Keith Glass Band has been around for nearly half a century. It was founded in 1978 as a splinter group of Juno-Award-winning Prairie Oyster, and Keith Glass Band outlived that group’s reformation and re-dissolution (technically not disbanded, but when the last album was in 2006…). It’s been peddling a unique blend of rock, swing and country based right here in Ottawa.
The man behind the band (and the name) is Keith Glass, a singer, guitarist, and songwriter.
I caught the band wrapping up a set of shows at Irene’s Pub & Restaurant in the Glebe. There were about fifty people there, but the backroom was big enough to be comfortable. They have good lighting, the walls are nice and bright so you can navigate, but the middle of the room’s dark to allow for a stage-light ambience.
One thing on the other hand though, the place is kind of hard to navigate when full. There’s no standing room, only the close-together seats, and you’ve got waiters moving in to serve beers and people heading out for the washrooms and so on. And the stage isn’t very high or big, so if you’re stuck at the back, you won’t get much of a view. I was lucky enough to get a seat near the front., but still ended up partially staring at a stranger’s back.
“This really is one of the greatest, if not the greatest club in the city,” Glass remarked to general cheers.
He chatted with many audience members, seemingly knowing them personally.
The band played for two hours with a twenty-minute break in the middle. It was mostly original fare, but they did do a few covers, such as the Left Banke’s “Walk Away Renée.”
Glass’ voice is, in a word, tremendous. He belts, he swings, he howls, he growls, no complaints there. He also has talented backup. Keyboardist Steve Trecarten doubled on tenor saxophone, and Glass himself played a harmonica alongside his numerous guitars. All four artists seemed in good sync.
At $15 presale/$20 door tickets, the cost was reasonable. Though Irene’s food is somewhat overpriced, so beware of that if you’re looking for a meal with music.
Sadly, as I write this, Irene’s is closed because of a broken water heater. That evening with the band was its last night open for now. I didn’t mean it like that! Get well soon!
Keith Glass Band does not seem to have any upcoming shows booked, but I assume they’ll pop back up soon enough. Irene’s has something most nights, once it gets back open anyways.
Happy grooving!
