From Coast To Ruby Coast

By Less Lee Moore

Ruby Coast are a five-piece band from Aurora, ON. They’ve been around since 2006, released an EP in 2008 called Projectable Collections, and toured with bands like Passion Pit, Tokyo Police Club, and Ra Ra Riot, in addition to Toronto’s own Born Ruffians.

The band wrote and recorded their first full-length album this spring with Howard Bilerman (Arcade Fire, Wolf Parade), and Brian Paulson (Wilco, Dinosaur Jr., Beck). It won’t be out until 2011, but don’t be sad: you can listen to a couple of tracks on their MySpace page now.

“Whatever This Is” is both sweet and sad, while “Creep Me Out” has a goofy vocal exuberance reminiscent of the Dead Milkmen. Plus handclaps! You can also watch videos for these two songs on the band’s YouTube page.

If this taste of their sound has whetted your appetite for more of Ruby Coast, they are touring the hell out of Canada over the next few months with Jukebox the Ghost and one my fave Canadian groups, the Meligrove Band. Don’t worry, they threw in a few US dates for good measure.

Tour Dates:
09/24 Toronto: Unit C
09/25 Guelph: Jimmy Jazz
10/01 Ottawa: Cafe Nostalgica
10/02 Montreal: Petit Campus (Pop Montreal)
10/08 London: Alex P. Keaton
10/09 Sarnia: Trinity Lounge
10/11 Minneapolis: 7th Street Entry: (w/ Jukebox the Ghost)
10/12 Milwaukee: the Cactus Club (w/ Jukebox the Ghost)
10/13 Chicago: Schuba’s (w/ Jukebox the Ghost)
10/14 Indianapolis: Radio Radio (w/ Jukebox the Ghost)
10/15 Pittsburgh: The Brillobox (w/ Jukebox the Ghost
10/16 Washington, DC: the Black Cat (w/ Jukebox the Ghost)
10/17 New York: Piano’s
10/20-23 NYC: CMJ
10/28: Guelph: Jimmy Jazz
10/29: Windsor: Phog Lounge
10/30: St Catharine’s: the Mansion
11/04: Sackville, NB: George’s Roadhouse (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/05: Fredericton, NB: Capital Bar (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/06: Halifax: Seahorse (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/07: Quebec City: Dagobert (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/09: Montreal: Bar St. Laurent (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/10: Ottawa: Mavericks (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/11: Kingston: The Mansion (w/ Meligrove Band)
11/12: Toronto: Great Hall (w/ Meligrove Band)