of them need to touch more on originality. These guys don't make us say, 'These guys are good enough to put on a bill with Death Cab for Cutie.'"

Basically, Lambert said, what it comes down to is many local bands just don't sound good.

"They can't play at a local bar two to three times every month and perfect their sound," he said. "They need to play consistently. Maybe some of these guys just want to say they were in a rock 'n' roll band while in college."

The bands

Keith Billik, banjo player and vocalist in the bluegrass quintet Hot-Toe-Mitty, agrees with Lambert.

"In East Lansing, the music is mostly DJs or karaoke," Billik said. "I hope that people come back around to wanting to see more live performances, 'cause there's a lot of it to see around here." But maybe the issue isn't that local music is bad, said Korin Cox, organist and vocalist for The Hard Lessons.

"One of the biggest bummers of the East Lansing scene is that nine out of 10 shows are for ages 21 and up," said Cox, an interdisciplinary studies in social science senior, who uses the stage name Ko Ko Louise. "People want to see us and we have to say 'No' because they wouldn't be able to get in. That makes it difficult for many MSU students to get to know the music scene