Vancouver rockers celebrate Keith Richards' birthday by helping feed the hungry
by Steve Newton
December 18, 2011 at 3:18 PM
The Poolhall Gospel don't really play gospel in pool halls, but it's still a cool name.
There were some high-profile concerts happening in Vancouver last night--you had your Guns N' Roses over at the Coliseum, your Jay-Z & Kanye West at Rogers Arena, and your sold-out Joe Bonamassa at the Orpheum--but guitar-rock fans who crammed into a local pub got their ya-ya's out as well. Not only were they getting a full night's worth of Rolling Stones classics and Keith Richards solo tunes, but they were helping the Vancouver Food Bank in its endless task of getting sustenance to the needy.
Richards turned 68 today, but the celebration of that bizarre fact started last night at the Fairview, where Keithmas 2 saw some of the city's best-known rock personalities rubbing shoulders with up-and-coming bands, all in the name of kindness and Keef.
Local blues-rock star Colin James joined members of the Odds for the Stones tune "Slave" and wisecracking punk legend Joe Keithley took the stage with Greenback High to make the moves unlike Jagger on "Start Me Up" and "Let's Spend the Night Together". Before the latter song Keithley asked if it was in the key of D, as if that really mattered.
The Highway Kind offered up a version of the Stones-covered Rufus Thomas track "Walkin' the Dog", and the Jolts electrified with "Starfucker", "It's Only Rock 'n' Roll", "Jumping Jack Flash", and the particularly awesome "Dead Flowers".
Other highlights included roots-rock great Rich Hope joining the Rentalmen on harmonica for "Gimme Shelter" and Chris Read & the Poolhall Gospel getting raggedy and raw on Keef's randy ode to jugs and butts, "Little T&A".
According to event organizer John Hewer, who put on the first Keithmas fundraiser last year, last night's show raised more than $2,200 cash and five boxes of donations for the Food Bank.
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