The Strands Weaving Musical Fun In 2003, Jay Rutherford approached Bruce Locke and Steve Kent to discuss a new creative project. The long-time friends, who grew up together in Strathroy, were now in their 20s and al - ready well-seasoned musicians who had played and performed in bands since their early teens. The project Jay was proposing would take their shared love of punk rock music and mix it with fun, well-known cover songs. The result was a new band on the Strathroy bar scene called The Strands. The Strands' entertaining mix of music with a punk twist was a hit in the local club scene for the next four years. They espe - cially enjoyed keeping the dance floor hoping at the Derby Inn. By 2007, however, the boys decided it was time they took an indefinite hiatus to focus on family and personal goals. Fast-forward to the spring of 2022 when Steve decided it might be fun to reunite The Strands to play at his 40th birthday cele - bration. The trio was not shocked to find that the fun and chem - istry from 15 years ago were still very much alive. Not wanting the reconnection to end, Jay, Bruce, and Steve continued jamming just for fun. They invited Cal Hill, another old friend from the local music scene, to join them. Not long after that, The Strands were once again playing gigs regularly at bars and clubs around Strathroy and the surrounding area. The Strands is truly a homegrown band with all four members growing up in the Strathroy area and cutting their performance teeth playing in different bands throughout high school. Jay and Cal front the band on guitar, Bruce grooves on bass, and Steve works the drums, with all four belting out vocals. “We’ve had a lot of fun making music together again, and add - ing Cal to the mix has been an essential part of the Strands’ latest sound,” adds Steve. Today, The Strands are doing what they love, playing fun, ener - getic songs influenced by their punk rock roots. While the punk scene may influence their music, the band plays popular songs from many genres, adding a unique flavour to their music and encouraging their audiences to dance and have as much fun as they are. “We’ve all grown up listening to and appreciating many styles of music, including pop, punk, 90s rock, 80s metal, and even Ska,” says Steve, “But it always comes with an upbeat punk rock feel.” Momentum is growing for the brand of entertainment The Strands delivers. They had their biggest turnout recently with a packed house for their debut show at Eastside Bar and Grill in London. They are also working on a five-song EP they expect to release this summer. “We’re also hoping to book some fun shows to get people on the dance floor and have a good time,” Steve adds. The band’s name is a fitting tribute to the four fast friends who continue weaving the strands of friendship and their passion for performance with their favourite punk sounds and fun cover songs to create familiar melodies with an entertaining twist. The Strands have two shows coming up in June: Eastside Bar & Grill in London on June 6 and Strathroy Hometown Festival on June 14.
The Strands (left to right) Steve Kent, Jay Rutherford, Cal Hill, Bruce Locke
To learn more about The Strands and details about where they’re playing next, find them on Facebook and Instagram @ theStrandscoverband. Photo courtesy of Johanna Stefanick
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Hometown Strathroy-Caradoc May 2025
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