A suitcase, tin cans, and cardboard boxes would look like a pile of trash to some. But in the hands of a skilled percussionist, these become a unique drum set.

Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem comes to WSU for a musical performance tonight in Daggy Hall. Band leader and fiddle player Rani Arbo described it as an American group music, playing a mix of traditional songs from gospel to New Orleans blues.

The band consists of Arbo, Andrew Kinsey, Scott Kessel and Anand Nayak, and all sing in four part harmony.

Among the instruments used are a fiddle, guitar, standing bass, ukulele and recycled percussion. The recycled drum set is made from cardboard and wooden boxes, cat food tins, a Danish butter cookie tin and a vinyl suitcase Kessel plays.

“We do that because it goes with the music we play,” Arbo said. “It’s (also) easy to travel with.”

Arbo described the group as an acoustic band, so the volume of the recycled percussion works well with the string instruments to allow everyone to be heard. A full drum set would overshadow the other instruments.

Andrew Kinsey, who plays standup bass, banjo and ukulele in the band, said the choice in percussion fits well with the band because of their choice in music. Most of their songs stick to American roots, such as folk tunes regional to the United States.

“Because of everyone’s influence, there’s a whole range of styles,” Kinsey said. “We don’t have a horn section or keyboards but we play a little jazz and swing.”

The band’s music is a combination of original songs and covers of contemporary music in a variety of genres, Arbo said. This range of songs and styles provides a varied show and satisfies a lot of interests.

Usually the band tries to cover songs most people wouldn’t expect, Kinsey said. Sticking to the roots approach, the songs chosen by the band could be well-known or obscure, done by artists like Tom Petty or Bruce Springsteen.

“(The songs) lend themselves to lyrics or melody,” Kinsey said. “It has to be a song we all like.”

The songs the band members write vary from each performer. Usually these are songs that are based on or are a musical form of personal stories that also include a universal and philosophical appeal, Kinsey said. Some of their themes include life and death and family love songs.

Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem also do workshops and outreach programs with their music. On the same day of their performance in Pullman they will be at the Pullman Regional Hospital to help teach about the role of music in healing.

“The band … will play songs and talk about what’s interesting about arts and medicine,” said Arbo, a cancer survivor.

Arbo said she enjoys the interaction and support of the band members, working together to bring in the audience and make them comfortable. While the show isn’t like stand-up comedy, it’s an interactive and personable experience, Arbo said.

“We don’t just have our own great time onstage,” she said. “We try to make everybody realize that we’re all … having a collective experience.”

Kinsey said performing can be scary, but part of the experience is the thrill one gets from getting onstage and putting on the show. It can be exhilarating to conquer that fear and be true to oneself while standing in front of strangers.

The important thing to remember is to not worry about how to impress people but how to express yourself, Kinsey said. Things start to happen and it becomes a good time.

“It’s a really fun, upbeat show,” Kinsey said. “People will leave feeling better than they did coming in.”

Rani Arbo and daisy mayhem will be at the Pullman Regional Hospital from 10 a.m. to noon for the hospital’s workshop “Music in Medicine: Healing through the senses.” The workshop is free and open to the public. Visit the hospital website for more information and to RSVP.

The band will then be at Jones Theatre in Daggy Hall at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at $16 for adults, $13 for seniors, $8 for non-WSU students and youths, and free for WSU students.