Dead City Ruins have been playing classic Aussie pub rock for over a decade, slowly chipping away at their rising reputation.
World domination is, of course, on the cards, but according to guitarist Tommy Cain, it comes in time, and Dead City Ruins are quite happy staking their claim little by little.
Right now, Dead City Ruins’ focus is at home, embarking on a national regional and city tour that they’ll be executing in two parts. By the time they play their hometown show at Northcote Social Club in January, Dead City Ruins will have performed in Geelong, Hobart, Newcastle, Gold Coast and Canberra among other locations.
Cain complains about the heat of the day, but there’s a happy sweat and a wallowing sweat, and Dead City Ruins exercise nothing but the former when they take to the stage.
A decade of true Aussie rock is the recipe for success according to Cain, who is taking each day as it comes. “We try and maintain something resembling modesty,” he says. “Focus on being at home and a little of Europe, get those shows as good as they can be before we turn our attention elsewhere.”
Over a decade and there is still so much for Dead City Ruins to explore, locally and internationally, across their next ten year stretch. To maintain the fervour for touring and travel, it’s about having a simple approach.
“It’s about the day to day operations,” Cain says. “As far as touring, if it takes ten years for us to get to more places, that’s just the way it’s going to be. We love what we do and we want to do it well.”
That ardent love for their music is evident from a Dead City Ruins live show. Aussie rock has a certain patriotism for letting loose the way these guys do. “People really enjoy that, that Australian rock‘n’roll culture,” says Cain. “A lot of people at the end of the day want to let loose.
“Some might go home, watch Netflix, that’s it, but then some people might go up the pub and come see us and be like, ‘Wow, this is totally different from my everyday life’. They just want to get into it and have a good time – that’s what it’s all about.”
And that’s why it’s important for Dead City Ruins to get out on tour to all the country’s little nooks and crannies, to spread that sense of release to as many people as possible. Pub rock, it’s not just for the city dwellers. The difference in reception and mannerisms between the city and the country, Cain says, is not without its differences.
“The city is the city, you know? It’s always a little tougher and you’ve gotta bring your A-game. The country is a little more loose and they definitely get into it more. Theirs is a culture that anything goes, you know?”
The Hot Way To Live tour extends right into next year and to the end of the summer. Some of the locations Dead City Ruins will visit are often overlooked, but Cain is excited to get out to them.
“Oh, we definitely want to rock it,” he says, “Really getting into to it all for better or for worse. After that, the day by day process continues – next year will only bring a little more music, a little more touring, and a lot more global domination.”
Dead City Ruins come to the Northcote Social Club as part of their Hot Way To Live tour on Saturday January 18. Grab your tickets via the venue website.
