The End of an Era in Winnipeg: Goodbye to The Zoo
A Winnipeg live music scene without The Zoo is unthinkable. Yet that’s what’s upon us.
The Zoo–the long-lived scuzzy rock bar in the Osborne Village Inn–was one of the first places I went when I reached legal age. Along with The Black Knight (RIP) and The Norlander (is it still there?), The Zoo was part of the holy trinity of rock clubs, one of the places a band would play before they graduated to the level above the bar scene. Talk to virtually any Canadian rock band and they’ll tell you a Zoo tale.
It could be a rough place–I recall it at something of a biker bar in the 80s–but that only added to its allure. The Zoo, along with its sister bar, Ozzy’s, could mean trouble–which is why you went. The smell of sour beer and nicotine stuck to your skin for days afterwards.
But now the Osborne Hotel–the 60’s-era building that housed the club–has been sold. And while the new owners aren’t commenting on its future, there are rumours of plans for a boutique hotel. That means total destruction of the property, including The Zoo and Ozzy’s.
Okay, so it’s not exactly the closing of CBGB, but if you grew up in Winnipeg, you’re probably feeling a little misty-eyed right now.
(Via Tom through CJOB)
Also one of the first local clubs I went to when I turned 18 (and a few times before as well). One of the best of the best for the local music scene for most of my younger life and this article perfectly sums of most of those experiences. I wouldn’t trade any single one of them for the entire world.
I fell head over heals in love with one of my first favorite local bands after finally hearing their live show at The Zoo, saw countless bigger names at the time their including Robin Black & The Intergalactic Rock Stars, Econoline Crush, Sepultura, The Salads and so many more. We lived at The Zoo on Friday nights and then Ozzy’s was basically like a second home to me the rest of the time. Wasn’t even about drinking, though we did a boat load of that at the time, but more of the conversation and comradery that came with each visit and the new more interesting conversations and stories you would hear from the now older 70’s and 80s punks and metalheads with each passing hour on a lazy Saturday afternoon for example.
Did some of my pals puke in the parking lot? Yep. We’re the bathrooms often chaotic and smelled something like cheap soap, stale beer, piss, sweat and farts during shows? Yep. Did random drunken brawls break out sometimes? Yep (was part of a few of them involuntarily)
Was it one of the most awesome, exciting and kick-ass rock and roll clubs in Canada?
It sure as hell was.
R.I.P.