In about 1999, when I was in Halifax NS, I ventured out one night to find a session.
By looking up a predecesor to this site, called "sessioneer" I think, which was seldom updated, I found an address in what appeared to be a slightly run-down part of town. Run-down by Halifax standards, anyway - I've seen a lot worse.
No session here, they said. They found someone who said, I think it moved to xxx bar
I went there. No session here, they said - it's moved to yyy bar
So I went there, and by following a trail of leads, or perhaps I rang a phone number, I found a little bar at the Uni campus on another night, where there was a session. Some mighty musicians, too.
And there I heard what had happened to the original one.
One night, armed robbers had come in on the session night and forced everyone to lie on the floor and remove watches and jewellery. They made off with these, ignoring several expensive instruments.
The sessioneers decided to move to another pub.
I was just wondering, ten years later, if any veterans of that session robbery were on here now
Seriously, watches and jewelry? You'd be lucky to find a few coins to rub together from us. Why do ya think we're playing for free pints in the first place?
I know several of the musician who were there. I knew there was an armed robbery at the bar and everybody hit the dick. I did not know that the musicians were robbed. Most are still playing on Sat 8:00 at the Henry House at the other end of town. Gus's Bar, the scene of the crime, is still open.
Frankly, if I robbed a session pub I'd just snatch the till at the end of the night. The takings are bound to be substantial, even if the sessioners came in with no money and finished with less. How this is so is one of life's mysteries, but so, I imagine, it almost invariably is.
Well, this brings back sad memories of a session pub in Edinburgh which was "robbed at gunpoint" at the end of the night in 1982. The bar man or manager(?) was shot dead and the culprit was subsequently sentenced but later escaped from prison.
After being cornered by the police while "holed up in a van", he ended up taking his own life.
The pub closed for a while and subsequently changed its name before reverting back to it's original. Sessions were again tried there and were becoming popular once more but this time "bad neighbours" were to blame for their demise when they complained to the authorities re the noise.
The pub is still going strong to this day but I'll not name it here. It was in "The New Town" and some of the great players there included Johnny and Phil Cunningham, along with members of Ossian, Easy Club, Hom Bru and many more over the years.
Thanks CDN Moose and mtodd. The details are hazy with time of course but it's one of those stories that sticks in my memory.
Gus's Bar - I had forgotten that name but it rings a bell now.
The person who told me the story said she was in the toilet at the time of the robbery
Jon I looked up the bar I thought of to see if it was the same one you mention - it was. I remember going there in 1979 because I heard the like sof Aly Bain would play there. I was fairly new to the world of sessions and very puzzled when I entered the packed pub to find that all you could hear was the roar of conversation and all you could see of the musicians was the end of a fiddle bow occasionally showing at the height of its up-stroke. I edged nearer and realised that only those sitting right around the musicians table would really be able to hear them.
It seemed odd to me at first - now it's just a commonplace thing
The Great Halifax Session Robbery
The Great Halifax Session Robbery
In about 1999, when I was in Halifax NS, I ventured out one night to find a session.
By looking up a predecesor to this site, called "sessioneer" I think, which was seldom updated, I found an address in what appeared to be a slightly run-down part of town. Run-down by Halifax standards, anyway - I've seen a lot worse.
No session here, they said. They found someone who said, I think it moved to xxx bar
I went there. No session here, they said - it's moved to yyy bar
So I went there, and by following a trail of leads, or perhaps I rang a phone number, I found a little bar at the Uni campus on another night, where there was a session. Some mighty musicians, too.
And there I heard what had happened to the original one.
One night, armed robbers had come in on the session night and forced everyone to lie on the floor and remove watches and jewellery. They made off with these, ignoring several expensive instruments.
The sessioneers decided to move to another pub.
I was just wondering, ten years later, if any veterans of that session robbery were on here now
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by Bren
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Blimey, Bren- sounds more like the 1930's. Were the robbers carrying fiddle cases?
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by Here Lyeth
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Hey! Whaddya know!
I AM a veteran of that session robbery. Thanks for the watches and jewelry !
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by m_gavin
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Sessioners in Canada must be a lot blingier than sessioners here, is my first reaction.
Or maybe they'd told some local hood to get lost, and this was the come-back.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
I thought this thread was going to be about HBOS.
Ach well, I might have known that the biggest investment a muso would make would be buying drink at the bar.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by John J.
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
"The sessioners decided to move to another pub."
That rather suggests their first pub was to blame for their ordeal.
Maybe the robbers were paying punters who wanted value for money out of the session this time...
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Seriously, watches and jewelry? You'd be lucky to find a few coins to rub together from us. Why do ya think we're playing for free pints in the first place?
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
...and if this true, condolences to the musicians.
....but seriously, are these the stupidest robbers ever?
"I know! Instead of robbing some rich folks in a snazzy restaurant, let's go rob some broke musicians in a dive bar! BRILLIANT!"
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
The only things I imagine specialist robbers parting from sessioners are a rabbit's foot and a Hand of Glory.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
I know several of the musician who were there. I knew there was an armed robbery at the bar and everybody hit the dick. I did not know that the musicians were robbed. Most are still playing on Sat 8:00 at the Henry House at the other end of town. Gus's Bar, the scene of the crime, is still open.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by CDNMoose
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
deck
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by CDNMoose
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Sounded better the first time.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by John J.
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
But, seriously, the musicians who had to go through this deserve our sympathies.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by John J.
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Frankly, if I robbed a session pub I'd just snatch the till at the end of the night. The takings are bound to be substantial, even if the sessioners came in with no money and finished with less. How this is so is one of life's mysteries, but so, I imagine, it almost invariably is.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Well, this brings back sad memories of a session pub in Edinburgh which was "robbed at gunpoint" at the end of the night in 1982. The bar man or manager(?) was shot dead and the culprit was subsequently sentenced but later escaped from prison.
After being cornered by the police while "holed up in a van", he ended up taking his own life.
The pub closed for a while and subsequently changed its name before reverting back to it's original. Sessions were again tried there and were becoming popular once more but this time "bad neighbours" were to blame for their demise when they complained to the authorities re the noise.
The pub is still going strong to this day but I'll not name it here. It was in "The New Town" and some of the great players there included Johnny and Phil Cunningham, along with members of Ossian, Easy Club, Hom Bru and many more over the years.
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by John J.
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
If I ever go to Halifax NS, I must remember to carry a chilli wedge in my pocket if I go out on the town.
This is so that if I find myself in a bar that's being robbed, I can stick it up the horse's backside.
Halifax sounds that sort of place.
Correct me, Halifacients, If I'm wrong...
# Posted on March 15th 2009 by nicholas
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Yes indeed I play with people who were at that pub/session that night. And indeed some of them are on here but I see they aren't saying who they are.
Rest assured it was even crazier than you paint it from what I've heard.
There are now many great session in Halifax....2 superb ones at The Triangle pub in the centre of town. And a couple other decent ones as well.
# Posted on March 16th 2009 by skin&bow
Re: The Great Halifax Session Robbery
Thanks CDN Moose and mtodd. The details are hazy with time of course but it's one of those stories that sticks in my memory.
Gus's Bar - I had forgotten that name but it rings a bell now.
The person who told me the story said she was in the toilet at the time of the robbery
Jon I looked up the bar I thought of to see if it was the same one you mention - it was. I remember going there in 1979 because I heard the like sof Aly Bain would play there. I was fairly new to the world of sessions and very puzzled when I entered the packed pub to find that all you could hear was the roar of conversation and all you could see of the musicians was the end of a fiddle bow occasionally showing at the height of its up-stroke. I edged nearer and realised that only those sitting right around the musicians table would really be able to hear them.
It seemed odd to me at first - now it's just a commonplace thing
# Posted on March 21st 2009 by Bren