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Steamboat Springs — It started off as a side project from their hard-core band. Maybe it was even a little bit of a joke.

But Montreal residents Christian Srigley and Leighton James, now known as Adventure Club, have found that their current calling isn’t under the strap of an electric guitar but behind the screen of a “big, old desktop” computer.

The dubstep duo recently played its first official American tour date Wednesday night to a sold-out crowd in Durango. They play Friday night at The Tap House Sports Grill in Steamboat Springs.

The show starts at 9 p.m. with DJ Pretty Ninja opening. Tickets are $12.

In the past year, before embarking on an American tour that includes dates with electronic duo Big Gigantic, Adventure Club has amassed a large Canadian following and a significant online presence through social networking and music blogs.

The two early-20s guitarists were part of hard-core and pop-punk bands before their foray into electronic music officially began in early 2011.

“We were messing around making funny beats,” Srigley said in a Thursday interview with Explore Steamboat. “That’s what it was in our heads. Then the song that got recognition was ‘Daisy’ (a remix of a Brand New song), and it got a whole bunch of blog support. Then we thought we should actually take it more seriously.”

But why dubstep?

The distinctive electronic genre is characterized by its emphasis on the first and third beats of a measure instead of the traditional two and four more commonly found in electronic music.

It’s also known for the “drop.”

And it’s the drop that captured Srigley and James, who have played music together since high school.

“The feel of dubstep drops, the drums of it, is really similar to hard-core breakdowns,” Srigley said. “It’s the hard-core version of electronic music. When that was joined in together, we really fell for it.”

Both say their music backgrounds tend to lead them toward more melodic electronic; they use scales, chords and melodies when remixing a well-known song or sampling vocals to create an original track.

“We’re hoping the fad stays hot for a long time,” James said about the genre’s quick rise to popularity. “At least, like, two or three years. Then we can link back up with our bands.”

But for now, they’re having just as much fun as the audiences bobbing along to the music.

“We enjoy the show in the same ways the audience does: It’s a great time, great music and lights everywhere,” Srigley said.

To reach Nicole Inglis, call 970-871-4204 or email ninglis@ExploreSteamboat.com