Great live show!
by Cheryl D on 8/17/21Budweiser Stage - TorontoRating: 5 out of 5It was wonderful being around people enjoying great music! The Arkells rocked it! Can’t wait to see them again!

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Arkells in Concert
Arkells hail from Hamilton, Ontario, the midsize industrial city located about an hour west of the bustling metropolis of Toronto. And from day one, they've flaunted their hometown pride en route to becoming one of Canada's most popular rock bands.
The quintet named themselves after the west-end Hamilton street where they lived as students attending McMaster University, and their 2008 debut album, ‘Jackson Square,' paid tribute to the namesake shopping mall located in the heart of the city. But most importantly, the Arkells actually sounded like Hamilton, embodying the city's gritty, working-class spirit in proletarian anthems — like "Oh, the Boss Is Coming!" — that betrayed the deep influence of fellow Ontario indie-rock rabble-rousers the Constantines.
After winning the Juno Award for New Group of the Year in 2010, the Arkells began to shed their steeltown skin and indie aesthetic. Max Kerman's impassioned vocals drove the soulful pop strut of "Leather Jacket" and the effervescent "Come to Light" (an open-freeway anthem in the mold of Don Henley's 1980s classic "Boys of Summer").
With 2016's ‘Morning Report,' they started taking notes from contemporary pop and hip-hop, resulting in the cheeky, gospelized R&B of "Drake's Dad" (whose video featured a cameo from Mr. Dennis Graham himself) and the brash, brass-knuckled single "Knocking at the Door" (The band's live setup has likewise expanded, incorporating a horn section and a chorus of female backing singers they dub the Arkettes).
But even as the Arkells racked up multiple Juno Awards and ascended to the ranks of bona fide arena rockers in Canada, they've never forgotten their Hamilton roots. They've supplied local Canadian Football League team the Ticats with their theme song, they continue to take an active role in endorsing local progressive politicians and urban transit initiatives, and Kerman and bassist Nick Dika have even opened their own sports bar downtown.
In June of 2018, the Arkells thanked their hometown by headlining their biggest concert to date, bringing more than 20,000 fans out to Hamilton's Tim Hortons Field for a gathering they dubbed The Rally. That sense of triumph has carried over to the subsequent album ‘Rally Cry,' whose gold-plated fusion of Springsteen-sized grandeur and modern-R&B groove shows that one of Canada's most beloved rock bands is ready to take on the world.
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It was wonderful being around people enjoying great music! The Arkells rocked it! Can’t wait to see them again!
Amazing is all I have to say. The Arkells put on a great show. Max Kerman was the star front man like he always is, getting the crowd pumping. Playing a variety of their hit songs and some off the new album, it was a fantastic show. You could feel nostalgia in the air
Great energy! Unreal show. See them every chance I get!
Took the whole family to the Arkells Long Weekend Show. Sat Aug 14th. We have seen them.many times and they never disappoint. What a show! What a stage! What a crowd! What an experience. Max and the boys did it again. Thanks for bringing back live music with a bang
I had a great time! I was shocked to be given sanitize wipes but also just happy to experience it. Security and signage was all there to keep fans safe. The Arkells played beautifully, amazingly, and tear-jerking. This was my first real Arkells concert since I found them 6 years ago during my orientation week. You can tell they really care about there fans and show it in a way that shows them having fun! Can't wait for the next one.
The Arkells never disappoint. They put on an amazing show and continue to inspire people with their music. The way the connected with their fans to create the set lists was amazing and the concert was truly magical. 10/10. A must see!!!
You can never go wrong with the arkells, best night ever!
Was amazing! My boyfriend and I danced the whole night, wish we could go back and do it again this weekend! Excellent way to bring live music back to Toronto!
You should require vaccines if people are going to be that close. There’s no reason there should be people with their masks off near us who clearly didn’t have their vaccines based on their reaction to the arkells encouraging vaccines
Just amazing start to finish! That’s it that’s all!!
Amazing show! The Arkells did it again with their onstage performance at Budweiser Stage. It was so awesome to be singing and dancing along at a live performance again. Thanks to the Arkells for making it feel kind of normal again!!
Was there for two of of three nights. Arkells are something very special. They are about community, inclusivity and pure love for their fans. They give the fans what they want in a special unique way. You don’t want to leave your seat and you will be dancing all night! Thank you Arkells for giving us the time of our lives!!! ❤️❤️❤️
These shows (we saw Friday and Saturday) brought SO much joy. The band was awesome, played two different shows - I’m so sad we missed Sunday night! Live Music is like church to us and so we were very ready to feed our souls and and wow! did Arkells deliver! They clearly love their jobs - and have also been so engaged over Covid shutdowns, etc. Thank you to Max, Anthony, Mike D, Nick and Tim. The venue was very well prepared. It was actually so great to have 10,000-11,000 people and be able to move. There were line-ups but they were not insanely long.
The Arkells brought the life back to the City of Toronto on Friday night! Their high-energy show was just what we needed and was another great night at Bud Stage in the summer!
It's been 600+ days for most people when it comes to attending a concert. In fact, it was the first crowd outside of Costco that I had been in since March 2020. Arkells and everyone who made this event successful need pats on the back, hugs and big kisses. It was the first form of normalcy since this all began and they made every second of it count. The only thing (which I know is hard to do) was to implement the mask-wearing while watching the show. A lot of people took advantage of the rule and didn't wear it the majority of the show. However, the cleaning practices, outside of the actual seating and everything in between was done spectacularly. Arkells are a Canadian band of the ages. Supportive of all people and good in the world, they're humble by nature and can put on an amazing show. Mixing old with new, they took full advantage of the 2 hour time slot and make it worth staying until the very end as always. Can't wait to make it out to Hamilton for the Rally next year - All roads lead me back to you! Thanks for a great show guys!
The band themselves were amazing and extremely entertaining. My only conplaint is the lack of social distancing/spacing between the seats with no one in my area wearing a mask.
From the ease of using Ticketmaster Safetix to the speed at which I could leave the concert at the end, the Arkells Long Weekend was awesome!! It was my first ever Arkells show and first ever show at Budweiser Stage and on both fronts my expectations were exceeded. My only criticism is that the limited edition Long Weekend concert posters that were for sale in the Merch Tent were not more widely promoted before the show Friday night.
Finally felt alive again. Gbless live nation, max kerman and the Arkells lads for showing up and absolutely ripping hits.
We saw the first show in Toronto and it was more than well worth it. We spent the night in Toronto and truly enjoyed seeing a band that LOVES to entertain. Their personalities are differentiated. Max is outgoing and is full of energy. Tony is a little crazy (good crazy) AND soooo talented. I loved when he played with his feet on the keyboard. Mike is quiet, laid back, but you can tell that he enjoys his time on stage. Tim is the best drummer I have every seen… I never got to see Rush in concert, so he might have had some competition. Hehehe. Nick seems like the organizer and has that A-Type personality. This band works together like a well-oiled machine and I will NEVER miss a concert of theirs if I can get tickets. We love them so much we were going to fly to Big White to see them (before Covid hit). If you haven’t seen this band in concert, make sure you do….Warning: It will become an addiction. :)
The energy was amazing. Thank you for having more beer sales set up around the venue. My only complaint was the ABSURD markup on the wine. $49.50 for a $12 LCBO bottle is highway robbery.