# The Rainbow in Ottawa may be closing at the end of the month.



## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

Unless a buyer steps up, Rainbow Bistro in the ByWard Market to close after 37 years

That's a bummer, it is a great place to play even though the stairs are murder. We really can't afford to lose any more venues in Ottawa. This COVID thing needs to die.


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## Duntov (Apr 2, 2021)

That is a bummer. I've seem some great shows over the years there. I hope a buyer does step up.


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## tonewoody (Mar 29, 2017)

Amazing that the Rainbow lasted as long as it did. Decades... Kudos.

Great music and a "royal" view of the "working girls" on Parent Avenue. OMG, out of one car, into the next, then the next and the.... , shiver...


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

If you like the movie “Slumdog millionaire” you are gonna like the way every city in Canada looks in 10 years.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

The price of drinks makes going out a bad deal if you are a drinker.


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## Brian Johnston (Feb 24, 2019)

player99 said:


> The price of drinks makes going out a bad deal if you are a drinker.


Bring a THC vape, and nurse one beer, lol


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

I'm also amazed that The Rainbow lasted this long. Lots of good memories. These new 'passports' will probably kill hundreds more businesses too, but that's another topic.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

It sucks. I've played there regularly every last Saturday afternoon of the month with 2 of my former bands for about 5 years in total. I'm really surprised it lasted this long during this pandemic. And a lot of these music only venues are not going to survive another year of restrictions. That place only made money from the alcohol sold. Nothing else. No food, nor even fancy drinks. I hope someone comes up to buy it. But it will cost more money to get it going, have to do renos and all that too. Probably end up as a restaurant at some point.


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Permanent Waves said:


> Unless a buyer steps up, Rainbow Bistro in the ByWard Market to close after 37 years
> 
> That's a bummer, it is a great place to play even though the stairs are murder. We really can't afford to lose any more venues in Ottawa. This COVID thing needs to die.


Sad, Chito's band plays there quite often.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I recently joined a band that I used to play with. Played with this band off and on from 1985 till about 2012. They no longer play bars or clubs. Almost all out door events and occasionally in door events (plays almost all original music). So I'll likely play from spring till fall with maybe 1 or 2 gigs in the winter at a casino and possibly a new years party. It doesn't seem like there will be much going on as far as bars. I'm in another band that has plans to play bars and legions. We did a couple out door gigs this summer, which I won't be able to do with them next summer. I don't see this band doing much work in bars especially if there is another lock down this winter.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

1SweetRide said:


> Sad, Chito's band plays there quite often.


I was thinking of playing there again starting summer next year with the AnjChito band which will be a 5 piece. We have a new bass player and drummer. Keyboard player is the only person left over from the previous band aside from me and my singer/sax player. We're starting rehearsals next Sunday. We're booked to have the band's debut performance on March 19, 2022 at the Shenkman's Richcraft Theatre. That is with the assumption that the pandemic has settled down. 
I guess, with the Rainbow's closing, I will now have to look for another place to play regularly.


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## Permanent Waves (Jun 2, 2020)

And now for some good news, The Rainbow on reprieve until the end of the year thanks to Calian CEO Kevin Ford:



https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1951579715799?fbclid=IwAR2jhP_g1ajwIctz5le2kb64A6hh1GAvwPn8iczK_fX5iOTM4NpNX2GSr3A


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## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Finally some good news. Thanks


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## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

Good on Kevin Ford...nice to see the support for this club.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Ford plays guitar as well as his sons. So there's a connection there. Although the arrangement is only till the end of the year so there's still a lot of work to be done. Hopefully with the vaccine passport, they can allow as many people as the place could hold.


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