Keithmas XV! at The Rickshaw. 12/14/2024

Written By Wyman Reviews


Incredible Gallery Photos courtesy of Michelle Verbeek. Full credits and list of performers at the end of the review.

Let’s Spend The Night Together:

It was time. After buying my ticket to this sold-out show, I found myself last Saturday in a familiar spot, waiting in line outside the Rickshaw Theatre in East Vancouver. While waiting, I made conversation with a lovely fellow named Drew and his friend as we all waited in line.
We talked of our love of travelling Europe and our anticipation for this show. You see, although this was my first Keithmas, Drew and his friend had been to a few before, and the excitement was palpable. But it wasn’t just us. The three of us took note of one man walking down the line asking everyone if they had a spare ticket as he was “Looking for a miracle”. (I did actually see him later on in the seats. Rock on). For those unfamiliar, Keithmas is an annual “Fundrager” for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, started 15 years ago by John M Hewer and James Hayden. I’ll let John tell you the story in his own words:

”Well let me tell you. A long time ago in a galaxy far far away… sorry not that story…it started when my Hidden Charms Presents partner James Hayden and I had been promoting for a couple of years (not full time just a couple of shows a month and only bands we dug) wanted to have a party for the bands. And since it was around Christmas we thought: 1) Let’s do a fundraiser and 2) Let’s celebrate rock and roll. We looked at the calendar as to what rockers had birthdays in December, and Lo and behold! Keef on Dec 18. so that settled that. We asked 5 bands to play Stones songs, and we brought in pizza and beer for them. We charged like $5 or free with a canned good for the Foodbank. The very first one the poster it says a celebration of Keith Richards and Christmas, but by the time the show came up, we were calling it Keithmas! I think we raised $600 and two car loads of food donations. And the rest is history. We have sold out every show after Keithmas 2 and we might have even sold that one out. It has been a ton of fun ever since which is why we keep doing it. And we have raised almost a quarter of a million $s in the process. Also big credit to Rob Wright who has been a full-time member of the Keithmas brain trust these last 10+ years too.”

I also asked John: Was there a moment or a particular year or moment when you stepped back and realized just how huge Keithmas had become?

”That's a tough one to pin down, it's been a gradual progression from the Fairview to the Electric Owl and for the last 9-10 years at the Rickshaw.
I think around year 8 or so when I started to recognize people coming year after year and wearing the old t shirts from past years it really hit home that this was now a tradition for people. And the last couple of years when we started selling out in November (and now October) without any effort really and not announcing the bands until well after. I now know a bunch of people who have been to like 10 Keithmas’s and in some cases all of them! It does blow my mind when I hear that. Also worth mentioning that we have never paid any of the bands and they have never asked to be paid. They all volunteer and pretty much all of them ask to come back! It’s a wonderful community of musicians that support it.”

Two of the evening’s hosts: long time Classic Rock 101 Morning Show Announcer/Producer Alece Anderson with Co-founder and keeper of the soup raffle can James Hayden. Photo by yours truly.

Come On Down, Sweet Virginia.

Once inside, I checked my coat and took a look around. The stage was decked out in for the festivities, and so was everyone in attendance. There were locals wearing everything from Rolling Stones merch to Santa hats and Christmas sweaters. I went to the Foodbank table and bought myself some tickets for the raffle. There was a very colorful Keith Richards cutout poster where you could have your picture taken digitally and in Polaroid by donation. I went to the Merch stand and got myself a black and white t-shirt with a fantastic picture of Keith’s face upon a can of soup, and a pin for my winter coat. The Keithmas team and the Rickshaw teamed up with Phillips Brewing Co. for a limited edition run of Tilt Larger, with $1 from each sale donated to Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and I made sure to show my support.

After parking in my usual spot front and center, I had a lovely conversation with a husband and wife next to me, and guy in a cool black leather jacket as blues music played over the speakers. (Props to whoever’s playlist that was, by the way.) You could really feel the sense of community. We talked about previous shows we had been to at the Rickshaw, and how excited we were for this one. The lineup itself was stacked, and we noted how many different people we happened to recognize from around town, many of them artists or otherwise talented creative people themselves. It was then that Alece Anderson and James Hayden came out on stage with a representative from the foodbank and told the audience what we were in store for this evening and announced that many different local businesses and artists had come together to donate to the raffle prizes and to help make the evening a success. It wasn’t just an all-star lineup of performers, but sponsors as well.

Everyone from artists and authors such as Lunden Jewlery, Outsiders and Others, Aaron Chapman contributed. The Show poster was designed by Mattlan Wickens. Other great local venues including Green Auto, The Commodore Ballroom, The Painted Ship and The Heatley added prizes to be won. Even Burnaby City councilor & local Punk Rock legend (as well as Keithmas II and XI performer) Joe Keithley donated LP’s, signed books, and CDs. And that’s just to name a few! The point is that it was a clear grassroots effort to make this event as special as it was, and it showed. Throughout the evening, me and many of the attendee’s held our tickets at the ready for each draw. But that wasn’t the real prize. Take it from 14-year Keithmas veteran Elliot C Way who told me what the best part of the event for him is:

”The best part of Keithmas? It’s not even at the show, but something that we never really see: it’s the families getting the help they need from the food bank to put food on the table. But at the show, the best part is really backstage seeing a community come together, reunited with friends you haven’t seen in a year from all different kinds of genres of music all working together for a good cause.”

I couldn’t agree more.

Wild Horses

First on the lineup was Mystical Folky Cosmic Country duo Duke & Goldie. They were backed up by heavy hitters Liam Macdonald on Drums, Erik P.H. Nielsen on Bass, Darryl Havers on Keys and Scott Smith on Guitar, all of whom would play with other bands at various points in the evening. They did not disappoint with an incredible cover of “The Last Time”, with the Duke and Scott Smith’s guitar artistry on full display.
Spank Williams did not disappoint, dressed in his trademark brown cowboy regalia. Him and the boys did a rousing cover of 2 of my favorite Stones songs “Prodigal Son” and “Get Off of My Cloud” with Spank at one point having a glass of Jack Daniels in one-hand, his guitar in the other during the latter.

Scott Smith returned on pedal steel with the aforementioned heavy hitters to play some more stones classics. Most notably, by request from John Hewer they did a fantastic cover of the very deep cut stones song “2120 South Michigan Avenue”. Which if you don’t know, the title refers to the address of the offices and recording studios of Chess Records and Checker Records in Chicago, where the five songs for their second EP were recorded in June 1964.
Suzie Ungerleider joined Scott Smith and the Heavy hitters with the addition of guitar slinger Paul Pigat on who would also play in support of other bands at times this evening. Her beautiful voice was perfectly suited to the Stones classics “You Got The Silver” and “Sweet Virginia” in particular.

One of the best parts of Keithmas though, is that you get band who get the opportunity to do their own take on the stones. A 3-piece version of Elsinore did a Heavy version of their songs like “2000 Man”, and The Jolts played genius Punk Rock renditions of their set, my favorite of which was “It’s Only Rock N’ Roll (But I like it).” I won’t be able to hear that song the same way. You also have the chance to see some unique lineups come together for some incredible performances. La Chinga was joined by Christopher Woudstra + Rachel Katherine Strobl on vocals for their set who kept the audience rocking and singing along with “Brown Sugar” and Rachel absolutely nailing the vocals on “Gimmie Shelter”.

Rich Hope was the last act on, and started with “Moonlight Mile” with backup vocals from Jody Glenham. A 14-year veteran of Keithmas himself, him and the Heavy Hitters with the addition of Craig Northey had a few tricks up their sleeves as well. During “Shake your Hips”, they did a little switcheroo and played a verse and the main solo from “La Grange” by ZZ Top, much to the joy of everyone in attendance. Rich is a showman, as I mentioned in my review of his show, and his moves tonight would have done Mick Jagger proud while dancing and getting up close and personal with the crows during “When The Whip Comes Down” and “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”.

But lastly, it is Keithmas tradition for the show to end with a cover of “Dead Flowers” with all the evenings performers coming back on stage, lead by Elliot C Way. When asked when that originated, he told me: “I can’t even remember what year the Dead Flowers thing started, It’s kinda like a childhood memory, fleeting and vague and just seems like it’s always been that way.” It was the perfect way to end the night and is a memory that will stick with me forever.

Richards Review:

Forty out of Forty Licks.

Keithmas encompasses all the best parts of the Vancouver music community when it comes together. What started as a unique idea of a few friends wanting to do something good to give back, has over the years turned into a can’t miss phenomenon in the city, with a dedicated and clearly enthusiastic fan following that makes you feel like you are a part of something special as you witness greatness unfold on stage.
Another tradition of Keithmas is the large, shared bottle of Jack Daniels that the performers imbibe before playing their sets. Pouring healthy amounts into cups and passing them around to each other, it adds another layer to the communal atmosphere and gives reverence for the whole affair that makes you appreciate it all the more.

Perhaps it’s also due to the times we find ourselves living in currently that makes Keithmas something that stands out to be celebrated.
It’s something you can believe in AND have a good time supporting it. John told me that over the years they have raised almost a quarter of a million dollars for the Foodbank. An incredible feat that shows we can all make a difference when we come together. I think it’s no coincidence that patron saint Keith Richards himself has been deeply involved in supporting environmental initiatives, such as donating his artworks to benefit La Mer's Blue Heart Ocean Fund and Project 0, an organization dedicated to ocean cleanup and coral reef restoration—an especially fitting cause for someone who portrayed Captain Jack Sparrow's father in Pirates of the Caribbean.

The magic for me though, is that Keithmas embodies the real spirit of Christmas. Something I haven’t felt in a long time after years of commercialization. Heck, I’ll admit it, I may have grown out of singing traditional Christmas carols together with friends and family in earnest a long time ago. But coming together every year with Stones fans of all walks of life to sing along? Now that’s my kinda religious experience! I’ll gladly trade in my Egg-Nogg for some Jack Daniels! So here’s to Keithmas: Where we come for the riffs, stay for the camaraderie, and leave with the hope that a little rock and roll can help save the world—or at least help feed it. So, raise a glass to Saint Keith! I’ll see you next year in the front row.

Thanks again to everyone who made this review possible. I have once again made a playlist of music by everyone who performed below, along with some of the Stones covers that were played.

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