Usually, opening bands are a little rough around the edges. The opening slot serves as experience to grow an audience and style.

The Orbans are far from an average opening act. Although not nationally well-known, the band generated buzz from National Public Radio, the Fort Worth Weekly and the Dallas Observer.

The band combines influences from multiple genres, switching sounds resembling The Fall to Ryan Adams.

The Shorthorn caught up with Orbans vocalist and guitarist Peter Black.

The Shorthorn: Catch us up on what the band has been up to.

Peter Black: Staying busy. We’ve been doing a lot of regional stuff, like short runs of shows. We’ve been working on material for a record we’re gonna start, hopefully, in the fall. Our keyboard player has been running off and playing with Ben Harper and Relentless 7. He’s been keeping us on our toes. Other than that, we’re trying to spend a lot of time in the rehearsal studio working on new songs.

T.S.: How did the band get started?

P.B.: I was going to school at the University of Oklahoma. I had a band while I was in school. We played a show downtown, and the guy who was managing my band at the time introduced me to Kenny, who at the time was playing a pickup gig with a girl named Selena who was on American Idol. I sat down with him after hanging out a few times and told him I wanted to change up what I was doing and thought it would be cool if he jumped in. He brought in the bass player two months after that. At that point, we called the band the Lifters, made an EP, and once we got Justin, the keyboardist, and a different drummer, we changed names again. That’s when we decided on the Orbans.

T.S.: How about the name of the band? Where did that come from?

P.B.: We were looking to change the name. It’s always one of the most nerve-racking things. Should it mean something amazing or not? Look at Toad and the Wet Sprocket or Pearl Jam. That’s such a weird name. It’s kind of funny the way a name settles and means something. For this name, our drummer had gone to New York to do session work and the studio had Orban compressors. He sent a text in suggesting the name. We added it to the list, and when nobody hated it, after 4 weeks, we went with it.

T.S.: How long have you been together?

P.B.: Kenny, Cliff, bassist and vocals, and I have been playing together for three years. The sound has changed composition over the past couple years.

T.S.: How did you get chosen to open for We The Kings?

P.B.: Actually, I don’t know exactly. That was something that Cliff, our bass player, handled. Maybe somebody doing the talent or booking heard our record and submitted it. I guess they wanted to check us out as local support for the show.

T.S: Do you like their music?

P.B: Honestly, I had to go look it up. Kenny, guitarist, had heard them, but I haven’t had the time to go through the record.

T.S.: Have you played in Arlington before?

P.B.: There was one real eclectic place we went and played once called Caves. I like that bar. It’s more our speed.

T.S.: How familiar are you with the university?

P.B.: I’ve never been out there, but I had some friends who went to school there. I’m looking forward to playing outside there, though. Luckily, it hasn’t gotten too hot out there.

T.S.: For fans that aren’t familiar with your music, how would you describe your sound?

P.B.: Just kind of new age American rock and roll — very song based music. This is always the hardest question. Our keyboard player told someone once its elements of the music we’ve loved from the ’50s, ’80s and ’90s, like the Beach Boys and stuff.

T.S: To prepare students who are attending Springfest, what type of show will you put on?

P.B.: Like I said, with the band, everything is based on the songs. We like getting out and playing these songs we’ve spent so much time on. The only variable is how long we’ll play. We got some ideas for some fun stuff to do. We’re playing songs from this album that we’ve been supporting. Sometimes we figure out better ways to interpret those.

T.S.: Is there anything else you want to say to students before you play on Thursday?

P.B.: Thanks. Honestly, I don’t even know how college kids think anymore. We’re looking forward to getting out in the sun and sharing some music.