It's always an odd thing for a band - and its fans - if it eventually breaks through to a wider audience. No musician embarks on a career just to be a cult favorite, but "early" fans always take a certain caustic pride of ownership - in being able to say that they were into the group way before most people.

Maryland-marinated rockers OAR (which stands for "Of a Revolution") are standing on said precipice. After six studio and three live records, their most recent effort, All Sides, has spawned a Top 40 single and heavy VH-1 rotation with the melodic "Shattered."

The entire process of making All Sides took OAR into new areas - including geographically. The band recorded in LA, and vocalist/guitarist Marc Roberge wanted a "road experience" to inspire his lyrics. So he and his family set out on a cross-country trek to the studio. Not surprisingly, many of the tunes are about moving ahead, moving forward and...well, moving somewhere. They and their loyal legion of fans move into Bethel Woods on Wednesday, August 12.

OAR's origins started in, of all places, junior high school. That's where Roberge, drummer Chris Culos and guitarist Richard On first started playing together. They picked up bassist Benj Gershman at their Rockville, Maryland high school, forming OAR in 1996, then adding saxophonist/guitarist Jerry DePizzo at Ohio State University.

OAR's alternative/jam-band style of rock became popular on campuses in the region, and the group released a demo, The Wanderer, in 1997. Over the next few years, fans responded to high-energy songs like "Hey Girl," "City on Down" and "That Was a Crazy Game of Poker," and the group found itself drawn into the collegiate "jam" scene that also spawned the Dave Matthews Band.

OAR also encouraged fans to tape and trade its shows, thus further spreading the music in the early days before downloading and bit-torrent streams. Still, "jam band" is a moniker that OAR embraces - even if others so hip do not.

Parking begins at 5 p.m., doors open at 6 and showtime is at 7. Tickets are $35 for reserved seating, $20 for Lawn seating and $60 for a Lawn Four-Pack. For tickets, visit www.bethelwoodscenter.org.