There’s something special about experiencing an arena-level band in a small, intimate venue – and that special feeling is exactly what Arkells are after with their “Between Us” tour.
The staple Canadian rock band – comprised of vocalist Max Kerman, lead guitarist Mike DeAngelis, bassist Nick Dika, drummer Tim Oxford, and keyboardist Anthony Carone – took over Edmonton for three intimate nights, playing sold out shows at The Buckingham, Starlite Room, and Midway Music Hall. Bringing their latest album, Between Us, to smaller venues than they normally play forged a strong sense of community between the band and their fans. Truly, it felt like going to see your close friends play a show.
While each venue got to experience Between Us played in full, the second half of the setlist varied each night, keeping things exciting for those who attended all three shows. With Midway as the grand finale, the energy was bursting when Arkells sauntered on stage and dove into “Next Summer,” bright blue and red lights flooding the room. Kerman sought further connection with the audience as he hopped the barricade and made his way to the centre of the crowd at the end of “Ride.” “Money” and “Imagine Barcelona” brought an insatiable groove, while “Two Hearts” saw fans raising their hands in heart shapes. “Escape Door” capped off the first half of the set, concluding the album with an atmospheric track. A brief interlude saw the band step off stage for a moment while “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!” by ABBA blared overhead – an iconic song that Arkells made their own cover of.
The second half of the set kicked off with the infamous “Leather Jacket,” where Kerman let the crowd take charge with belting the infectious chorus. The energy carried into “Relentless” and “Oh, the Boss Is Coming!” and powered through to “Knocking at the Door.” The band even serenaded DeAngelis on his birthday, bringing a sparkling cake out on stage. “11:11” was a special moment shared with young fans singing the song on stage – they had been at barricade all night with signs reading, “Our moms said we could stay up until 11:11, but we’re staying up until 12:34,” in reference to the song’s lyrics. “Heart of the City” served as an apt encore, coming full circle as they concluded the night with a song from their first album.
The band’s sound throughout the night was seamless. Kerman brought his down-to-earth charisma to each number, Oxford and Dika carried the groove with resonating beats and bass, DeAngelis shone with sparkling guitar tones and Carone crafted striking synth notes. Arkells brand of indie-rock is refreshing and comforting at the same time – each song a new adventure that carries an air of friendly familiarity.
Kerman told the crowd:
“The thing we’re after is what everyone’s after – we wanna feel alive.”
And for at least one night, everyone in that room felt alive.
Setlist:
1. Next Summer
2. What Good?
3. Ride
4. Money
5. Imagine Barcelona
6. Desire’s Got Some Questions
7. Universe Talking
8. Two Hearts
9. What’s On Your Mind
10. Rumour
11. Escape Door
12. Leather Jacket
13. Relentless
14. Oh, the Boss Is Coming!
15. American Screams
16. Life During Wartime
17. Whistleblower
18. Knocking at the Door
19. Kiss Cam
20. Past Life
21. 11:11
22. Heart of the City (encore)
GALLERY: Arkells at Midway Music Hall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (May 16, 2026)
