Photographer, Andrew Williamson

I’ve just sat down with Bobby Kimberley, Owner and Creative Director of Young Lions Music Club (YLMC), when a commotion involving his girlfriend seizes his attention. She quickly popped in to the venue to deliver Kimberley his meal and she is now being chastised by security for breezing past them (without paying) on her way over. Kimberley rises like a great male lion, prepared to defend the dearest of his pride, and heads over.  “Hey, hey what’s going on? This is my girlfriend.” This moment speaks to Kimberley as both a young entrepreneur and the visionary behind YLMC – this is his kingdom. He looks after what he loves.

Taylor Evans: Volume 17 of Songs tonight at Sneaky’s. What’s Songs all about?
Bobby Kimberley: I wanted to start a night. I’d never done a monthly, but I wanted it to be slightly varied each time. The idea of inviting bands to come and DJ seemed to be exactly that. They come and play whatever they want. You don’t have to be a DJ. You’re not coming to hear Europe’s best DJs. It’s supposed to be a house party kind of vibe.

TE: Any memorable Songs?
BK: There have been so many good ones. The Wooden Sky did the first one ever, and played great, unexpected cuts from bands like the Eurythmics and Phil Collins all night long. It really set the tone. Our first anniversary with The Rural Alberta Advantage was amazing. Bonjay really got behind the idea and were phenomenal DJs.

TE:  The name Young Lions Music Club reminds me of The Constantines song.
BK: That’s exactly where it came from. I’m a huge Constantines fan. They were the first band I booked when I started to do real concerts up in Ottawa. I really like the line: “Oh young lions, this is your kingdom.”

TE: What’s your kingdom? What’s YLMC all about?
BK: The concept is to grow this community. We’re really trying to foster this group of young, city-living, music fans and get them interacting with each other and feeling like they’re part of something. This is more than just a concert promotion or event promotion company.

Everything is done with the objective of bringing people together. That’s why in November we started this program called the YLMC Club card.

TE: How many zebras do I have to kill in order to become a card carrying member?
BK: Zero zebras. We just passed five-hundred members.

TE: In June 2011 you officially launched YLMC. What have you learned over the first year?
BK: Tons. More than anything, I’ve learned what YLMC is. I now recognize Young Lions as being both a community and an entrance point for artists and lifestyle brands to connect with the music community. And, obviously, an events company; I’m always dreaming up different event properties and creative concepts.

TE: Plans for year two?
BK: I don’t want to give too much away because nothing’s locked down, but I’m trying to get a bigger, once-a-year, annual event off the ground.

I hesitate to call it a festival, but that’s kind of what I have in my mind.

TE: What’s a typical day at the office like on Springhurst Avenue?
BK: Up until April, I was living with a couple of dudes and running YLMC out of our basement apartment – it was challenging.  Now, I’m in a more functional space. I try to set up as many meetings in my office as possible just because it’s so chill. Day-to-day, it’s nice to just run my own schedule.

TE: What can we look forward to this summer?
BK: A new initiative with my girlfriend called Summer Fling. It’s a boyfriend/girlfriend DJ duo. NXNE Live in Bellwoods again and more from cover band, Dwayne Gretzky. It’s going to be fun.

TE: Roar.
BK: Roar.