“He gave me the influence that I have today,” he said. “The reason I started (playing the drums) is because I saw my dad do it.”

More than a decade later, Phelps still is performing, and this weekend, he opened for a band he has looked up to for years. Phelps performed Friday at The Loft, 414 E. Michigan Ave., in Lansing, with his five-member pop-punk and progressive act Priorities. The group opened for nationally known rock act A Loss for Words along with seven other bands from throughout the country.

Eric Redies, who is the drummer for Priorities, said overall, he and the other band members were pleased with their performance.

“I think we did really well,” the MSU alumnus said. “I just think we played our A-game. Everyone played solidly.”

Redies said being able to perform with members of other bands who he is friends with, such as Lansing-based pop-punk group Hometeam, and also with well-established bands such as A Loss for Words made Friday’s performance a special one.

“It’s good to play with bands you look up to and are inspired by,” he said.

About a year ago, Priorities formed after a few name and lineup changes and released its first EP in late 2011, which featured five new songs created by the band’s current members.

“Those were all strictly Priorities songs written for the new band,” said Phelps, who is Priorities’ guitarist. “That was a fresh start.”

Phelps said band members all have different taste in music, and as a whole, the group takes inspiration from numerous diverse musicians, such as death metal band Dying Fetus, country singer Taylor Swift and popcore act Four Year Strong.

“Everything we listen to, we put in some way, shape or form into our music,” Phelps said.

And because of the wide range of influential sources group members pull from, Phelps said it is difficult to put a label on their band’s sound.

“I hear it’s pretty original in a lot of people’s eyes,” he said. “It’s not something that they’re used to hearing, but it’s a familiar tone.”

Guitarist and vocalist Andrew Bozymowski said in addition to being a high-energy group, band members also like to maintain their own playful personas.

“We’re just trying to have fun,” the media arts and technology junior said. “(We are) a bunch of goofy guys playing music.”

When creating new music and performing, Phelps said each member tries to stay upbeat and true to their personalities.

“(Our music has) a lot of passion in it — a lot of energy — and that’s pretty much what we’re all about,” he said.

Although the band typically performs locally, Bozymowski said members have plans to embark on a two or three-week summer tour to locations including Boston, Philadelphia and New York City, and fans should expect another EP to be released within the next two months.

“We’re trying to do as much as we can,” he said.