Ruba Club is an awesome little venue. It’s small, intimate, eclectic in its decor, and the perfect setting to witness a showcase of Philly-local musical artistry. Replete with all the makings of an eccentric, yet not-overstimulating hangout: bar, tiered stage, pool table, couches (!), funky lighting, 90s computer and TV hardware, giant panda wood cutout, and a piano with gigantic googly-eyes (among way too many details to even attempt to add from memory), it’s the ideal setting for cultivating the DIY-Philly-local-music scene atmosphere.

I came to the show unfamiliar with any of the acts, but left with three more artists to add to the ever-expanding appendix of musical talent that permeates this city. It’s actually somewhat overwhelming how I can pretty much wander into any venue on any night and leave having experienced yet another top-notch showcase of local talent. Philly musicians music festival when?

Anyway, Friday night at Ruba Club proved no different. With three sonically distinct acts on the bill, the intimate crowd and I bore witness to the polar extremes of what sounds a guitar can make. It was awesome.

Nick Lombardo & The Decent OK

Who doesn’t love a quality, self-deprecating band name? Not harsh enough to feel genuine concern for its members’ mental health states, but clever and catchy enough to show a sense of humility. Respect. This is a band that very clearly plays for the love of playing. Their set was evocative of a basement jam session, and I almost felt like a fly on the wall amongst friends simply having fun. It was the kind of jammy, classic-rock-driven artistry that reminds you why people go out on the weekend to sip cocktails, eat appetizers, and hear live music to begin with. Just plain and simple good times.

And all of that said, their performance served to showcase that their abilities extend far beyond merely being “decent” or just “OK,” despite their namesake. From endless, top-tier guitar soloing infused into their classic, bluesy-infused set to groovy basslines, tight drumming, and heartfelt vocals, Nick Lombardo & The Decent OK are pretty much emblematic of the OG spirit of rock and roll. While they did a rock-flavored cover of The Weeknd’s "Blinding Lights,” the deepest well of influences I saw them draw from were the likes of The Band, The Who, Steely Dan, and, honestly, take your pick from the lexicon of 70s rock legends. If you’re seeking unpretentious, honest, no-frills rock and roll, look no further than Nick Lombardo & The Decent OK.

Ridge Runners

If, like me, your wheelhouse is “alternative rock,” this is absolutely a band to pay attention to. A five-piece that packs a punch from some of the best riffage out of Philadelphia, evoking such indie rockers as Failure, Basement, Colour Revolt, Bear Hands, Slothrust, and infinitely more among the countless niche deliverers of pop sensibilities married to innovative guitar-hero antics, these guys are a treat. Their performance comes with a level of energy and confidence that oozes beyond the limitations of the small, crowded stage at Ruba Club. Somewhere between post-punk, the overly broad designation of alternative, and grunge, their set served to be quite the musical odyssey. I really can’t over-emphasize how truly epic some of their guitar playing is. It’s the kind of head-bobbing, jump up and down, “fuck yeah” riffs that make you want to have a life-affirming montage scene with a killer needle drop. And despite their propensity for catchy melodies, the nuance within their two-guitar, bass, drum, and keyboard dynamic allowed room for exploration.

As I said in a past review of another extremely talented artist, Caring Less, they are able to strike that harmony between familiarity and boldness. It felt familiar despite never having heard them perform before, yet it doesn’t feel overly predictable. It’s like the comfort of wearing your favorite pair of shoes, but wondering what shenanigans they’ll lead you to that day. To me, this is the key that separates technical proficiency from quality songwriting. And Ridge Runners are great songwriters, not simply good at playing their respective instruments. They are able to create as well as they are able to perform. All in all, I highly and emphatically suggest to any and all purveyors of alt-rock that you catch these guys at their next gig.

Also, they did an absolutely killer cover of “Don’t Fear the Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult.

Hell yeah.

Nadafinger

The final act of the night took an abrupt left turn from the more straightforward, melodic acts that preceded them. Nadafinger is a band for the true believers of the punk ethos. They can be loosely defined as anything between hardcore, art-rock, noise punk, or even a living, musical art installation. Bands like these defy any form of easy classification, and that’s very obviously by design. The best way to describe their set is fearless and evocative. From discordant guitars to a dirty, distorted bass, to a relentless onslaught of fast-paced drumming and three-way-shared vocal duties, the sounds created by Nadafinger aren’t exactly “easy listening.” And that’s the point.

From on-stage antics that created a degree of unpredictability to the brevity of their set, every time I expected something to happen, it went the other direction. It was fascinating in particular because Nadafinger served as the deconstruction of the two acts that took the stage before them. A three-piece that wasted no time and earnestly committed to the anxiety-inducing limitations of what punk can be is a perfect showcase for the breadth of musical creation, its purpose in the community, and the emphasis of an emotional response from the crowd. It almost feels like the band is in on a joke that no one else is privy to. I was transfixed from the moment they took the stage to the moment they left. While I maintain an act such as theirs err towards a more purist punk appeal, they were able to navigate the acid-trip fuckery without coming across as pretentious or self-important.

All in all, yet another great night experiencing Philly locals get out there and kill it. There appears to be no shortage of new artists to discover and see live at seemingly any given moment of every single day. But as a music lover, I’d say that’s a good problem to have.

I’ve been staying up past my bedtime a lot more recently… but I can genuinely say it’s worth it to continue to immerse myself in the world of the Philly music scene and try to help showcase the immense well of talent that occupies this city we call home.

(This writing gig will be the death of me.)