·Places We Love to Play At ·
Brew Revolution
Craft Brewery and taproom in Stittsville, Ontario. Featuring a selection of 30 taps offering a huge variety of house-made beer plus numerous guest taps. We also offer cider, wine and mixed drinks. Add in our delicious food and live entertainment, and you’ve got a little something for everyone. We love the support Chris and Matt have given us over the years, so you should support them too.
Barley Mow Almonte
In 2011, The Barley Mow in Almonte gave us our first gig as The KEYSTRINGS. That night just happened to fall on the same night as Almontes winter festival, Light Up the Night. Since then, they have been the house band for that event every year and have played over 50 gigs in the quaint and rustic bar overlooking the Mississippi River
Royal Oak Kanata
For 4 years The KEYSTRINGS split the house band duties on Tuesday nights with other artists. The team there has always welcomed us back for fun filled nights and a tad bit of shenanigans….
· Our Friends Pages ·
Mean Gene Charbonneau
Gene was instrumental in the production of our first album, so he gets his own special spot right here.
Eli Boucher of Me and Him
A local favorite, Me and Him have been crushing the mean streets of Ottawa for more than 20 years. The Duo headed by Eli who is also a solo artist has been a musical inspiration for us.
Will Cook
We were fans way before he ever played at our wedding, check out his music on Spotify
A Tale for All the Fellas
Canada Day Kanata 2018
We finally get the big stage we always wanted, tuned up and ready to go. The show its self was awesome but the crowd was much smaller then anticipated. The celebrations that year were a lot different as everyone had blown their budgets on the year before. There was no beer garden, they cut one of the 2 days and to top it off, the temperature that day sat around 52 degrees celsius and the sun was right on us. For a front man that loves to dance, my biggest struggle that day was staying hydrated and not passing out. But honestly…. we crushed it and now its a great story to tell.
The Glasses
This here is our friend PJ and those are the stupid glasses. (He makes them look cool) We decided for our summer tour to sell Keystrings glasses for $5 a pair. So we ordered them, got all excited for the merch table, we set up and right beside us was the local radio station giving away FREE sunglasses that were way nicer then ours…. we still have a ton of these suckers
Hosts with the Most
In four years we hosted over 100 open mics at the Royal Oak in Kanata. For variety we split the weeks with our good friends the Howlin Jays,(seen here) and for a short period in time, the 2 groups formed to make 1 super group named “The Duos” and played shows around the Ottawa area. As our musical journey took us on other adventures, Jeff stayed on as our drummer as The KEYSTRINGS expanded their line up.
EXTRA! EXTRA!
We made the freaken paper. For 3 years we played the Vankleek Hill Porch Fest at 25 main and we always a drew a pretty good crowd. As we graced Helens porch, she would welcome us with sandwiches, cookies and a smile. Her family was Jeff, but I’m pretty sure she thought we were all family, thats why we loved her so much. Sadly Helen passed in February of 2021 but because of her generosity and hospitality, we have dedicated our song “Senior Rita” a song that I wrote about my own grandmother, to her memory. Click on the pick if you’d like to see our tribute to her, live from her porch.
Nothing Trivial
I didn’t even know this was on our bands bucket list, but we are so humbled to have been included as a trivia question by Brew Revolution. Most people got it right, so we popped in after the Pearl Jam concert and hosted a stripped down set featuring a few Peal Jam songs. I’ll tell ya, that was a great sing a long night!
Sundae Fun-day
Between sets, we met the owner of the Dip n Dots. When we got on stage we proceeded to promote her shop. She appreciated it so much that they ran a special that weekend call The KEYSTRINGS Sundae. The Add: “Thanks to The Keystrings for the shout out during your set last night at Brew Revolution! You are awesome! We now have a ‘chocolate on chocolate on chocolate’ sundae named in your honor.”
Quara-tunes
March 13th, 2020 was the day that all the gigs went away. Wanting to stay connected to our fans we took to Facebook Live to stream a short dinner set of songs. We created a formate of 5 songs, and at the least, a song sung by Dan and a Song sung by Jill, an original song all backed by a promotion of local businesses to help support them. All the video and audio was captured on a Samsung S8 phone rested on a wooden stand made out of popsicle sticks. Photo provided by Chris, an original KS Roadie.
The Home Series
As things started opening back up in 2021, we wanted to get back out there and put on some fun shows. We started at home with a backyard show that raised funds for a local charity. With the support of local vendors we were able to make this event a success, so much so, we have replicated its success through fans looking for an intimate show that serves a greater purpose.
Tell Me About This Song
Don’t Care
Most nights after dinner, I would pick up the guitar and make up a song or 2 while the family finished eating. One of these nights our son would not stop talking about a certain Pokemon character and I kept asking him to talk about anything else. This led into us singing this to him for the next few days as he would go on endless tirades about his favorite toys and video games. The lyrics are all based on these conversations, so feel free to sing this song to your kids and let them know how you feel.
Don’t Care – Lyrics
I wrote the book on giving up, I honestly couldn’t care enough, And you just keep going on about love
But I don’t really care…. No I don’t really care
You say the mighty how they fall, If it wasn’t for bad luck you’d have none at all, To me your problems seem so small
But I don’t really care, I don’t really care
As I sit here listening to you, go on and on, Your noise just fills the room, I Think it’s time I’m honest with you
I don’t really care
Little One – Story
An entire song written off of a fun moment and a text exchange. This photo was sent to me the morning after another fun gig, with the caption “My money is on the little one”. As I put pen to paper, I needed a more robust theme for the song and broke it down to arguing with a child, only to realize half way through that they are in fact correct and you are wrong. This mixed with the point of view of someone else realizing what is happening.
Little One – Lyrics
I went looking for love, I went looking for truth, When I went looking for a way out, Well, that’s when I found you, Cause I needed someone, and I sure am glad you came along
I went looking for fun, Tried to put it on fate, I needed someone to put a smile on my face, And when I found that, you sure do love to disagree, And you’re just like me
But the more you get older, the more you’ll get bolder…. My money’s on the little one
I went looking for truth, Tried to put it on faith, Now I’m needing someone, to get me out of this place, Oh you drive me crazy, and still you love to disagree, Lord you’re good for me
But the more you get older, the more you’ll get bolder… My money’s on the little one
My moneys on the little one, It ain’t on you, My moneys on the little one, What was I to do
But the more you get older, the more you’ll get bolder, My money’s on the little one
Emma
In 2018 a tornado ripped through town and power was out. Post tornado, it turned out to be a beautiful night with no electricity. So neighbours and friends gathered around and we pulled out the guitars and started jamming tunes. As always, we started making up a few songs when Emma, 4 at the time, was running around in pyjamas with shoes on the wrong feet talking non stop to anyone and everyone. Jill had put a phone on record in the middle of the table to capture any magic that would be and caught this little gem of a moment. We started to make up a song about Emma’s non stop talking that quickly morphed into “Am I ever going to get to the end of this story”. As we finished up the song, Emma leans over the table directly over top of the phone and looks me dead in the eye with the straightest of faces and says “You should be a singer when you grow up”. This moment of honesty was captured and can still be heard at the end of the song.
E.M.M.A – Lyrics
With your fiery red hair and your blue eyed stare, And partying in your pyjamas, You say I’m ok, I dressed myself today, And your feet they look like bananannana
Oh Emma, Emma Emma, am i ever gonna get to the end.
In all your head bands and your toys in your hands, Hoping we can play together, Then your story it starts about some kids at the park, And just goes on forever ever ever
Oh Emma
There’s a lull in your story, or is this where it’s going, Now your talking about a sweater, You say somethin bout kittys, yes you’re very pretty but your stories go on for ever ever ever
Oh Emma
Senior Rita
When my Nana moved into an old age home, I was off traveling and only ever got to visit a few times. My father use to tell me stories of how every time he would go to visit her, she would be holding court with her friends just running the show. This is the basis for this song and it leans on the idea of her, in her home, just being a bad ass bitch who was in charge. I liked that idea so much that this song is about her, dreaming about being younger and passing through a room with all eyes on her as she heads to the door on the other side. The guitar outro is of her coming back into the fold of reality. I wish we could all live with that kind of confidence. (Pictured: Her and all her boys)
Senoir Rita
Shes a pretty senior Rita, Flowers in her hair, She’s a pretty senior Rita, A world without a care, Looking oh so lovely, The way she shakes her hips, Wouldn’t trust a damn thing, Coming from her lips
Well she knows what she wants, And she knows what she’s got
She’s such a pretty senior Rita, With all those sexy moves, You know that she ain’t leaving, Cause this is now her room. She says that she don’t need it, By the way she moves her eyes, And when she says she loves you, It should come as no surprise.
Well she knows what she wants, And she knows what she’s got
Shes a pretty senior Rita, Flowers in her hair, She’s a pretty senior Rita, A world without a care, Looking oh so lovely, The way she shakes her hips, Wouldn’t trust a damn thing, Coming from her lips
Well she knows what she wants, And she knows what she’s got, She’s a pretty senior Rita
Ellie Doo
One of the first songs that Jill and I penned together and it is still one of my favorite songs till this day. It was a beautiful afternoon of just the 2 of us sitting on the deck in the backyard playing songs and working on new things. This song started off as joking comment of having a pet elephant that we could keep in our yard, Jill said that be awesome and then my responsible brain took over and listed all the reasons that this is not a good idea. It morphed into a broader idea of that friend that you always have to take care of when you go out. They are so optimistic that all their ideas are great and you have to play the pessimist to their actually terrible ideas to keep them alive.
Ellie Doo
I wish I was an optimist, I would buy an elephant and I would let him live in my backyard, but I am a pessimist, so I must insist, this is such a terrible idea
if I was innocent, I would buy an elephant and I would let him live in my backyard, I would not let him in my house, I already have a pet mouse, she is sleeping somewhere in the walls
I know I’m never going to change it, might as well just learned to appreciate it
oooohhhh
If I was ignorant, I would buy an elephant and I would let him live in my backyard, but I am a pessimist, so I must insist, this is such a terrible idea, I wish I was an optimist , I would buy an elephant and, I would let him live in my backyard