Photos by Marc Lepage, Words by Stephane Dubord.
Last Friday night there was a celebration at The Rainbow Bistro, the local music institution that had almost—ALMOST—succumbed to the pandemic. To mark the venue’s rebirth, a few artists took to the stage Friday, starting with Gatineau’s Sofia Duhaime.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
Next up was Lucila Al Mar, no stranger to Ottawa stages nor to supporting great causes. Kicking off her set acapella, she moved through various styles with ease.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
There was a surprise appearance from up and comer Julia Rita who performed an original song that has just recently been recorded and should be out soon—and well worth the listen!
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
Hitting the famed stage, as the guest of honour, Canada’s Walk of Fame member Serena Ryder, who also kicked off with an acapella rendition of “Melancholy Blues”, before diving straight into mega-hit
“Stompa”.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
In town for another event Thursday, as part of the Catapult Collaboration, a collective of business leaders and creative changemakers committed to supporting emerging musicians by pairing them with
established artists for unique live paid performance opportunities—igniting, cultivating, and promoting
the future of music.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
Given Ryder’s track record supporting key causes, from mental health advocacy to reconciliation, she’s earned the Margaret Trudeau Mental Health Advocacy Award and in 2021 received the Allan Slaight
Music Impact Honor.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
The award-winning songstress mixed in a variety of hits with songs off her latest album, the Juno Award-winning The Art of Falling Apart, which spawned singles (“Candy”, “Waterfall”, “Kid Gloves”, “Better Now”).
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
Beyond the new material, Ryder included chart mainstays “Got Your Number”, “What I Wouldn’t Do”, “Fall” which all got the crowd singing and clapping along.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
“I am so excited to play the historic Rainbow stage,” says Ryder. But that opportunity seemed unlikely only a few months ago, when the Rainbow faced imminent closure.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
Thanks to dedicated friends who came together to form The Rainbow Bistro Business Amplifiers, the historic venue is back from the brink, and able to host a celebration like this night. “This is our way to say thank you to people who have stepped up and put our venue on a solid financial footing,” says Danny Sivyer, the owner of the Rainbow Bistro. “We anticipate this show by Serena will be one of our best nights in years.”
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
As Ryder took to the stage for an encore, it’s safe to say Sivyer’s prediction came to fruition.
Photo: Marc Lepage/APT613
