Many of us Fitzroy dwellers may have noticed that The Rob Roy Hotel has experienced a transformation in the last twelve months. One of the nights that is run here now on a Thursday is live music in the back room, which adds a new aspect to the pub & the pub’s culture. The night started in January of this year & since then many acts have come through the venue including The Killjoys, Philippa Nihill (ex-Underground Lovers), Matt Handley (Pollyanna), Quincy McLean & The Smooth Bastards (ex-Blue Ruin), Peter Archer (Crow) & Malcolm Hill, who many will remember as the support on the recent Nick Cave tour. The night is run as part of the Gertrude Street Sessions in conjunction with Builders Arms Hotel & like the Builders, the staff are friendly & are mostly artists or musicians from the Fitzroy area. The room holds 200 people with areas for standing or lounging & has received a warm welcome from the bands & punters with the atmosphere providing space for both relaxing & rockin’ tunes. Although the Rob Roy’s clientele has changed, the funky 70’s wallpaper has not & apart from the music, this is an aspect we are very proud of! Shows start at 9pm with the venue being open until 3am for those of us who like to kick on into the wee hours.
