Shortly after they embarked on their current national tour earlier this month, D.C. band Sub-Radio faced their first hiccup—a dreaded mechanical breakdown. While this may be a common obstacle for baby bands who haven’t graduated to a tour bus yet, the members of Sub-Radio are well-equipped for such a situation.

“We’re currently in a garage,” explains lead singer Adam Bradley. “We had a problem with a brake light on the trailer. We’ve got a bunch of engineers in this band who are trying to figure it out themselves so we’re breaking out the tools.”

He’s not kidding. The sextet, hailing from Sterling, Va., includes a variety of former professionals who are primed for any situation. Bassist Barry Siford was a lab technician and phlebotomist at a clinic. Guitarist Matt Prodanovich was in sales. Lead singer Adam Bradley worked at a PR firm. Drummer Michael was a product design engineer/mechanical engineer/network engineer. Keyboardist/guitarist John Fengya worked in IT at a financial institution, and guitarist Kyle Cochran was a sound guy working on live performances. If anyone needs a band to build a website that sells press releases that contain terrific audio also while drawing blood, these are your guys.

Throwing caution to the wind and leaving their stable lives behind, Sub-Radio’s brand of pop-rock (a la The Aces, Panic! At the Disco, and The Killers) makes even experiencing the worst mechanical breakdown something you can potentially dance through.

Meeting at River Bend Middle School and Potomac Falls High School in Sterling, the members have been playing together for 10 years, cutting their teeth at local clubs including Jammin’ Java.

“At the time, it was the only venue that would let us play, us high schoolers,” says Bradley. “But I loved it for that. Back when we were in high school, I was going to see small touring pop-punk acts at Jammin’ Java all the time because that’s where they would be able to book and that’s where the high schoolers went. It was a really cool scene for us. We’ve played there like 30 times now. That was our go-to venue for years and years in the area.”

Like many long-distance relationships, most high school bands don’t survive past graduation, as their members are scattered to the wind and their interests are pulled elsewhere. Sub-Radio had the benefit of all its members attending colleges within reasonable driving distances of one another, allowing the musicians to work together during their undergrad years.

“A few guys went down to [James Madison University],” explains Bradley. “A couple of guys went to George Mason. I was in D.C. at American [University]. I remember every weekend of sophomore and junior year was dedicated to driving down to Harrisonburg and … trying to practice and write songs and sneak into the studio down there and record. I think we held together because we were some of each other’s closest friends, regardless of the band. So we needed to hang out anyway. Why not write some songs while we’re at it?”

Now five years out of college, the band has progressed to releasing their own EPs and music videos. Their next EP Dog Years, produced by Dylan Bauld (of flor, who’s worked with Halsey and LIGHTS), will be released July 19 with the latest single “Dreamcatcher” dropping this Friday. If the music video for the first single “Better Than That” is any indication (showcasing the band sporting some very spiffy floral pants while breaking out choreography that includes a Rockettes kickline), their EP release party and show at DC9 on July 26 will be an entertaining one.

“A Sub-Radio show is definitely a party atmosphere,” says Bradley. “That’s just the kind of stuff that we like to write and the kind of people that we are.”

Sub-Radio plays DC9 on July 26 with special guests The Ferns. 6:30 p.m. Tickets $10-12.