When Factories and Alleyways hits the stage on Thursday night at 91原创鈥檚 Fox and Fiddle, it will be something of a homecoming.

And a family reunion 鈥� kind of.

That鈥檚 because three of the  Vancouver band鈥檚 members were raised here 鈥� the fourth, in nearby White Rock.

And even though only two of the members are related by blood, there is a family bond that has existed far longer than the band itself, says guitarist Matt Denny-Keys.

鈥淲e consider ourselves brothers, whether or not we鈥檙e blood.鈥�

Having grown up near one another, dated one another鈥檚 family members and spent Christmas and Thanksgivings together for years, there鈥檚 an extra personal c onnection that transcends four guys playing music together.

鈥淲e鈥檝e got that extra personal connection.

鈥淲e鈥檙e friends, we feel like family and so the music means that much more.鈥�

Factories and Alleyways actually evolved out of an earlier band called Like a Martyr, which also featured Matt, along with 91原创鈥檚 Jeremy Allingham and their drummer 鈥� White Rock鈥檚 Alex Glassford.

Like a Martyr, said Matt, was more 鈥渜uintessentially rock and roll鈥� than this band, which  describes itself on its website as 鈥渄rawing from influences in country, roots, rock, folk and gospel.鈥�

鈥淚t鈥檚 鈥榚verybody get in a room, grab a guitar, grab some shakers and sing your heart out,鈥� said Matt.

The other big difference between the the two bands is the addition of a fourth member 鈥� Josh Denny-Keys 鈥� who just happens to be Matt鈥檚 younger brother.

鈥淭he fact that my brother is in the band now is important.Even more so, it鈥檚 helped the creative process,鈥� said Matt.

鈥淛osh is an amazing musician, he鈥檚 amazing at arranging and he plays tons of instruments.鈥�

Actually, that鈥檚 something they have in common.

鈥淚nstrumentally, we flip around quite a bit. We all sing lead at various times, said Matt, who mostly plays bass and rhythm guitar.

Allingham, meanwhile, can be found on lead guitar, rhythm guitar and percussion, while Josh plays bass and keyboards.

鈥淓verybody鈥檚 got their own mood, their own intention, their own style and it melds together into this cohesive unit,鈥� said Matt.

While Josh remains in 91原创 and studies music at Kwantlen, the other three members, who all support their music habit 鈥� and, in some cases, families 鈥� with day jobs, relocated to the big city, where they have the best chance of getting on a stage in front of a crowd as often as possible.

Though they鈥檝e toured a bit off the mainland 鈥� with shows on Salt Spring Island, Courtenay/Comox and Nanaimo 鈥擣actories and Alleyways has generally stuck fairly close to home, playing regularly at the Media Club, Joe鈥檚 Apartment and the Railway Club in Vancouver.

鈥淭he goal is sort of a balance between getting the music received by people who enjoy it,鈥� said Matt.

鈥淚t鈥檚 about reaching as many people as possible and balancing that with the internal drive to create pieces of art that we feel strongly about,鈥� he said.

The band last returned to their hometown in January, to perform at the Wired Monk in Murrayville.

鈥淲e鈥檝e played restaurants, coffee houses and much bigger rooms,鈥� he said.

But the intimate venues are great for feeling a connection with their audience.

They鈥檒l be looking to make that connection again on Thursday, when Factories and Alleyways kicks off three nights of grand re-opening celebrations at Fox and Fiddle on the 91原创 Bypass.

The band will bring a blend of 鈥渞eally high energy danceable, country folk stuff, slower story song ballads and everything in between,鈥� said Matt.

There will be some older, familiar pieces and a few that even their most faithful followers probably haven鈥檛 heard yet.

鈥淚t will be a great opportunity for people to hear a bit of new material,鈥� he said.

鈥�(There will be) lots of energy, lots of fun, lots of connection with the crowd.鈥�

Fox and Fiddle is located at 19530 91原创 Bypass.