Live Events at Motel Chelsea – Until Sat. June 6th
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 on the lineup at Motel Chelsea.
LOVE TO FOLK 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 – Wednesday, July 4th • Fred Eaglesmith • 8:00 pm – OVER 75% SOLD!
𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐎𝐋𝐊𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆 is our premium concert series of 𝐦𝐚𝐣𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐳𝐲, 𝟖𝟓-𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐮𝐞! Your chance to experience world-class performances up close and personal— the way music was meant to be heard.
Fred Eaglesmith, the Canadian singer-songwriter and roots music icon, has spent over five decades carving out a singular path in the music world. Known for his raw, storytelling lyrics, gravelly voice, and unapologetic independence, Eaglesmith has become a cult hero to fans of Americana, folk, and country music.
Born in rural Ontario in 1957, he ran away from home at 15, hopping freight trains and living a nomadic life that would later fuel the vivid, working-class narratives in his songs.
With a career spanning more than 25 albums, Eaglesmith has earned a reputation as a prolific and uncompromising artist. His songs, often laced with wit, heartbreak, and a touch of rebellion, have been covered by legends like Toby Keith, Alan Jackson, Miranda Lambert and countless more.
Tracks like “Time to Get a Gun” and “Freight Train” have become anthems for the disenfranchised, while his live performances- equal parts rock show and revival meeting- have cemented his status as a must-see act.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Thursday, May 21 • Live & Local with Phil Jenkins • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centered 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.
Phil has been an active part of the Gatineau Hills music scene for years, performing with local bands Riverbend and Striving for Beauty, and bringing his popular Beatles tribute and protest song shows to Motel Chelsea on multiple occasions.
This special Live & Local performance features two engaging sets: the first half showcases Phil’s original music, followed by an interactive singalong where the audience helps choose the next song—complete with song sheets so everyone can join in.
Friday, May 22 • Bobby Dove • 8:00 pm
Bobby Dove is a Montreal-born singer-songwriter and a magnetic presence in the world of Country and Americana music. With a voice as powerful as their storytelling, this trans/non-binary troubadour pays tribute to the golden age of honky tonk, while crafting original, emotionally charged songs that “blend genres with the touch of a master.” (Mary Gauthier)
Currently based in rural Manitoba, Bobby Dove just released their upcoming full-length album “Fortune Teller” on April 24th 2026. Produced by Aaron Goldstein (Cowboy Junkies/Kathleen Edwards/City and Colour), the new record features 13 tracks, including a co-write/duet with Grammy winning singer-songwriter Jim Lauderdale.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Saturday, May 23 • Abigail Lapell • 8:00 pm
Award-winning Toronto singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell captures the urgency and beauty of motherhood on her new album Shadow Child.
Award-winning Toronto singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell was pregnant with her first child when she booked studio time on Vancouver Island to make an album about motherhood. The nine songs on Shadow Child — one for each month of gestation — had to be ready before then, and her return flight was booked on the last day she could safely fly in her third trimester.
Lapell’s road to motherhood was fraught, involving years of IVF and a 2023 miscarriage — that she experienced on stage while on tour. (She finished her set.) Her son was born in November 2024. The song cycle of Shadow Child covers joy and loss, using metaphors from Maritime tragedy, reproductive health, and lives altered by the arrival of a newborn. The title track refers to ultrasound imaging of “a liminal person that doesn’t quite exist yet,” says Lapell. “Their status is ontologically blurry.”
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Sunday, May 24 • An Afternoon of Poetry with Robyn Sarah and Ken Victor • 2:00 pm
This is a free event, but space is limited—please RSVP by clicking the ticket link and completing all required information to secure your spot; if you reserve, we kindly ask that you attend so others don’t miss out.
Poet, writer, literary editor, and musician, Robyn Sarah is the author of twelve poetry collections, including, most recently, We’re Somewhere Else Now, and My Shoes Are Killing Me, winner of the 2015 Governor General’s Award for poetry and the Canadian Jewish Literary Award for poetry. She has also published two collections of short stories, a book of essays on poetry, and a music memoir. She served as poetry editor for Cormorant Books from 2010 to 2020. Robyn Sarah lives in Montreal.
Thursday, May 28 • The Sadies • 7:30 pm — OVER SOLD OUT
Friday, May 29 • Hannah & Nathan Album Release • 8:00 pm
Featuring pristine vocal harmonies accompanied by the earthy pulse of fiddle and banjo, Hannah & Nathan weave a rich tapestry of timeless songs and fiddle tunes grown from their love of old Appalachian music.
Based in Ontario, Hannah Shira Naiman and Nathan Smith are acclaimed songwriters and multi-instrumentalists, each with a strong national presence in folk music: both are Canadian Folk Music Award winners (Hannah for Traditional Singer of the Year, and Nathan for Instrumental Composer of the Year), and the two of them have spent over a decade performing and honing their craft.
Hannah & Nathan are celebrating the release of their debut duo album “Love and Labour,” a collection of original songs and treasured traditional gems.
“Hannah and Nathan are two of the finest acoustic musicians on the scene. Tight harmonies, inspired playing. Their deep love of Traditional music shines in their original compositions. Truly worth a listen.”
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Saturday, May 30 • Tin Constellations + Macmono & The Stereotypes • 8:00 pm
A dynamic double-bill featuring Montreal songwriter Mark Robertson (Macmono and the Stereotypes)—known for his soulful, genre-blending sound and collaborations with artists like Kid Koala—and Ottawa indie-folk band Tin Constellations, celebrated for their lush harmonies, melodic storytelling, and captivating live shows.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Sunday, May 31 • Noah Derksen • 3:00 pm
Noah Derksen is a Canadian singer-songwriter whose heartfelt blend of folk, country, and indie shines with sincerity. A wanderer at heart, Noah draws songs from the motion of everyday life: moving between cities, listening to strangers, holding closely to moments that might otherwise slip by. His fourth album, Mercy on the Skyline(2026), explores healing and self-realization with luminous honesty. With an intimate yet soaring voice, Noah’s music flickers between tenderness and boldness, always pointing toward the mercy on the horizon. He was named Canadian Folk Music’s Emerging Artist of the Year, and a finalist on SiriusXM’s Top of the Country competition.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Thursday, June 4 • Live & Local with Joe Ray MacDonald • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centered 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. 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.
This is a pass-the-hat event—please help support and show your appreciation for the featured artist by contributing what you can.
Ottawa valley-bred singer/songwriter and guitar extraordinaire Joe Ray McDonald effortlessly weaves melody, emotion and precise flatpick-style guitar together like flowers on a finely tailored cowboy shirt. Joe performs numerous shows a year as a solo artist and as a band leader, and is known for his warm rapport with audiences, diverse musicianship and accomplished songwriting.
Friday, June 5 • Matthew Barber • 8:00 pm
Matthew Barber is a Toronto-based singer-songwriter who has been touring and making records for over two decades. He has released 11 albums, garnered two Juno nominations, several Canadian Folk Music Award nominations, performed extensively across four continents and racked up plenty of radio play and millions of streams. Inspired by 60’s rock and roll, folk and soul, 70’s singer-songwriters, old-time country and blues and 90’s indie rock, Matthew has carved out his own sound in the 21st century that has matured over the years.
These days, Matthew is equally at home performing with his band or solo when he’s not in the studio producing music for up-and-coming artists. His most recent release is an EP entitled “No Singing or Dancing”.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
Saturday, June 6 • Minuscule + For Ernest • 8:00 pm
Anything but small, Minuscule is a five-voice army, striding into difficult conversations with equal parts therapy and harmony. They fearlessly explore playful and painful corners of the human experience, delivering the poeticism of Joni Mitchell and Gord Downie with the harmonic punch of Florence + The Machine and TuneYards. Audiences across Canada have been captivated by Minuscule’s invigorating live presence, summoning social responsibility and empathy through empowering anthems, riveting layered vocals, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.com/
