...King Tobias is five friends who were lucky enough to grow up in the sunshine city of Orillia, Ontario. They started playing together at a very young age but didn’t commit to a band until their last years of high-school in 2002. The band consisted of Neil Quin on lead guitar/vocals, Robbie McQuillan on rhythm guitar/vocals, Ian McDonnell on bass/vocals, Matthew Miller on banjo/vocals/ omni-chord/auxiliary percussion and Chris Richardson on the drums. They spent the majority of their time playing and writing music together at a jam space they had rented across from the Orillia Opera House. This is where King Tobias was formed. Weekly jam sessions gave them the urge to play to a larger audience and they soon had what they wanted. Their first show, as a band, was at the Orillia Farmers market. They played on the sidewalk to a somewhat receptive audience. They continued playing locally for the next two years until they disbanded in late 2004 to pursue education and other musical endeavors. Chris and Robbie continued to play together while Neil joined The Golden Dogs from Toronto.
In 2005, King Tobias - now based in Toronto and consisting of just Neil and Robbie - were asked to become the weekly house band at Einstein’s Pub and Café, where they played three one hour sets, every Saturday for an entire year. Einstein’s became a catalyst for the band. It introduced them to a whole new audience, gave them the space they needed for experimentation and opened the doors to many other venues such as Lee’s Palace, The Silver Dollar Room, the Tranzac, and The Smiling Buddha.
The majority of 2006 was spent compiling new and old material, recording a demo and once again evolving as a five-piece. In 2007, the band is back in full form as all five original members now reside in Toronto. Neil Quin continues to masterfully juggle King Tobias, Major Grange and The Golden Dogs while many side projects are always in the works for the other members. Through constant practice and a chemistry that can only come from years of playing together, the band has come into their own with a unique sound that they continue to showcase at local clubs all over Toronto.
