Live Events at Motel Chelsea – Until Fri. Feb 27th
Motel Chelsea offers you an escape to nature where locals, music-lovers, foodies, culture-seekers, and travellers intersect. Nestled in the Gatineau Hills, where the river and forest trails merge with a vibrant arts culture, the Motel Chelsea is a hub of natural and man-made beauty, and local community.
Here’s what’s coming up at Motel Chelsea:
Wednesday, March 4th – The Barra MacNeils • 7:30 pm
ST. BRIGID’S CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
We’re bringing Motel Chelsea’s LOVE TO FOLK Prime series of Big Acts, Up Close, to other venues in your neighbourhood! The same quality you’ve come to expect of legendary acts in an intimate setting, but now in venues tailored to the band. Our first curated experience kicks off with a beloved group, The Barra MacNeils, in the perfect setting, St. Brigid’s Centre for the Arts, home of the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre, in downtown Ottawa.
For more than three decades, Cape Breton-based family group the Barra MacNeils have been thrilling audiences of all ages, near and far, with their sparkling repertoire, vocals, instrumental prowess and vibrant showmanship.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Thursday, February 5th • Live & Local with Nicholas Bellerose • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centred music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, with select Thursday evenings hosted by a different local musician bringing their own sound, collaborators, and creative vision to the stage.
Nick Bellerose is an indie folk singer-songwriter based in Ottawa. He released a remaster of his debut album, The Only Way Through, in October. His songs explore the passages of life we face: morality, pain, grief, love, and redemption. He delivers heart-to-heart sounds rooted in indie folk, country and blues.
Friday, February 6th • Sam Polley & The Old Tomorrows • 8:00 pm
Born into a musical legacy (son of THE Jim Cuddy) but blazing his own trail, Sam Polley leads The Old Tomorrows with a vibrant blend of rockabilly, country twang, and Motown swing—captivating crowds from sold-out Toronto beginnings to coast-to-coast tours, a dynamic debut album, and a sound guaranteed to get you up and dancing.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Thursday, February 12 • Live & Local with Alise Marlane & Acoustic Hearts Collective • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, each night features a full set from the host followed by an open, collaborative jam—no two nights the same, always free, always local, always live.
Local singer-songwriter Alise Marlane writes and performs thoughtful, playfully lyrical, jazz-infused folk to accompany your mood of contentedness and melancholy.
Acoustic Hearts Collective
Experience the magic when poetry harmonizes with music! Musicians Alise Marlane and James Stephens team up with poetry troubadours Ilse Turnsen and Mary Lou van Schaik for a captivating set of creative offerings.
Saturday, February 14 • The Artichoke Hearts with Special Guest Annie Martel • 8:00 pm — almost sold out!
Experience The Artichoke Hearts’ sweeping indie folk-pop—layered harmonies, lush instrumentation, and raw emotional depth—live at Motel Chelsea for their 2nd annual Valentine’s Day show, joined by special guest Annie Martel, whose unforgettable “sad-lady folk” turns heartbreak into something beautifully human.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Friday, February 20 • Terra Lightfoot • 8:00 pm
With Healing Power, Terra Lightfoot unleashes a career-defining, critically lauded pop-rock tour de force that spotlights her exceptional songwriting, powerhouse vocals, and electrifying trio chemistry—cementing the JUNO-nominated, globally toured artist as one of today’s most charismatic and compelling rockers.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Saturday, February 21 • Irish Mythen • 8:00 pm
Irish Mythen (they/them) is a globally acclaimed, JUNO-nominated artist whose raw vocal power and magnetic live performances—from Glastonbury to the Sydney Opera House—have captivated audiences worldwide, with a new album set to further their celebrated, award-winning legacy in Spring 2026.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Sunday, February 22 • Soulstice Community Fundraiser for The Wakefield Community Emergency Fund • 2:00-4:00 pm
Catch the 7-piece jazz powerhouse Soulstice live at Motel Chelsea for a fun, feel-good afternoon of swing, funk, and Latin grooves—all while supporting the Wakefield Community Emergency Fund.
This is a free, non-ticketed event, and while we’ll be passing the hat to collect donations for the Wakefield Community Emergency Fund, we hope you’ll consider contributing to support this great local charity.
Thursday, February 26 • Open Stage Hosted By Christine Graves • Starting at 7:00 pm
Join us for a magical evening of music, community, and creativity at Motel Chelsea’s Open Stage, happening on the last Thursday of every month. Whether you’re a seasoned performer or just want to enjoy great local talent, you’re welcome here.
The evening is hosted by Christine Graves, a celebrated Canadian singer-songwriter known for her powerful voice and poetic songwriting. With a career spanning shared stages with icons like Buffy Sainte-Marie and Feist, and performances at festivals and theatres across Canada, Graves brings warmth, experience, and authenticity to the stage.
SHOWS BOOKED SO FAR IN 2026:
FEB 12 LIVE & LOCAL w ALISE MARLANE
FEB 14 THE ARTICHOKE HEARTS (OVER 60% SOLD)
FEB 20 TERRA LIGHTFOOT
FEB 21 IRISH MYTHEN
FEB 22 SOULSTICE COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER
FEB 26 OPEN MIC w CHRISTINE GRAVES
MAR 1 GRIEVOUS ANGELS
MAR 4 THE BARRA MACNEILS at ST. BRIGID’S CENTRE FOR THE ARTS
MAR 5 LIVE & LOCAL w DIMINISHED RESPONSIBILITY
MAR 6 WOMEN IN FOLK: CONNIE KALDOR AND JENNY WHITELEY
MAR 7 WIF: AMBER MCLEAN & JESSICA PEARSON AND THE EAST WIND
MAR 8 WOMEN IN FOLK: LOCAL SHOWCASE
MAR 12 LIVE & LOCAL with RORY TAILLON
MAR 13 THE TOASTED WESTERNS
MAR 14 JENNIFER NOXEN ALBUM RELEASE
MAR 15 SLOAN & JIG ST. PATRICK’S DAY CELEBRATION
MAR 19 LIVE & LOCAL with CHRIS WHITE
MAR 22 HANNAH GEORGAS
MAR 27 JANGUS COMEDY PRESENTS WOMEN IN COMEDY
MAR 28 THE BARROW GANG BUSTERS
APR 9 MINOR GOLD
APR 11 ALLISON LUPTON BAND
APR 12 GROUYON GOMBO
APR 16 DANNY MICHEL — JUST ANNOUNCED
APR 17 THE LAZARETTES w RON HAWKINS
APR 18 JAMES GORDON w KATHERINE WHEATLEY
APR 22 THE GRAPES OF WRATH
APR 23 THE GRAPES OF WRATH (50% SOLD)
APR 24 KRISTIN MARTELL
APR 26B SAM ROBBINS
APR 30 MELISANDE
MAY 3 STEVE POLTZ (50% SOLD)
MAY 9 ROBERT THOMAS & THE SESSIONMEN
MAY 15 THE SALT CELLARS
MAY 21 LIVE & LOCAL w PHIL JENKINS
LINK FOR MOTEL CHELSEA SHOWPASS: EVENTS, INFO AND TICKETS: https://www.
