Rachel Mannes is interning for KXT 91.7 FM this summer. She’ll be providing an advanced look at the station’s Summer Cut concert as well as other posts about music this summer.

When Michael Fitzpatrick of Fitz and the Tantrums explains how he started his indie/pop band, he credits an old organ that just happened to fall into his lap. Ouch. But really, Fitz wrote one of their first songs, “Breaking the Chains of Love,” as soon as he sat down at that organ in 2008.

The Tantrums, a group of six, is a diverse mix of personalities and instrument players. Each member has his or her part and sticks to it, with Fitz assuming the role of lead vocals and a little bit of keyboards. The lone woman in the group, Noelle Scaggs, holds her own as Fitz’s vocal equal, even claiming a spot on the cover of the group’s debut studio album, Pickin’ Up the Pieces.

These artists, though fairly new to the music scene, have been unbelievably successful. In late 2009, Adam Levine of Maroon 5 was turned on to the band, and Fitz and the Tantrums soon were opening for Maroon 5 on tour. The spring before their album was released, the Tantrums headed down to Austin for South by Southwest. After the release of Pickin’ Up the Pieces in the fall of 2010, their single “MoneyGrabber” was featured on an episode of Criminal Minds, and their song “News 4 U” was used as a promo for the seventh season of Desperate Housewives. The group has also performed onJimmy Kimmel Live, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Conan.

Check them out when they perform at KXT’s Summer Cut Festival on Friday.

Get more information and tickets for Summer Cut here.

Wanna know more about the Tantrums? Try their website.

And be sure to check out our other primers on the show’s other headliners, Flaming Lips, St. Vincent and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah.