Arkells: A Trip Back To Humble Beginnings
Photo Credit: Eric Kozakiewicz Photography (@arcanitestudios)
Arkells wowed Edmonton this past weekend with a trio of back-to-back sold-out shows. The band, who can easily sell out arenas and stadiums, decided to take their talents to some of the city's iconic smaller venues to promote their latest album, “Between Us”. Not one night was identical to the next, with one constant being that they played the new album from front to back during the first half of their set. The other constant? The level of enthusiasm and adoration from the fans.
Night one began on May 14th at The Buckingham, nestled in on Edmonton’s celebrated Whyte Avenue. The Buck, a vegan-rock and roll bar, has played host to many shows since their opening in 2013. Being that this would serve as the biggest band to grace The Buckingham's humble stage, the bar got a few last minute, permanent electrical upgrades to allot for Arkells’ sound and lighting requirements, courtesy of the band itself. Upon entering the room, the 200 fans were buzzing with anticipation wondering where the band may enter from, what songs they would play, etc. Eventually sneaking in from the back-alley stairwell of the bar, the crowd erupted into an explosive set of cheers at the first sight of the band's lead singer, Max Kerman. As the whole band formed on stage, they opened up the night with both the first song and first single from the “Between Us”: "Next Summer”. The band proceeded to bring the audience on a journey of deep, sincere connection through their music, playing hits such as “Leather Jacket” and deeper cuts from older albums. During the set, Max was heard saying "We wanted to feel like we were 22 again..." and continued into how they wanted to play where it was hot and sweaty and go back to where they got their start. After the heartfelt encore was complete, the audience was in agreement. What was just witnessed was nothing short of intimate and special.
Photo Credit: Eric Kozakiewicz Photography (@arcanitestudios)
The Starlite Room is a legendary venue in the heart of Edmonton's downtown core and set the stage for Arkells night two on May 15th. With a capacity of 550 and a bit more room to play on stage, the band erupted with an energy that seemingly moved from person to person with osmosis. While the first half of their performance was structurally the same as The Buck’s show, it seemed anew in a different venue. The crowd welcomed their new album with open arms, many already knowing every word to each of the eleven tracks the new album provides. Arkells played their first ever Edmonton show at Starlite Room back in 2009 and called out the highly revered space multiple times over the course of their set. After dancing to the likes of newer songs like “You Can Get It” and then driving us back to the days of their first album, “Jackson Square", Max spoke of how people from Edmonton are proud to be from Edmonton and that they are the ones willing to put in the work —it’s that type of dedication which makes a great city run.
Photo Credit: Eric Kozakiewicz Photography (@arcanitestudios)
The final show of the three-night stint was at Midway Music Hall. At 1500 people, this midsized venue was the biggest of the city takeover. Walking in it was clear from the start that this show was going to be different— Not only was it their guitarist Mike DeAngelis’ birthday, this was their only all ages show on this leg of their tour. Arkells are a band that welcome all and transcend generations, creating connections through lyricism and song. There were people born after the band was conceived but the support from every age was unwavering. In a heartwarming display near the end of the set, the band saw signs from the younger folk up front and obliged, playing “11:11” and the crew of 6 kids joined them on stage.
Photo Credit: Eric Kozakiewicz Photography (@arcanitestudios)
All in all, Arkells delivered a three-night masterclass of what it means to be a big band playing smaller venues. Max worked every crowd, jumping into the middle of it and making every person in attendance feel like a part of the story. It is a rarity to see this from a band that seemingly gets bigger day by day in their industry. In a spirit of The Tragically Hip and Springsteen, Arkells have solidified themselves as a band that rise above expectations and dash through the doors of the usual. Three shows. Three nights that brought the emotion, brought the intimacy, brought the joy. In a world where everything can seem bleak, live music is what gets us through. It brings us together. We'll be here, We'll be waiting for you, Arkells. Until next time, thank you.