A swanky, monocoloured mauve lounge lives a 15-minute bus ride from Carleton University.
With open access to frequent live performances, food and beverages, students and visitors can watch shows for free. It’s all in support of the university’s music department and alumni to infuse Monday nights in Ottawa with rich sights and sounds.
The Robo Lounge on the ground floor of the Clemow Building opened earlier this year. Scott May, the co-owner of the lounge and his other business, Bar Robo, says it aims to provide local artists with the opportunity to share their music on a local stage.
Outfitted with a stylish tiled bar and dining area on one end of the venue, turning a corner reveals a matching colourful listening area.
Softly illuminated by several large spherical paper chandeliers, the space is filled with hightop table seating, matching mauve upholstery and commissioned art pieces — positioned around a spotlit 70-year-old Bösendorfer grand piano on a platformed stage.
The piano found its home thanks to a Carleton connection.
Acquiring the piano began with an email from lounge co-owner Scott May, asking local Ottawa pianists for recommendations for a grand piano to accompany music nights and lend the space “credibility” as a venue.
He also asked whether any of them would agree to play at a piano fundraising event.
James McGowan, Carleton music professor and supervisor of performance studies, reached out with an even better plan.
“He said, ‘Yeah, I’ll play, but we have some extra ones here. There’s a beautiful one that’s been in storage at Dominion Chalmers Church for years,’” May said.
Carleton acquired the Bösendorfer grand piano through donations, and the ivory keys were tucked away in storage before McGowan became a professor at Carleton in 2010.
“With a grand piano, it just sounds better than a keyboard, which most people bring,” McGowan said.
Along with Jesse Stewart, the head of Carleton’s music department, the two negotiated a deal with May to give Carleton students and recent graduates a chance to perform on stage.
Dubbed Campus to Stage on Robo Lounge’s website, this program gives emerging musicians exposure and a chance to play live, all part of climbing the industry performance ladder, May said.
“Instead of playing a couple good pieces for a test or a performance jury, [they’ll] actually get a whole program ready and negotiate the specifics with the venue,” McGowan said. “The great deal that we’ve arranged is that the students actually get paid.”
On Feb. 9, McGowan and Carleton student musician Jude Zappala graced the stage with piano and drum improvisations.
McGowan said he wants to see Carleton music students succeed academically and give them more opportunities to gain performing experience and skills.
“It allows students to be treated professionally and not just [saying], ‘Hey, you’re a student. You can do things for free.’”
Zappala has also played at other Ottawa venues, and the Feb. 9 performance marks his second at the Robo Lounge.
He said that having scheduled hours for Carleton students and alumni to play at the Robo Lounge is an accessible entry point to the professional music scene.
“It doesn’t get better than being able to play live for people without necessarily having that foundation of connections,” Zappala said.
But to make this work, students need an audience.
Zappala encourages the Ottawa community to come and support the Carleton music department and student musicians.
“Come out to shows, listen to the music that’s present in our community because there’s a lot of it — and most of it is good,” Zappala said.
Featured image by Hannah Dramola/the Charlatan
This article, and all of the Charlatan’s work, is brought to you by an independent student newspaper dedicated to informing, uplifting and entertaining the Carleton University community. We are a levy-funded organization which plays a role in the broader, vibrant student culture on campus. By reading this article, you are supporting our efforts.
