The club is located downstairs from Liquid on University Avenue.
Not all of Madison’s music venues are owned and operated by Frank Productions Concerts. It just kinda seems that way.
It’s true that the Orpheum Theater, the Majestic Theatre, the High Noon Saloon and the soon-to-open Sylvee are all essentially controlled by a single entity. That’s after a series of mergers and acquisitions involving Frank Productions, Majestic Live and Live Nation.
But if you’ve spent time around the 600 block of University Avenue over the past few months — and honestly, who hasn’t? — you’ve likely noticed that a second word now perches next to the “Liquid” sign at general manager Ben Churley’s EDM-focused nightclub. It’s touting Ruby, a renovated 150-capacity concert space downstairs from the main club.
Toffer Christensen, a former member of Live Nation’s Orpheum operation, has been booking the room since February through his company, T Presents. He’s aiming for an average of four to five shows a month and already has gigs set up into October.
The room itself is an intimate space, including a square-box stage and a revamped bar with a patterned-light backdrop. The room’s shape allows for music-lovers to get close to the action, but also features some space for patrons who’d rather converse than head-bob.
The impending and, according to the owners, temporary, shuttering of The Frequency, a downtown venue with a similar capacity to Ruby, may have opened other opportunities for Christensen and Churley.
“What that means for us or the scene in general is really to be decided,” Christensen says of The Frequency’s hiatus. “Ruby is the only downtown venue left, so we may get more shows, or they may migrate north to other venues.” (He’s referring to Communication, the new DIY artist/performance venue that opened this month on Milwaukee Street, and the North Street Cabaret. )
For the most part, Ruby’s docket has focused on national bands. Folk-rocker Alex Guthrie is booked in June; and the country act the Pierce Edens Duo is lined up for July. Ruby is also launching a local band series in June.
“We would like to start cultivating more local relationships and give area bands not only their own shows, but the opportunity to open for national acts when they come through,” says Christensen.
Meanwhile, Liquid’s Churley has made proactive changes — installing lights outside the building, installing ID scanners — to address the fact that the 600 block of University Avenue has become a flashpoint for late-night police calls in recent years. So far, that’s been enough to keep Liquid — and Ruby — relatively free of problems.
Editor's note: We corrected the name of the club. It is Ruby, not Ruby Lounge. And Ben Churley is the general manager, not the owner. Also, Caitlin Canty was scheduled to perform, but had to cancel.
