Indie-rock band Ruby Leftstep traveled from Connecticut to New York City’s Lower East Side to perform at Piano’s on Feb. 16, alongside Philadelphia-based singer Sadie Gust and LoConti from Cleveland, Ohio.
The band includes Thomas Busemeyer on vocals and guitar, Dylan Hrinda on vocals and guitar and Eddie Dahill on drums. Bass was played by Cooper Robinson, who joins them for live shows, while the multitalented Dahill plays all recorded basslines.
Despite being the final band to go on, Ruby Leftstep kept the energy high and delivered an unforgettable performance. Following two incredible acts is a tough job, but the band held their own and played an electric show.
Their setlist was made up of songs from their first EP “The Ground Up” as well as their newest singles “Shuteye” and “The Comedown.” They even included a surprise sample of an unreleased single and a unique cover of Frank Ocean’s “Lost,” putting their spin on the R&B hit.
Traveling to a city as intimidating as New York and following two great performances can seem daunting to any musician, but Ruby Leftstep’s stage presence was completely natural and mesmerizing. The boys joked on stage and got the audience involved in the performance with directions to clap or sing along. Throughout the entire set, it was clear that the band was just a few friends having fun on stage — while still being extremely talented.
After the show, Ruby Leftstep spoke with The Torch and gave some updates since their last interview.
Despite this being their second show at Piano’s — the first being this past Halloween — there were still a few nerves before performing. “I get nervous after LoConti,” admitted Dahill, the drummer who’s only been playing for less than two years. Hrinda didn’t feel as fazed, explaining “When you’re playing music with your friends, it’s hard to be nervous about it because we’re just hanging out.”
In preparation for their performance, Hrinda and Dahill spent the days prior handing out flyers and trying to invite people throughout the city to fill the venue.
They also shared their excitement for their next show in New York City. On March 15, Ruby Leftstep will open for The Rubens at Mercury Lounge on their Soda Global Tour.
“That’s a scary one,” Busemeyer shared. The gravity of the nearly sold-out show is certainly daunting, having been home to performances by artists like The Strokes and Lana Del Rey, but Dahill reassured that it’s a “good nervous.”
The band’s growth in the past year is unsurprising due to their talent and obvious dedication to making music they love. With new music on the horizon and a major show approaching, Ruby Leftstep is on track to keep getting bigger.
