Great First Visit to the Senate Tavern on Bank Street. Live Music, Industry Appreciation Night, Night of the Newbs, Shot some Stick ...
Was at my Sandy Hill Hotspot and bartender Colin said he was playing with a friend at the Senate Tavern on Bank Street the next night. That coincided with an Ottawa BlackJacks game at TD place, so tentative plans were put in place to bicycle down Bank Street after the game.
Went to the big game and the Blackjacks pulled away to win over the Brampton Honeybadgers. The Blackjacks are red hot & headed for the playoffs. A story yet to be written.
'Twas early so headed down Bank Street. A short jaunt but would have to run the Bank Street gauntlet, dodging buses, cars, truck etc and risking dooring. Not my first rodeo, though. Arrived at the Senate Tavern without mishap and looked for a bicycle lockup. Found a spot behind the bus shelter and secured the bike. Nice patio outside the Tavern, lots of room. Went inside & it was buzzing.
A friendly server with pig-tails and a dazzling smile confirmed a 10 PM start for the live music. Did a short walk-about and observed some celebrity sightings from the Warehouse and F&S staff. The cool crowd was out. Found a spot at the bar and ordered a Corona, the smaller version, easy to flip. Great sports projections on the walls. Watched Olympic highlights including Summer McIntosh winning the 400 IM Gold by over 5 seconds. Incredible. Good F-1 racing, NFL, CFL & baseball highlights.
There was a pool table behind me. Hadn't played pool in quite a while, probably a good thing, as it can be the sign of a misspent youth. Or an exercise in mathematics, vectors, angles, vectors & whatnot. Tried to get some change from the bartenders but couldn't add it to my VISA tab. Would have to go into the basement to hit the ATM and change it at the bar. Very busy behind the bar, they were getting slammed, but were handling it well.
A cool drink of water slid onto the barstool next to me and surveyed the scene. The music started with strummer Jacob on centre stage. Colin showed up and said hello. A good time was being had by all. Made a dash for the ATM, got some cash, and got the valuable pool table currency, two toonies to paradise.
A short break & Colin joined Jacob on the stage. They played a Red Hot Chilli Peppers song, "Under the Bridge", that brought the house down. Everyone was singing along. "I don't ever want to feel like I did that day, Take me to the place I love, take me all the way. I don't ever want to feel like I did that day. Take me to the place I love, take me all the way. Yeah, yeah, yeah"
Suddenly a mystery trumpeter appeared from the crowd ... the quiet dude who was on the barstool beside me. He was playing along with Jacob and Colin, and they were all in synch. The two lads were unfazed by the newcomer, and this seemed too polished to be spontaneous. Three great musicians on stage. Thunderous applause at the conclusion. The mystery trumpeter returned to his perch and took it all in stride.
Had a convo with bartender Sean. Turns out it was his first night behind the wood. We were both newbs! He welcomed me to the bar and said they did the same scene regularly at the Senate Tavern in the Market. It was busy because it was a music industry night. All the stars came out to play, their fans, and myself as a humble observer. Tapped out a couple of times but was reluctant to leave because of the great vibe. Jacob took the stage again and had the crown singing along to the John Denver song "Take Me Home, Country Roads." Amazing.
Had a short convo with the mystery trumpeter and asked if that was a scripted or unscripted performance. He said unscripted. Turns out the mystery trumpeter was Kelly Craig, owner of Sunnyside music, with some songs on the net. We had a good convo about Lee Iacocca at Ford, the legendary Mustang, and Kelly's Plymouth Roadrunner which he modified with a Hurst shifter and some nitrous oxide. Wth? Didn't get a chance to ask him why. Chasing GTX or Barracuda dreams, perhaps? Good convo about Louis Armstrong & the legacy of 70s & 80s music Other lads at the bar were musician Asher and Dave, a first-timer who dropped by in search of adventure.
A pool playing opportunity presented itself. Kelly said he'd partner up to shoot some stick. Put the money in the machine and heard the sweet sound of balls dropping. Kelly was waylaid by fans so Dave stepped up. Play on! We had a good game, making some good shots and leaving some good shots ... teamwork.
The lights were coming on, the music was over, so tapped out, said goodbye, and biked up Bank Street and back into Sandy Hill. All the late-night fast-food emporiums were closed ... the sign of a good night.
Will be back to the Senate Tavern on Bank Street so socialize with the regulars and thank the staff for a great night. The pool table takes two loonies ... read more