small business

By Trevor Greenway

The Black Sheep Inn was bursting with a feeling of nostalgia Saturday night as the Wakefield music venue opened its doors for the first time in over five years for a raucous afterparty featuring a roster of DJs. 

No, we’re serious, it really did open and the Low Down has the photos to prove it. 

And when those big black double doors swung open, it didn’t take long before a full dance party was in swing – Black Sheep style – with patrons smiling ear to ear, many of them in disbelief that they were actually dancing in the place that holds so many sonic memories. 

“It was very emotional,” said a jovial Christina Stobert, the new self-styled commander-in-chief of the Black Sheep Inn. She said the soft opening Sept. 20 was a bit of a dry run to “work off the cobwebs” after the venue had been closed for so many years. 

The Black Sheep Inn shuttered its doors in March of 2020 due to COVID-19. While other establishments re-opened, the Sheep remained closed, as co-owners Paul Symes and Jennifer Nesbitt slowly worked out a purchase agreement to re-open the Sheep under new management.

“From turning on the stereo for the first time and being in the room, it kind of hit me in the face that this is not just a bar/restaurant/hotel – it’s a music venue,” she said about the dry-run. “Hearing the music cranked up was amazing and just [seeing] how happy everyone was – and the comments from the crowd were that it was warm and welcoming.”

Warm and welcoming, yes. This reporter was in the room and Stobert’s read of the vibe was spot on, as you couldn’t find a frown in the establishment. And the music was certainly cranked. The Sheep was the official venue for the Fête de la Musique afterparty, the charity event for mental health awareness that featured DJs on the Wakefield covered bridge and bands at the Fairbairn House all day Sept. 20. For the afterparty, DJ Francis Delage opened up the night with some warm beats, before Ottawa’s DJ Plush turned it up to 11 and got the dance floor going. Local DJs Disko Dave (David Lajeunesse), Kor (Dustin Good) and this reporter (BeatScience) kept the party going well past midnight. 

And anyone inside the building would have felt the local soul drifting throughout the recognizable room, with a host of familiar faces ensuring the evening went smoothly. From Moses Hausler working the door to Luther Wright manning the bar, it was like an old Sheep night with all the local players. 

And when things got busy, others stopped dancing to help, like Becky Bunch and Rob Clarke, who jumped behind the bar, cleared empties from tables and kept the good vibes flowing. 

“I love that Luther helped me, and Rob jumped behind the bar because we were so busy and missing equipment,” said Stobert. “We had to wash glasses by hand but it was so nice to have help. It was like a real family affair.”

And while it may not have been a typical Sheep night with a rockin’ local band starting things off, it didn’t seem to matter. Locals, like Phil Jenkins, were seen on the dance floor, just happy to be cutting up the checkered linoleum beneath their feet, reawakening old memories while making new ones. 

“I love dancing,” quipped Jenkins. “It was really special to be back in the place where I have so many memories.”

Rock bands return, new events added

The Black Sheep Inn’s re-opening may seem like it happened overnight but it was a long road to getting those doors to swing back open.

The Low Down reported back in December of 2024 that the Sheep was ready to open with a Robbie Burns night in January of that year, but the agreement hadn’t been completed yet and the owners were back at the negotiating table for months. 

That agreement was made official earlier this summer, but the building needed a host of repairs and renovations before it could open. Symes is now officially retired and Nesbitt is the owner, with Stobert the commander-in-chief. 

And while Stobert is committed to bringing back that old Sheep vibe with local bands, emerging artists and established groups, she said she is adding some new flair: DJ nights, comedy shows, private booking opportunities, a full-service kitchen and more. Expect the return of Sunday matinee shows, community town halls, election debates and everything in between. Stobert already has a small roster of bands booked to start playing regular shows, beginning with Johnny Mac and Table Talk on Oct. 11. And she’s in the process of booking Ottawa singer-songwriter and Sheep favourite Jim Bryson for the late fall, Ontario indie-folk group Great Lake Swimmers and Ottawa blues sensations MonkeyJunk. In the meantime, stay tuned for a number of pop-up shows over the next few weeks, including an open mic night. 

Stay tuned for more information about upcoming shows. The Sheep will soon launch a refreshed website and social media accounts.