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Photo by Pete Los/Observer
Random Orbits rocks the Toolbox Jam.
 
 

The
smell of beer and incense filled the air in a large garage right off of
Reecer Creek Road. This hot spot for local bands, called the Toolbox
Jam, was ready to rock Saturday, Feb. 28.
The Toolbox was slowly filling with people as the band Random Orbits
checked their instruments in preparation for the show. Senior tourism
major, lead vocalist and guitarist, Steven Smith, joked around with the
crowd while senior history major and Random Orbits drummer, Blake West,
did a quick solo.
“We compare our sound to making love,” Smith said. “First our sound
is really fast then it gets really slow, then picks up again.”
As soon as the first note was played, the entire crowd of
approximately 35 people got out of their plastic lawn chairs and onto
their feet. Another local band, Heavy Metal Mullet, had opened up the
show for Random Orbits and not one fan left their seats for the band.
It was evident that the crowd had been impatiently waiting for the main
event, Random Orbits. Bass player Ryan Daley did one last check on his
guitar and then it was show time.
With song titles such as “Legends of Beer Pong,” and “League of
Extraordinary Assholes,” you can bet that there was never a dull moment
to their performance. There was a constant fast-paced rock sound to
Random Orbits, but every now and then they would slow the beat down.
The crowd stayed on their feet the entire time and cheered often as
band members belted out lyrics.
“[Random Orbits] have good energy,”said Tanner Dodzer, a history
graduate student. “They’re good and sound a bit like Fugazi; they’re a
tight punk band.”
Daley and Smith have been playing together for three years and
jammed often together in high school. They got lucky and found West
through a MySpace ad. Smith simply put up an ad saying, “We want a
drummer who doesn’t suck,” and West was the only one to reply. 
The band was named after a “sweet painting by Ralph Steadman called ‘Random Orbits,’” said Smith. 
Everything seemed to click from there and for two years they have
all been playing together. The band recently got signed by Japanese
Record label Highspeed Flower Records, and  it is the only American
band on this label. With the help of the signing, Random Orbits will be
coming out with its second record in September of 2009, titled “Safety
Meeting.”
Smith believes that listening to the popular band Green Day is what
started his passion for music and made him want to start his own band.
“If you ever want to start a band you’re going to work your ass off,” Daley stated.
Random Orbits and a few other bands will perform again Friday, March
13 at the Toolbox Jam. The bands play from 7 to 11 p.m. and no minors
are allowed after 10 p.m. For more information on the Toolbox Jam spot,
look them up on MySpace under “Toolbox Jam.” Also, more information
about Random Orbits and upcoming shows can be found on its MySpace
page. 
“We fight constantly but we get sh-- accomplished ... It’s all worth it,” Daley said.