Chilling, emotive folk and soul driven by dark music has been playing all over North American venues in the past couple of weeks.
Calgary’s Reuben and the Dark performed in front of a packed Southminster United Church this past Saturday which is part of its Arms of a Dream tour.
The band featured five multi-instrumentalists and vocalists led by Reuben Bullock.
The other members are Shea Alain, guitarist and keys player, Brock Geiger, guitarist and keys player, Dino Soares, drummer and Ian Jarvis is the bass guitarist.
The group was formed in 2012 but was officially signed to Arts & Crafts Production in 2013.
Bullock said the name of the band is inspired by the word dark being a common word in the title of his songs, but also he tends to write his music from a dark area.
“The word dark is almost used in every song I’ve written, just subconsciously it wasn’t a thing. It’s also a place where I tend to write most of my music from.”
The lead singer will also explore the duality of misery and joy in his pieces.
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Bullock taught himself how to play the guitar at 21, but he didn’t believe he taught himself well which is why he keeps talented musicians around him to make the band sound better.
“I was self-taught, but not very well taught which is why I keep people around me that play music better than I do.”
Bullock explained he is very simple when it comes to writing music and playing the guitar.
At the end of the concert, Bullock and the band performed the song, Memory’s Lament, with just an acoustic guitar and explained by Jordan Payne and River Sillito, Reuben and the Dark fanatics, it was beautiful and it sent chills up and down their spine.
“It was amazing. They are just so passionate and so creative and you can just tell they love it which makes you love it so much more. It was just so amazing.”
Sillito and Payne added the band left them speechless and with a good feeling which made them almost cry.
Reuben and the Dark will now perform in Victoria, BC this Wednesday and in December the band will conclude its tour in Ireland.
