The iconic Canadian rockers played a sold-out show full of hits, new songs, and a cover of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5
A group of McMaster students performed at Guelph’s Hillside festival in 2009. In 2012, they played Hillside again. The next year, they played a sold-out show in Peter Clark Hall, a venue on campus with a capacity of 400.
Ten years later, thousands of fans put on their leather jackets and headed down to a sold out show at Sleeman Centre to dance the night away with the group that went on to become one of the biggest bands in Canadian music: Arkells.
The band started their U.S. leg of the At Your Service Tour in late September this year, including stops in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles. The Canadian portion of their tour kicked off in Guelph on Nov. 9. The royal city has a special place in the band’s heart as it is guitarist Mike DeAngelis’ hometown.
“The best part about playing in Guelph is seeing Mike’s family,” said Max Kerman, frontman of the band, in an email. “Mike grew up in town and went to GCVI. His folks made us a big Italian dinner the night before we played The Sleeman Centre.”
Opening act K. Flay warmed up the crowd with radio hits like Zen and Blood in the Cut. Her onstage presence and unhinged performance set the tone for a night of great music and showmanship.
After much anticipation, Arkells started their set with Past Life and quickly went into fan-favourite Leather Jacket. The electricity was heightened when the band brought out their horns ensemble, the Northern Soul Horns, for the energetic protest anthem People’s Champ. Here, the band highlighted the Northern Soul Horns with staged choreography and paid an homage to Jay-Z and Rick James by referencing James’ song Give it To Me Baby.
“We’re constantly inspired by going to shows and seeing other artists perform,” Kerman said.
Mid-show, Kerman recalled the band’s early beginnings at Hillside Festival, where they wrote Never Thought That This Would Happen. When the band continued their set, the crowd didn’t miss a beat as they sang along to Reckoning and 11:11.
In order to capture the fans’ smiles, Kerman handed his phone to the audience. The videos, which are posted on Arkell’s Instagram account, are a collection of the evening’s happy memories.
The band then slowed it down with a few songs from their latest album, “Laundry Pile”. To match the album, the band hung up t-shirts with “ARKELLS” adorning the front. When it came to choosing the songs for the setlist, it was methodical.
“We have made four records since 2019 so we have a lot of new tunes to choose from,” Kerman said. “There are a lot of new fans who’ve never seen the band, but we always have the repeat customers in the back of our mind when we are conceiving a setlist. We want to work extra hard to impress them.”
Then, the band recalled their beginnings with a medley of songs from their debut album “Jackson Square.” The Arkells later described on social media that it was symbolic of them having to play smaller shows when they were first starting out, and they wanted to recreate the feeling of playing in a crammed venue.
“We try to build on our skills, and it comes from a desire to not repeat ourselves,” Kerman said. “We’re still a rock’n’roll band at our core, but every year we add a few new tricks up our sleeves.”
A unique inclusion to the At Your Service Tour was a phone line that was available for concert-goers who wanted to request specific songs. When the phone was picked up, a voicemail was played requesting the song Strong as an homage to a loved ones’ fight with cancer. This inspirational track united the crowd with a sense of compassion and community.
After, the mood lightened as Kerman danced throughout the sold-out arena, linked arms with a fan, and chugged a beer during Dance With You. Fans flocked to wherever he was in order to get a glimpse of the frontman.
The show finished up with electric songs like Years in the Making, Knocking at the Door, and a cover of Dolly Parton’s country classic, 9 to 5 – or so fans thought.
After an enthusiastic crowd chant, Arkells came out for an encore, performing My Heart’s Always Yours and Skin. During the final song of the night, You Can Get It, opening act K. Flay came out to sing her featured verse on the track.
From a group of university students at McMaster, to playing a sold out show at Sleeman Centre, the band has come a long way. Kerman offered The Ontarion advice for anyone in post-secondary who is thinking of starting a band and becoming the next Arkells.
“The great thing about being in a band is that you get to share the load,” he said in the email. “I’d recommend looking for people who have specific skills and interests that you don’t have. Everybody can offer something different to the group. Discipline and focus is important, but that will come if you’re doing something you enjoy. So try to find ways to enjoy every part of it.”