Being a backup band isn't as much fun as doing your own thing, according to Rob Doran, the bassist for the band Pit er Pat.

"We were playing with this guitarist/singer, and when he went on to do more of his own things, the band just stayed together," Doran said by phone from Los Angeles. "We were digging what we were doing as a band and wanted to expand on it."

Consequently, Pit er Pat, which hails from Chicago, didn't hire a guitarist once the other guy left. So the band — which currently consists of Doran, keyboardist Fay Davis-Jeffers and drummer Butchy Fuego — decided to carry on a different tradition. It decided to be a band that doesn't have a guitarist, like the Ben Folds Five.

However, Pit er Pat isn't like the Ben Folds Five. In fact, it's not like any band to come out of Chicago. The Windy City has a tradition of blues, rock and modern music. "We don't feel a lot of stress trying to live up to the Chicago music scene," said Doran. "Because we're totally different than what people think Chicago music should sound like."

He added with a laugh, "In fact, I like telling people we're from Chicago. It throws them off."

Doran picked up the bass because it was necessary. "Actually, I wanted to join one of my friend's bands, and they already had a guitar. So the bass was the easiest instrument to think of."

Black Sabbath was one of the bands Doran listened to because of the bass. "And from there I got into all kinds of stuff."

With Pit er Pat, Doran and his bandmates know there are limitations because of the lack of guitars. "It can sound pretty sparse, but that opens us up to find new ideas and ways to make music. It helps us with the creativity and intensity."

The band recently released its debut full-length album "Shakey," the follow-up to the extended-play vinyl record "Emergency."

"We had recorded 'Shakey' in about six days," said Doran. "We had all the songs written for this album. We didn't have any leftover songs from doing 'Shakey,' but we used the same producer (Griffin Rodriguez). And we did it fast.

"It sounds a bit raw, and we didn't spend a lot of time on it. And the songs were written within six months of the recording process."

Next on the Pit er Pat list, said Doran, is touring Europe in the fall. "We're looking forward to that. I would eventually love to go tour Japan. In the meanwhile, we're still going to push ourselves and make music we like."

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If you go

What: Pit er Pat, Causeway

Where: Kilby Court, 741 Kilby Court (330 West)

When: tonight, 7:30

How much: $6

Phone: 320-9887

Web: www.kilbycourt.com

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E-mail: scott@desnews.com