It seems Arkells can’t get enough of Kingston.
Returning to the city after their concert appearance on campus last September at the 2023 Orientation Roundtable (ORT) Mystery Concert, Arkells are set to play at Kingston’s Slush Puppie Place on Oct. 24. The JUNO award winning band recently set sail on their cross-Canada tour, Big Feelings, with Kingston marking the third leg of the journey.
READ MORE: Dear Arkells: Queen’s heart is always yours
Arkells, made up of Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Nick Dika, Tim Oxford, and Anthony Carone formed in Hamilton in 2004 during the founding ’ time at McMaster University. The band has grown to become one of Canada’s biggest rock bands today, with memorable hits like “Leather Jacket,” “Knocking at the Door,” and “You Can Get It” locked into the Canadian music canon.
The band is excited to return to Kingston, and with many memories here, it’s high time they made more.
Just last year, the band performed to a crowd of first year students. Though Arkells are seasoned stadium performers, the Queen’s student crowd still managed to catch them by surprise. “There is nothing like the energy of [a] frosh week show at Queen’s,” Max Kerman, lead vocalist said in a statement to The Journal.
“[It was] one of the most rowdy and spirited crowds we’ve ever played for. I know you need good marks to get into the school, but is there some kind of test to prove you can party? Seems like everyone is pretty good at it,” Kerman said.
One of their earliest Kingston memories as a band took place right here on Queen’s campus. Hard to imagine now, after playing for crowds of over 20,000, but Queen’s own Clark Hall Pub remains a standout moment for them. “Our first-ever Kingston gig was at Clark Hall Pub. At the time, the venue seemed huge to us,” Kerman said.
Arkells’ ties to Kingston run deeper than the 2023 concert. “We have so many incredible memories of playing in Kingston,” Kerman said. From crowd resilience through power outages, and musical connections to the city, Arkells’ recollections of their time here are fond. “It’s a great mix of locals and Queen’s students. Before the show, I love strolling the downtown corridor and taking in the city. The campus will be beautiful in the fall,” Kerman said.
The band also has close connections to the talented host of musicians who call Kingston home. The Tragically Hip, who recently screened their TIFF-award winning docies No Dress Rehearsal at the Isabel Bader Centre last week, are a huge influence on Arkells.
“The Hip mean a lot to our band. We toured Canada with the band, and have stayed in touch over the years,” Kerman said. “We’ve opened for The Hip here [in Kingston]. We recorded our second album, Michigan Left, at their studio in Bath. We’re very excited to be back,” Kerman said.
Along with The Tragically Hip, Kerman also finds inspiration in the work of musician and activist, Sarah Harmer, a Kingston legend. “But also, Sarah Harmer was one of my first songwriting heroes. I had a poster of her in my dorm at McMaster,” Kerman shared.
Though seasoned professionals at touring, as the band has been on and off the road since 2008, Big Feelings comes with the challenge of adding a new song to their repertoire.
“I have a rule that I tell younger acts. With any new song, you need to play it at least 20 times until it feels comfortable. We love the song. It feels big. By next year it’ll feel like the rest of our songs. But for now, we have to concentrate a bit harder when we play it,” Kerman said.
Their newest single, “Big Feelings,” shares their tour’s name, and was released in June. The name indicates a bigger, brasher, more daring sound than the band’s 2023 album, Laundry Pile.
Kerman has advice for musicians starting out during their time at university. With Arkells forming during this pivotal time, his wisdom could be useful to aspiring bands.
“Go to lots of shows. Take notes from your favourite bands. Steal all the good tricks and make them your own,” Kerman said.
Arkells are known to put on a great show, and their love for Kingston, larger-than-life stage presence and experienced professionalism hints that their Oct. 24 performance will be one to .
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