Born Ruffians Break Hearts at Quebec City Summer Festival

The ladies of Quebec City clearly have a sweet spot for Toronto indie heroes Born Ruffians. Wednesday night's show at Le Cercle as part of the Québec City Summer Festival saw a gaggle of young women swoon over the dashing lads as though they were the Fab Four themselves.

It was a sure bet that Born Ruffians' big single 'What to Say' would get the gals grooving with its slinky rhythms and soulful vocals. But the girls, and the rest of the room for that matter, seemed just as willing to rock out to lesser-known tunes.

Owing much of their appeal to the talents of Luke LaLonde -- a frontman who can play the part of a modern day Buddy Holly as easily as he recalls the croon of David Byrne -- the young rockers were on point as they battled it out with the bar's over-powering smoke machine. "Let's see all you got" they taunted the attendant responsible for the billowing clouds, a challenge the smoke-maker took seriously as thick fog engulfed the club and the band sailed through gems off their new album, 'Say It.'

Thanks to peppy, off-kilter melodies, the trio, which played as a quartet on this particular evening, won big with 'Sole Brother,' 'Higher and Higher' and 'Oh Man.' The flurry of winks directed their way by enamoured locals pressed up against the stage was a strong indicator of the band's success, as was the thunderous applause that followed each tune.

While Born Ruffians no doubt loved the attention, they were probably just as tickled to have Caribou on hand for their second time performing in Québec City. After playing a killer show at a nearby venue, Dan Snaith and his band had hightailed it down the street to catch LaLonde -- who lent his vocal talents to the Caribou track 'Jamelia' -- and his crew enrapture the room.