Live Events at Motel Chelsea – Until Sun. March 29th
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.
Wednesday, March 4th – The Barra MacNeils • 7:30 pm — 50% Sold!
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, March 5 • Live & Local with Diminished Responsibility Swing Combo • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centred music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, 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 are the same, always free, always local, always live.
Diminished Responsibility Swing Combo (DRSC) is an Ottawa-based trio with a repertoire of mainly 1930s and 1940s swing songs by the likes of The Mills Brothers, Ella Fitzgerald, and The Ink Spots. DRSC comprises Ian Clark (guitar, vocals), Stuart Rutherford (pedal steel, vocals), and Ann Downey (bass, vocals). All three musicians have been stalwarts of the Ottawa music scene for decades, playing in many different groups and genres.
Celebrate International Women’s Day at Motel Chelsea with “WOMEN IN FOLK WEEKEND” MARCH 6th, 7th & 8th.
Presented by a women-owned organization and supporting Voice Found with $3 from every ticket sold.
Women in Folk is a three-night International Women’s Day celebration honouring the women whose voices, stories, and leadership shape our folk music community.
Friday, March 6 • Women in Folk: Connie Kaldor + Jenny Whitely • 7:30 pm
Connie Kaldor, celebrating 45 years in music, is a pioneering force in Canadian folk. Emerging alongside artists such as Stan Rogers and Valdy, she has become a beloved festival headliner known for her commanding stage presence, unforgettable melodies, and deeply emotional songwriting. A three-time Juno Award winner and member of the Order of Canada, Connie continues to captivate audiences with performances that are, as the Boston Globewrites, “wildly funny one moment, deeply personal the next.”
Jenny Whiteley brings striking vocals and fearless songwriting that have earned comparisons to Emmylou Harris and Lucinda Williams. Raised in the heart of Toronto’s folk scene, Jenny launched a solo career that quickly garnered critical acclaim, winning Juno Awards for both her debut album and its follow-up Hopetown. A sought-after collaborator and seasoned performer, she has appeared at nearly every major folk festival in Canada and continues to deliver deeply human, genre-bending songs rooted in authenticity.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Saturday, March 7 • Women in Folk: Jessica Pearson and the East Wind + Ambre McLean • 7:30 pm
Jessica Pearson & The East Wind invite audiences into a timeless folkloric sound world shaped by three-part harmonies, roots instrumentation, and deeply intentional songwriting. Their performances are immersive and emotionally resonant—moving from intimate reflection to moments of joy, community, and collective strength. Through stories of resilience, matriarchal power, and becoming, the trio creates a space where listeners feel both seen and welcomed.
Ambre McLean brings a genre-defying approach to songwriting and performance, using her voice, instruments, and loop pedal to craft lush soundscapes and deeply personal moments. A beloved presence in Canadian folk and indie music for over 20 years, Ambre is known for live shows that are inventive, intimate, and emotionally expansive—performances that invite listeners to feel, reflect, and connect.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Sunday, March 8 • Women In Folk: Local Showcase • 6:00 pm • Over 75% Sold!
Following a sold-out debut last year, The 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒌 local showcase returns — celebrating the incredible women shaping our local folk scene.
This special showcase shines a spotlight on some of our favourite local female powerhouses: 𝑻𝒊𝒏𝒂 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏, 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒆, 𝑪𝒉𝒓𝒊𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒄𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒏, 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒏𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒅, 𝑲𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒆𝒌𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒗𝒂 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒐𝒏.
Throughout the evening, local 𝑾𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒌 will take the stage for intimate sets of two to three songs each, weaving together music and personal stories from their journeys in the industry. Performers will also come together for special collaborative duets, creating unique, one-of-a-kind moments you won’t hear anywhere else.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Thursday, March • Live & Local with Rory Taillon • 7:30 pm
Live & Local is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, 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.
Rory has been touring Canada for over a decade performing on stages from coffee shops and living rooms to concert halls and festivals. He has shared stages with the likes of Stephen Fearing, Zeus, Jeff Martin of the Tea Party, Adrian Sutherland and Julian Taylor to name a few.
Rory was trained as a classical singer from a young age and his years of study are evident in the power and control that he has over his voice. He uses his warm guitar tone, haunting lyrics, dynamic voice, layers of looping and the thumping of his kick drum to take the audience on a journey through his set from exhilarating highs to emotional lows.
Friday, March 13 • The Toasted Westerns • 8:00 pm
Formed in 1988 and known as Ottawa’s Favourite Singing Sandwich, The Toasted Westerns blend decades of folk-fuelled harmony, humour, and heart—now reunited as a rare trio appearance you won’t want to miss at Motel Chelsea. A honky-tonking night that you don’t want to miss!
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Saturday, March 14 • Jennifer Noxon Album Release • 7:30 pm
Join us for Jennifer Noxon’s 2026 album release, The Gathering. With a presence that is both playful and intimate, Jennifer brings her rich, shimmering voice, poetic knack for detail and infectious melodies to the stage, transporting the listener into the lives and extraordinary moments of ordinary people.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Sunday, March 15 • Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with Kelly Sloan & JIG • 2:00 pm
Get ready for a great St. Patrick’s Day concert with real Irish folk music! Kelly Sloan & JIG (James, Ian, Greg) have sold out every time they have played a St. Patrick’s Day concert in Ottawa in the last several years. Come out to the Motel Chelsea on March 15th and hear why!
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
LINK FOR MOTEL CHELSEA SHOWPASS: EVENTS, INFO AND TICKETS: https://www.
Thursday, March 19 • Live & Local with Chris White and Special Guests • 7:30 pm – Pass the hat event
Live & Local is a free, community-centered music series celebrating the artists who live and create right here at home, 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.
Chris White is a songwriter, radio host, sing-along leader and event organizer who has recorded three albums and hosts ‘Canadian Spaces’ on CKCU FM, Canada’s longest-running folk/roots radio show. He joined forces with CKCU to create the Ottawa Folk Festival in 1993 and served as the artistic director for 16 years. His contributions have been recognized with the Helen Verger Award and the Judy Roy Heart and Soul Award, and he was inducted into the Order of Folk by the Canadian Folk Music Awards organization in 2024.
Sunday, March 22 • HANNAH GEORGAS • 4:30 pm • SOLD OUT!
Friday, March 27 • Women in Comedy • 8:00 pm
Celebrate International Women’s Month with a powerhouse Women in Comedy showcase featuring host Lauren Lane, comedy icon Merilyn Read (The Tom Green Show), and Montreal headliner Carmina Berbari Daou bringing bold, brilliant laughs all night long.PLUS some every special guest performances.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Saturday, March 28 • The Barrow Gang Buskers • 8:00 pm
A high-energy, rockabilly-inspired gang of quipsters, The Barrow Gang delivers an unscripted, unforgettable live experience fueled by top-tier musicianship, playful antics, and pure Ontario-bred magic.
Tickets: https://www.showpass.
Sunday, March 29 • Joey Vinegar Band • 4:30PM
Joey Vinegar is a high-energy Ottawa-based multi-instrumentalist who’s shared the stage with the Tragically Hip and The Sheepdogs, delivering funky, feel-good performances that get every crowd on their feet.
