The Volume Knob

26/04/2025

Me n’ getting ready for

20/03/2025

I've Got Some Bad News

Friends,

Since TVK is a place for stories, let me tell you a quick one.

I've been very fortunate to spend the last 20 years or so doing an almost comically-wide variety of things.

I've been a courtroom lawyer in two languages, a university instructor and a writer of plays and speeches and radio documentaries. I've been a performer and a producer; worked with cabinet ministers and embassy staff and judges and CEOs and theatre companies and community volunteers and restaurateurs and a guy who made diesel fuel out of french fry grease.

That said, when it comes to professionally introducing myself, I always try to return to first principles. Everywhere I write my bio, I try to start it the same way:

"Keith Serry is a father and husband."

It may seem like a small thing - some might even call it "virtue signaling" - but it's important to me. It allows me, in the space of a few words, to send several messages at once. Messages like "these are the things that I think are most important" and "trying to live my beliefs matters to me."

Why am I telling you all this? Well, because one of the unstated things in that bio has always been that I'm Canadian. Born in Cochenour, Ontario and raised in North Sydney, Nova Scotia, Labrador City, Newfoundland and Labrador and (mostly) Kitimat, British Columbia.

My country isn't perfect. We have an unforgivable history with the indigenous predecessors on this land. There’s unnecessary poverty here and violence. Most of the country is unpleasantly cold in February.

But it belongs to us. To me and to my children and to the people who come here from all over the world looking for a life of safety and prosperity and acceptance. Lately, I've been feeling overwhelmed and incandescently angry that the man who runs the most powerful country in the world would want to take that away from us.

Accordingly, and with the deepest of sadness and regret, I’ve decided to cancel all of my upcoming shows in the States including my production of The List: A Traumady About Probiotic Masculinity at this year’s NYC Fringe.

This decision will, of course, rob me of the opportunity to share my art with many of you in New York I've grown to know and love. I'm sorry for that and for any inconvenience this decision may cause ticket buyers and show producers. That said, the honest truth is that I just don’t feel safe traveling to the States right now. In addition, I feel a powerful disinclination to spending my money in any way that might aid the economy of a hostile state.

If you’ve already bought tickets you should be receiving a refund from the good folks at the NYC Fringe in the next few days. They'll be updating me next week but if you're having trouble with your refund after that please contact me directly.

With love and regret,

Keith

17/02/2025

We're back! With a fantastic and hilarious story from Julia Whitehouse

You can hear it here: https://the-volume-knob-the-songs-that-saved-your-life.simplecast.com/episodes/julia-toms-diner

or wherever you pod.

17/11/2024

17 years ago, in the smallest hours of the morning, I drove home from the hospital, down the Main, to get something for your mom. She had just spent the last 36 hours giving birth to you. It was grey, cold and a little icy and the few people who were on the sidewalks were making themselves small under layers of wool and polar fleece.

What I remember most about that morning, those first few minutes of your life that I spent away from you, is a feeling that every single one of the people I saw on those sidewalks once had someone love them in the all-encompassing, world-swallowing way that I loved you in that moment (and still do now).

Happy Birthday. And all of the love. and I are prouder of you than you can imagine.

29/10/2024

My last Confabulation appearance is now available on Youtube. It may be one of my favourite performances I've ever done for those great folks.

Check it out here:

Stories of family traditions, minced words, and soul food.April 20, 2024 Mainline Theatre, Montreal, QC

28/10/2024

has cut off the power at the world headquarters so I had to head out into the world this morning. Saw a breakfast of champions. Had a panhandler ask me to buy him cheese (honestly never heard that one before, made me think of .mckayyy) and am now ready to start the day at

26/10/2024

Hey everyone!
Tickets are now available for the latest installment of Confabulation x The Volume K**b present The Song that Saved My Life November 14th 8pm at the fabulous La Sala Rossa

If you've been before you know well why these shows are a highlight of my producing and performing calendar: Laughs, Tears, Live Music! The occasional sing-along.

They will sell out so make sure you grab a ticket at this here link: http://%20https//www.venuepilot.co/events/c-confabulation-and-the-volume--55b35e/orders/new

27/09/2024

Really, ? You know I love you, but if it’s too early for Halloween biz (and we all know it is) then it is DEFINITELY too early to be busting out the Christmas gear.

Stop it.

23/09/2024

with and .serry

I. Am. Excite.

20/09/2024

We’re down two but and I managed to make it out to see and tonight.

Pretty, pretty, pretty good.

25/08/2024

Thousands of KMs from home and there’s a reminder that I still share the world with awesome friends like

Be back tomorrow, MTL. We got plans to bring to life.

22/08/2024