Rue Royale preview

Rue Royale
Schubas, Chicago
Friday, August 8, 2008

Well Chicago, Rue Royale is leaving. Yep, less than a year after releasing its breathtaking debut full-length, the group bids farewell with this Schubas gig. But in all fairness, it was never really “ours,” anyway.

Though has called Chicago home since the late ’90s, Brookln Decker actually grew up (and honed his musical chops) about 300 miles from here, in St. Louis. Royale’s other half, his wife Ruth, isn’t Chicago-bred either: She’s from the Midlands of England. They were married in England (the couple met while she toured the States), too, to make our claiming rights even murkier. But that doesn’t mean we can’t throw a hissy fit, anyway. After all, it was barely four months ago we were gushing about the duo’s “sparse folk pop” (Jose Gonzalez, Nick Drake, or Terry Reid’s unplugged material) and “impeccable harmonies” (anything else sounds like a Pauly Shore/Roseanne Barr, “National Anthem” duet) of Royale’s self-titled, self-released full-length (there’s also the 2006 EP, The Search For Where To Go) in “Around Hear”, then in late June the couple announce plans to relocate to Ruth’s homeland. And just like the ex you saw at the bar with another guy a week after you broke up, Rue Royale wasted no time testing the waters: The Deckers already have a two-month European tour — starting the 23rd in France — scheduled.

We’re being bitter. And petty. Sorry. We’ll miss those two, that’s all. Be good to Rue Royale, U.K. Otherwise, you have Chicago to deal with.

Horse In The Sea and Sera Cahoone open.

— Trevor Fisher

Category: Stage Buzz, Weekly