nikki roddy

944 Magazine- Born Ruffians Interview

Written by: Nikki Roddy

Life for the Born Ruffians keeps getting bigger. They have a second record, Say It (released by Warp Records), they’re playing larger venues on this year’s international tour, and they’ve even added a fourth member to strengthen their live sound. But while the young, Canadian indie rockers have certainly established themselves; you might not guess it by their no-frills touring style.  

Fans who attended a recent show at San Francisco’s Rickshaw Stop watched the band park their own tour van, work the merch table, and set up their own equipment on stage; things you’d expect from the opening band, but hardly the headliners. This genuine approachability kept their  fans huddled around the band members before the show, asking for photos and hugs. Mitch Derosier (bass), Steve Hamelin (drums), and Andy Lloyd (guitar/keyboard) chatted happily with the crowd, while frontman, Luke LaLonde, received the more emotional attention from star-struck fans. At one point, a zealous teenage boy swung his skinny arms around LaLonde’s neck professing, “oh man. Just looking at you, I could cry.” The fan proceeded to describe which Born Ruffians song perfectly encapsulated his life. “Wow,” LaLonde replied, with total sincerity.

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