Margot and the Nuclear So And Sos w/ Ruby Coast @ The Horseshoe

Well it took a while, but Indianapolis band Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos finally made their way to Toronto and I, for one, am glad to have made it out to The Horseshoe on Wednesday night to check it out. My introduction to the band goes all the way back to 2005 or so when I was first getting all enthused about discovering new artists via the world of podcasts. Their song Quiet As A Mouse was being played all over the podosphere, and I found its combination of new wave pop sensibility and classic rock riffery to be right up my alley. Their 2006 full length release The Dust Of Release was a very solid disc, proving the band to be more along the lines of indie chamber pop and impressing many a year end list.

This was my first time seeing them, so I didn't really know what to expect, other than assuming that they would have a very full sound. Looks like I was right, as the 8 piece giant crowded the stage, with each member playing a very specific role. I was standing near the right side of the stage, which means that my view encompassed mainly Erik Kang on violin and lap steel, Hubert Glover on trumpet and Casey Tennis on percussion and apparently bizarre interpretive dance. The songs translated well to the stage, taking on a very progressive sound, as each song rose to a heightened, almost orchestral plateau. I was obviously unfamiliar with the newer songs since the new CD's (that's right, there'll be two of them) are not coming out till September, however, from what I can tell, they're sounding pretty good. Richard Edwards was a charismatic, yet subtle frontman, giving the crowd what they wanted to hear, while rarely giving them too much more than that. Admittedly, my mind started to wander a little bit towards the middle part of the show, but the band's enthusiasm reeled me back in towards the end.

Photos: Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Margot and the Nuclear So and Sos
Download: Barfight Revolution (live) mp3


Opening for Margot, was a band that clearly knew little to nothing about them, our local boys: Ruby Coast. Just a suggestion, if you don't really know the name of the band that you're opening for, don't attempt to introduce them. Just kidding guys, I love ya.

The fact is, I really do. Love them, I mean. Ruby Coast's debut EP is one of my most played releases of the moment, and the fact that they're constantly compared to so many other bands out there, really doesn't do them any justice. They're still young, and understandably a little bit rough around the edges, but that doesn't change the fact that they're also incredibly talented and they manage to put on a pretty spectacular show. I couldn't help getting sucked in to their enthusiasm, and their youthful vigor really works in their favour, as they managed to get the crowd bounding around like a bunch of prepubescent tadpoles. They're the type of band that I imagine everybody wishes that they could be a part of, and there was one fan in particular that I feel should really try to stop auditioning for the job. Minor distractions aside, the songs that I knew sounded great, the ones that I didn't know, I felt like I knew, because they possess a certain familiarity about them. This doesn't mean that I think the band is already starting to repeat themselves. No, I feel that it means that they have a gift for creating a very catchy song, and it doesn't take long for such a song to burrow a hole into my brain. I look forward to their future releases and to seeing them perform again in the future.

Photos: Ruby Coast @ The Horseshoe on flickr
Myspace: Ruby Coast
Download: Brittle Bones mp3