Formed in Hamilton nearly two decades ago, Arkells have built a loyal following with a growing number of alt-rock hits. They've graduated to playing concerts in Canadian hockey rinks including Vancouver's Rogers Arena, where the quintet set up for a "Big Feelings" tour stop last Friday night, Nov. 15, with K.Flay opening.
The Live Nation Entertainment-presented show was not among official Grey Cup activities, but I'm sure many football fans were in the crowd to kick off the weekend hearing "Leather Jacket," "Knocking at the Door," "Come To Light" and other memorable songs by the nine-member Arkells Touring Band.
In concert with a horn section, Arkells sure bring the party with feel-good vibes. I wasn't really expecting that mood in the arena on Friday, even though frontman Max Kerman said as much when the tour was announced in April.
“Our band has always been about the sing-a-longs at the show, and we plan to make them louder than ever,” Kerman declared.
Appropriately, in May Arkells released Disco Loadout: Volume 1, an 11-song covers album of fan-fave sing-a-longs including Robyn's "Dancing on My Own," two ABBA hits ("Dancing Queen" and "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme"), Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" and more.
Kerman says the band has long agonized over what covers to include in their live set, "so when we land on one, it means the song means a lot to us," he explained.
In Vancouver, Arkells played a 23-song set at Rogers Arena (check it out on setlist.fm), and tickets were sold for $47 and up, with seating in the lower balcony only. Next time, the band deserves more people in those seats.
News from Kerman last week is that he's written a book called Try Hard, about "the enduring puzzle of creative projects, being resourceful, getting art out into the world and all the fun involved." It's due out next April from Penguin Random House Canada.
Now, a bit more about the Disco Loadout album. If you're not familiar with the term, a "disco loadout" describes a humbling act for gigging musicians.
“Many bands have experienced this, and we certainly have,” Kerman admitted in a news release. “When on tour you might pull up to a venue to find there is a later show happening the same night. The promoter has decided that it makes financial sense to double book the venue with back-to-back, separate shows. You discover your band is playing the early show, and when you are finished, you must hastily load your gear out the door in front of a lineup of people waiting to get into the venue for the next show – typically a cover band, playing familiar songs that everyone knows and loves. We have been humbled by this in the past and instead of living with the embarrassment, we have performed and recorded those songs for you.”
