Welcome to The Rally, the Arkells’ biggest show
Hamilton’s band reaching for the top and staying close to home
COULD
OUR VERY OWN Arkells possibly be the most popular band in the land?
Think about it.
What other active Canadian rock band could fill a football stadium the way the Arkells will at Tim Hortons Field on Saturday?
None really come to mind. Rush could, but the venerable Toronto trio have retired from touring.
The Tragically Hip could, but sadly will never likely play another show.
Arcade Fire has a much bigger international following, but do you think they could put more than 20,000 paid ticket holders into Tim Hortons Field?
So why shouldn’t the Arkells be atop the Canadian rock world? They’ve worked for it — ever since their debut album release 10 years ago at the old Pepper Jack Café.
They deserve it — and they’re going to show just why they’re the best on Saturday. The band and its management are pulling out all the stops to make sure the fans have a great experience at the concert they’re calling “The Rally.”
They’ve even arranged free HSR bus service for the event.
Just show the bus driver your concert ticket and you’ll get a free ride to and from the show, just like you can for Ticat games.
The “ticket-to-ride” will run from 3 p.m. until the end of scheduled Saturday service at about 2 a.m.
The Arkells won’t be taking the bus to the stadium, though. They’ll be riding bikes — SoBi bike-share bikes, to be precise — and they’re inviting fans to join them.
On Saturday, the band is telling bicycleriding fans to meet them at 1:30 p.m. at Gore Park, then ride with them along the Cannon Street bike lanes to Tim Hortons Field.
“We love using SoBi, we’re big SoBi users ourselves,” Arkells lead singer Max Kerman says.
“So anybody with a bicycle is welcome to join us. It’ll probably take a half-hour. I think we’re going to set up extra bike racks, too.”
When fans get to the stadium, they’ll find plenty of things to do, well before the bands start playing.
The Arkells have asked Whitney McMeekin, co-founder of Hamilton Flea and owner of Girl on the Wing vintage clothing store, to set up a market outside the gates.
There will be a variety of vendors, art and food trucks open to the public — ticket or no ticket — from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. when the stadium gates open for the concert.
“Hopefully people living in the neighbourhood can come by and hang out,” Kerman says.
“There will be a cool vibe all around the stadium.”
The Arkells — Kerman, guitarist Mike DeAngelis, bassist Nick Dika, drummer Tim Oxford and keyboard player Anthony Carone — also had a hand in selecting the three bands opening for them.
Ellevator, which goes on at 5:45 p.m., is one of their favourite up-and-coming Hamilton bands. They recently signed with the hip Arts & Crafts label and toured across the country with Matthew Good and Our Lady Peace.
“We wanted a local band and I’ve loved Ellevator for the past four years,” Kerman says.
“I remember being in their shoes not long ago, when we were first starting out and got to open for Sam Roberts or The Tragically Hip. We remember how awesome it was to be asked to open those shows. So we’re passing it on.”
Next up is Bishop Briggs, a Californiabased singer-songwriter, who has toured with Coldplay. The Arkells met her while on tour in Los Angeles.
“Her voice is incredible,” Kerman says. “It will fill the whole stadium and she works the whole stage.”
Arkells’ direct support is Cold War Kids, an American alt-rock band that had a big influence on the Arkells during their early years.
Kerman says, “We wanted to make sure the band playing right before us could walk into a stadium and have no problem.”
The Arkells will take the stage at about 9 p.m. Expect them to come out with all guns blazing.
Oddly, enough the band’s last Hamilton show — 17 months ago in front of 10,000 fans at FirstOntario Centre — was also its biggest headlining show ever.
“I know how great it felt walking on stage at Copps Coliseum that night, being blown away,” Kerman recalls. “It was really breathtaking ... and now we have twice that number of people. It’s insane.”
It’s particularly insane, considering that a dozen or so years ago the band members were McMaster students sharing a house on Arkell Street in Westdale with dreams of rock stardom.