About

The Space Heaters are: Charlie Gilchrist; Eric "Big Rick" Howson; Isaiah "Sweet Lips" Smith; and "Diamond" Dave Russell.

Dedicated to reinterpreting the sounds of Ontario's 1970s folk craze, there's no genre off limits for The Space Heaters. Old-time, swing, and classic country standards, as well as originals by Charlie and era-appropriate covers of some of their songwriting heroes are all mainstays in their setlist.

The Space Heaters were formed originally in the fall of 2024 in Peterborough, Ontario as "The Russell-less Bears", a tongue-in-cheek method for members of local band The Russlin' Bears to keep playing shows while their frontman, Russell Wideman, was out of town. Charlie and Eric met Isaiah playing in Jeanne Truax's band, and asked him to join the newly-named Space Heaters on pedal steel for their recurring Wednesday night slot at Jethro's Bar & Stage in 2025. Bassist Diamond Dave followed shortly after, solidifying the group as a four-piece.

The Space Heaters' motto has always been to play the kind of music they listen to. Their dedication to their material is singular, and is only accentuated by their characteristically humorous and high-energy stage show. From the first note, The Space Heaters will make you care about what they're playing as much as they do.

Upcoming Shows

Previous events

Date Event Location
 —  — The Space Heaters @ The Pig! The Pig's Ear Tavern, Peterborough, ON K9H 2P3 The Pig's Ear Tavern, Peterborough, ON K9H 2P3
 —  — The Space Heaters @ The Black Horse! The Black Horse Pub, Peterborough, ON K9H 3R7 The Black Horse Pub, Peterborough, ON K9H 3R7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7
 —  — The Space Heaters' Wednesday Residency @ Jethro's! Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7 Jethro's Bar + Stage, Peterborough, ON K9H 2K7