Drove down from Ottawa to Hamilton for the weekend show at Ivor Wynne (or I guess Tim Horton's Field...corporate naming rights sort of take the charm out of buildings). My 12 year old really likes the Arkells after seeing them open for Frank Turner, so this was a "end of the school year" trip.
Really great show. I came across Arkells years ago when they were playing bars, saw a couple of shows with maybe 100 people. Was pretty impressive to see them come pretty close to selling out a football stadium -- 24,000 -- only top corners farthest from stage has visible open seats. I maybe slightly prefer their older material, but as a live band they're really hitting another level and pulled off a "stadium show". One of the best crowds I've ever been in, in terms of really getting in to the show while respecting each other.
Hip related, besides name checking the band in Kiss Cam ("the hip have only wrote so many songs") Max did a short microphone stand battle that I suspect was likely in memory of Gord -- IMO was a big career break for the Arkells to open for the Hip.
Wasn't there...
But still love this band. I never had a chance to The Hip in bars. But I did have the chance to see the Arkells at bars.
The first time I ever saw them was at The Capital in Fredericton, and if you've ever been to that LEGENDARY music venue, you will know that is a racious tiny affair. The show had been sold out since the day they went on sale, but I went down to the bar at 4pm and stood in line. It was so worth it.
I did already own the Jackson Square disc, so I don't have any reservations about what happened post-show...
After rocking out to a 2008 Arkells bar show, the whole band stuck around glorified hallway that is main stage at The Capital Complex in Fredericton. I was at the merch table holding the Jackson Square vinyl, which I could not justify buying as it was 2008 and CDs were still maybe a thing and I already owned the album.
As I was looking at it, Nick Dika literally tapped me on the shoulder and said to me "I should sign your vinyl".
.... yes....
my vinyl .... ?
He grabbed a sharpie, signed under his name, and handed me the record.
I figured it was fair game at that point. Nick must have just let me have it without paying... right?
Anyways.
The whole band signed my copy of Jackson Square, which I did not purchase. Love this band.
So I've been following 'the Rally'. Looks like an overwhelming success. Cuz ... if the Hip can do ARA TWICE, the Arkells got this
Videos / Photos from the show look absolutely amazing and legendary. Very jealous about Cold War Kids as well! Have always loved them (see / listen -> Loyalty to Loyalty)
I was there as well. Great show. I first saw them in July 2011, when they opened for the Hip in Buffalo. I started getting into them after that.
I love that they made it a "community" event and promoted as many Hamilton businesses as they could. It was like a huge neighbourhood party.
They did a great job of making it a community event -- we stayed in a hotel downtown, and the $$ brought into the city was not trivial based on chatting with people at the hotel and the venue. The flea market in the afternoon was really a great idea, and the band were all there mingling and talking with fans and vendors.
For the rest of the music:
Ellevator -- I'd listened to them in advance, reminded me of a earlier Metric. Good of the Arkells to start helping them get in front of a larger audience.
Bishop Briggs -- I'd sort of lumped her in with Lorde. Had listened to the debut album a few times, thought it was generally OK with some standout tracks. Live, she was really good. Unlike Lorde, or at least the one time I saw Lorde, had really good stage presence. She was having fun up there, and her enthusiasm flowed out to the audience. I went in sort of indifferent, left impressed and a fan.
Cold War Kids -- talk about going in indifferent, I knew little about these guys other than they'd been around awhile and are from California. They were phenomenal. Will have to dig deeper into their discography.
More on the Arkells -- older songs with the brass section kick butt. The Boss is Coming, would love a live version of that with the backup section. I was a bit surprised they did not work in a few new songs, as they apparently have an album done and ready for a fall release, but it was a solid set list. I mentioned the crowd vibe, they also really draw across a wide spectrum -- my 12 year old digs them, I look like an chubby lumberjack and dig them, there were teens, stoners, middle aged to older, frat bros and girls. Finally, Max has maybe taken the mantle as the best frontman in Canada -- he works the crowd, comes across as very gracious and appreciative, at time dances with abandon, and uses the stage to spread a message.
It will be interesting to see if they try and turn this into a more regular event. Yearly seems overly ambitious, but every two or three years as a kickoff to the summer would be a possibility. I'm sure the city would be in full support based on the economic influx this looked to generate. They're doing for Hamilton what The Hip did for Kingston in their earlier days, and just based on seeing them around the flea market they're proud to be part of the city and taking the opportunity to support social causes.