Our Summer Stars series features a variety of groups making the rounds on the festival circuit. Today we look at Fitz And The Tantrums. For more of our Summer Star pieces, click here .

Fitz and the Tantrums were stars of the festival circuit last summer after performing their signature high energy and soulful sets to crowds at Lollapalooza, Sasquatch! and Austin City Limits. Now, the neo-soul sextet is preparing for another round at Coachella, Bonnaroo and Summerfest in 2012.

“I feel this summer is going to be even more bananas than last summer,” says Michael “Fitz” Fitzpatrick, lead singer and keyboardist of the band.

Fitzpatrick founded the Los Angeles-based outfit in 2008 that now includes backing vocalist Noelle Scaggs, saxophonist James King, drummer John Wicks, bassist Joseph Karnes and keyboardist Jeremy Ruzumna. The group’s reputation as thrilling live performers has risen steadily since their inception due to their credo to play with the same passion and intensity, whether it’s in front of an intimate crowd or a huge festival audience. Combine frenetic musical energy with an irresistibly engaging onstage presence and scorching individual talent and you get a “celebration-party-sweaty-dancefest,” – according to Fitzpatrick – that transitions naturally into main stage sets like at 2011’s Lollapalooza in front of 30,000 fans.

After another year of astounding growth, the band members are most anticipating playing the Sunday main stage at Coachella – a festival Fitzpatrick grew up with – and shows with The Flaming Lips and Dave Matthews Band. Audiences should keep an ear out for some new songs, as the group is in the experimental stage of creating their second album. After 2010’s Pickin’ up the Pieces, the band is looking to adhere to their retro roots while continuing to evolve and push themselves musically.

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Favorite summertime food: There’s this huge food truck phenomenon where you can get these crazy food combinations of Thai and Vietnamese tacos. I’ve been an avid participant in that.

Best album for a warm summer night: i want! i want!_, Walk the Moon