Model, VJ, In Season Ambassador – Ruby Rose is many things. Thankfully, she can also now add DJ to her resume. Last time Ruby Rose played in Canberra her mixing was less than spectacular, however it appears she’s spent the past year practicing on her decks. Her hard work has paid off and the (predominately female) Trinity crowd packed the dance floor for her entire set.

Local acts Bedrock Beats, Skin & Bones, Cheese and Offtapia vs Eldred warmed up the crowd nicely, showing the depth of talent Canberra has. Bedrock Beats was on first, starting at 8pm, and even during his early set, people streamed into Trinity and straight onto the dance floor.

When Ruby Rose came out, the crowd went wild – screaming, cheering and clapping loudly. Sporting gingery-blonde hair, a baggy t-shirt and a bouncer to help her get through the crowd, she was thoroughly engaging – dancing, smiling, posing for photos and shaking hands across the decks. At times, it seemed as though she was embarrassed by so many people clamouring to shake her hand or get a photo, at other times she was clearly loving every minute of it.

There was great variety in the tracks Ruby Rose played. When interviewed about a previous gig she said “I think I bring a bit of an edge with my mix, there’s a lot of unexpected stuff in there. And that’s really what I enjoy most about DJing, I get to push a lot of music and bands that I’m into out there.” The smile on her face throughout the gig showed just how much she enjoys what she does.

It would be interesting to find out how many people came to the gig because they like Ruby Rose as a DJ, and how many came because they like her as a television personality or fashion guru. Obviously without surveying the crowd it is impossible to know, but what is known is that Ruby Rose mixed a great set that had people packing onto the dance floor and enjoying the hell out of the night.

Photography by Chris Whitfield