Next Thursday, the Calgary based Indie Folk band Reuben and the Dark will be making their way to The Northern to promote the release of their debut full-length album Funeral Sky.
In May, the band released their album after signing with Toronto based record label Arts & Crafts. Since then, the bands spent months touring North America, playing at nearly 40 venues.
“We’ve been on the road pretty much non-stop,” singer/songwriter Reuben Bullock said, adding that the band recently finished a six week tour where they helped promote Australian band Boy & Bear.
Now, after a short break, the band is at it again with their first touring destination in Fernie.
“We kind of decided to do this small town B.C. tour as a follow up to it,” Bullock said. “I’ve actually spent a lot of time in Fernie but have never played [here],” he added.
But for band member Kaelen Ohm, Fernie is home. Ohm grew up in Fernie and still has family in the area.
Even though Fernie isn’t home for Bullock, the Calgary local said he’s always enjoyed the energy of the small town and the proximity of Fernie to the picturesque mountains.
“Fernie’s always been a place that has always felt rejuvenating,” he said. “It’s far enough away from Calgary that you feel like you’ve left but still close enough that you can make a day trip out of it.”
Bullock mentioned that the band was supposed to play at the annual summer Wapiti music festival, but because of scheduling issues their show fell through. He, however, said it is a venue the band looks forward to playing in the near future. And with similar Indie/Rock/Folk bands like The Strumbellas and Fast Romantics making their way to Wapiti this past summer, Reuben and the Dark’s music is likely to be embraced by Fernie music enthusiasts.
Bullock said he’s been writing for a long time and he feels as though his music is a way of expressing a strange honesty, while being tuned into the mysteries of the world.
“My lyrics tend to be vague and abstract but I always try to make them feel literal,” Bullock said, adding that his music lyrics are inspired by life, relationships and stories.