Latest news with #Arkells
CTV News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Arkells frontman Max Kerman transitions from the stage to the page
The cover of Max Kerman's new book, Try Hard, is seen. A Canadian musician is making the transition from the stage to the page. Most people know Max Kerman as the frontman of Arkells, a Canadian rock band formed in Hamilton, Ont., but his latest tour isn't just on the stage – it's also at bookstores. 'I've been Max the musician for many years, and now when I'm introduced, I like to be introduced as bestselling author Max Kerman,' he said in an interview with CTV's Katie Kelly. Kerman's debut book 'Try Hard' is a look behind the scenes at the creative chaos of building a band while highlighting the moments that shaped their journey. 'I talk about the day I met Mike Daniels, our guitarist. First day of university, looking to start a band,' he said. 'You know, I talk about playing the Grey Cup halftime show and how we had to kind of put everything we've ever learned about performing into a 14-minute performance.' The book is packed with stories about the band's persistence, and the people who helped build it along the way. The title of the book itself also holds weight. ''Try Hard' is a pejorative like, 'Oh, that guy is such a try hard,' you know? But I realized that I'm a bit of a try hard, and I think a lot of the great experiences I've had in my life and in the band's career has been the result of trying really hard,' he said. When Kerman isn't writing he's with the band, which will be heading to the Maritimes – a region they say played a big role in shaping the band. 'It's your charm. You know, the music is, has been very influential to our band over the years,' he said. 'I feel like the DNA of the music of some of the great East Coast bands is in Arkells, so that's why we like coming back.' Kerman will be hosting a book signing for 'Try Hard' at Chapters in St. John's, N.L., on Wednesday before Arkells take part in the George Street Festival in the city on Thursday. Arkells will also be heading to New Glasgow, N.S., on Friday to take part in The Jubilee before wrapping up their East Coast adventure at Area 506 in Saint John, N.B., on Sunday.
CBC
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- CBC
A guide to some of the N.B. artists taking the Area 506 stage
New Long-weekend festival an annual celebration of province's music and culture Organizers have stacked the musical lineup for the Area 506 festival's 10th anniversary edition, taking place on the Saint John waterfront from Aug. 1 to Aug. 3. Alexisonfire, Arkells, Cancer Bats and Classified are among the performers at the festival. Sharing the stage with those names are New Brunswick artists, including Wolf Castle, Poets and Liars, the Last Call, Ura Star & Fireball Kid, the Merci-Buckets, and the Kingston Collective. CBC News talked to some of the New Brunswick acts booked for the long-weekend festival that describes itself as featuring the best of the province's music, culture and goods. Wolf Castle Wolf Castle is the stage name of Mi'kmaw rapper Tristan Grant, who founded Atlantic Canada's only Indigenous music label, Castle Records, in May. The first to sign on were the Hello Crows, made up of four members from different First Nation communities in New Brunswick who use their music to "share their culture and be inviting," Grant said. Grant is a former host of Reclaimed, CBC's contemporary Indigenous music show. He credits his family for his interest in music and has made songs with both his mother and uncle, who also perform. Before hip-hop, Grant made remixes of techno and dance. He started to create his own songs as a teenager and has focused on hip-hop since 15. The artist said he recorded his biggest hit, Whoop!,"in the closet of my bedroom when I was still living at my mom's house." Grant said he loves the Saint John music scene and is "super pumped" to be performing at Area 506 this year. Poets and Liars Kendra Gale, Kortni Nicols and Warren Beatteay make up Poets and Liars, a "monster rock trio," in their words. The term originated as a joke because of the energy drinks Nicols conumes, Gale said. "I didn't really ever feel like I was good at things growing up," Nicols said. But singing in the car as a child, she was told she was a great singer, so she decided to pursue music more seriously. Beatteay fell in love with music because his dad was a singer. He started making his own music at 13 or 14. Gale credits her guitar-playing sister for her interest in music. "She's 12 years older than me, so music was always kind of around and she would teach some of our friends guitar in the kitchen and make me hit pots and pans or this little drum kit and noticed I had rhythm," Gale said. "She'd be like 'Hit this and then that,' and I'd be playing along with them." She's excited about the size of the Area 506 festival. "It'll be great to play with a lot of the big names around and on the stage size that we don't usually get to play on." The Last Call Saint John band The Last Call has been together since 2022 but is shifting from playing covers to creating its own music and just released two singles, Wine Bottles and Trainspotting. The band's first album will be released. The camaraderie within the rock band and the members' shared passion for creating and performing were obvious during an interview as they spoke and nodded and agreed with each other. Will Maber said that what he loves most about "being a singer and a frontman" is the opportunity to meet people and share something with them. Image | Living room mirror Caption: Polaroid photos from memorable concerts along a fireplace mantle in the uptown apartment that members of the band live in. (Luke Beirne/CBC) Open image in new tab For Zach Titus, it's "the excitement of every next step." "The first thing was playing a big show and having people actually care about the music and getting some fans, and the next step after that was actually writing music and recording it. Every time we take a step, it just reignites a spark in me." The rest of the group agreed. Alden Smith said one of the exciting things to him now is creating original work and putting it out into the world of music. Having "that blank canvas" and getting to "write my own guitar solos," he said. Ura Star & Fireball Kid Seth O'Neill, Ura Star, and Colin Ratchford, Fireball Kid, grew up in New Brunswick but have lived in Montreal for 10 years. Both make music independently but also collaborate. According to their website, the two "have always made music for good times, kitchen parties, barn burners and foggy night drives." In the video for their song Hanging Out, they are feeling the summertime vibes, hanging out and dancing on a couch in a soccer field. Ura Star's album Heartracer was created when O'Neill was dealing with chronic pain to "try to get out of that dark place I was in by creating a world of fantasy and safety and pure joy," he said. New Brunswick is central to the duo's music. "The more time I spend away from it, the more there's this mythological aspect to it," O'Neill said. "It gets kind of more and more beautiful and romantic in my mind and more and more inspiring." So far, the two have focused on the upbeat, party lifestyle but are shifting direction. They've started to let go of the "commonly accepted partying mentality," Ratchford said, referring to kitchen parties and barn burners, "and I've just been thinking and writing more about the real ramifications of that." "You can't party all the time without coming face to face with darkness." "Maybe, God forbid, we're just growing up a little bit," O'Neill said. The Kingston Collective The Kingston Collective is a group of five based in Long Reach on the Kingston Peninsula, where it has a strong following. The tight-knit group brings a lively mix of genres and styles together, blending reggae, rock, funk and pop. Joel MacPherson, Will Jones, Sam Jones, Jaden MacNeill and Miriam Westin make up the group, which has released one EP, Live in the Timber Frame. CBC talked to the band on the Jones family farm, in the barn that inspired the album title and is used as the musicians' jam space and a spot for storing tools, motorcycles and recording equipment. Photogallery | The Timber Frame Open full embed in new tab Loading external pages may require significantly more data usage than loading CBC Lite story pages. When asked about their best show, Sam Jones said, "we had a mosh pit of eight year olds at a church one time." Without hesitation, the rest of the band agreed. "To see people in the church bouncing, showing love, singing back and forth, it's what church is, it's what community is, and it's what the Kingston Collective is," MacPherson said. "So, that's definitely our best show because it represents what we're trying to grow here." When asked about the show at Area 506, MacPherson said it was a "bucket list" thing for him because he's a father of four. "Jaden's going to be eight months pregnant when we have the show so we might have a baby on the stage," Will Jones said. "It's going to be exciting," he said. "It's going to be popping." "Literally," Jaden Macneill added. The Merci-Buckets Travis Flynn, Paul Hayes and Jonathon Marino make up the Merci-Buckets. Started in 2021, it was originally a backup group for Flynn's individual musical work. Flynn works as a bartender at the Cap in Fredericton, where he also hosts a weekly open mic even tries to be as involved in the local music scene as he can. The audience and music scene make the biggest difference between great shows and events that aren't ideal. "To me, it's just feeling the community and the music scene being open and welcoming," he said. Playing at Area 506 means a lot to Flynn because he hasn't been able to even attend festival in the past. Not only will he be playing alongside friends but he'll also be performing in a lineup that includes his favourite band, Alexisonfire.
Ottawa Citizen
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
'Bubble man' comes to Ottawa Bluesfest
Article content If you've seen a cloud of bubbles floating above Ottawa Bluesfest crowds, it's probably Michael Lalonde. Article content It all started at a dollar store, where Lalonde bought a two-dollar, hand-pump bubble gun before a HOPE Volleyball event. Article content 'People loved it so much, they loved it, they were obsessed,' Lalonde said. Article content It was then that Lalonde decided to continue investing in more intricate bubble guns. First came a battery-powered gun. Then he upgraded to rechargeable bubble guns so he could sidestep the need for batteries that depleted too fast. Article content Article content Three years later, Lalonde's bubble gun fame has generated countless stories. Article content Article content At an Arkells show at CityFolk in 2023, lead singer Max Kerman took Lalonde's bubble gun and used it throughout the crowd. Article content 'It was a whole song. He did a full U around the crowd, and you can only see the bubbles,' Lalonde said. 'He posted: We must have more of the bubbles.' Article content But it's not just musicians that Lalonde gifts his bubble guns. He often gives them to kids who are at shows with thankful parents. Article content It's all good, however, as Lalonde carries a deep arsenal of bubble guns at home. 'I've had 20. I've given a lot of them away over the years.' Article content Lalonde, who is both a musician and co-owner of an Ottawa tech company, is something of a renaissance man who reinvented himself since the COVID-19 pandemic. In his 20s, Lalonde didn't attend many concerts, focused instead on working and paying down student debt. Article content Article content Then, around eight years ago, he joined as an owner of the upstart tech company PureColo. On July 17, the Ottawa Business Journal reported that the company had a non-binding letter of intent to be acquired by Vancouver data centre company Carrier Connect Data Solutions in a deal valued at $4.1 million in shares and $4.4 million in cash. Article content It was only four years ago that Lalonde taught himself guitar. Since then he has released an album with his Petty Cache project, which featured Jake Boyd and Nixon Boyd from Hollerado fame. Article content Article content 'During the pandemic, I got into music. I started going to shows and realizing the genuine connection and feeling that you can have and the people you can find,' Lalonde said, turning towards his girlfriend.
CTV News
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘A little something for everyone': Growing Stampede music scene offers eclectic mix
Music has always been a big part of Calgary Stampede but organizers have worked to boost that over the past few years, attracting a variety of options. Calgary Stampede maintains its title as 'The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,' with its world-famous rodeo, chuckwagon races and grandstand show, but a new slogan is rising as well. 'The Greatest Music Festival in the West,' said Allison Wright, program director for the Calgary Stampede. Over the 10-day event, Stampede offers more than 100 performances, including Arkells, Tenille Townes, Kaleo, Don Toliver and Simple Plan. Superstars including Shania Twain require tickets to get into the Saddledome, but many acts don't cost anything beyond admission to Stampede Park. Country music is front and centre, of course, but far from the only option. 'Initially, we thought it was just going to be a bunch of country music because it's Stampede, but it's nice there's a lot of pop music,' said Frianca Jirel from High River. 'We're definitely looking forward to seeing Simple Plan on Sunday,' said Samantha Reyes. 'We were excited to see the country, but it's nice to bounce back and forth between the others. There's a little something for everyone.' said Haylee Guigera and Jasper Willans from Australia, who were pleased to see the Aussie band Cat Empire performing at Stampede. 'We feature country, obviously—that makes sense. We also look at other genres to make sure we are appealing to the Calgary demographic broadly. Stampede is that—it is the community engagement in all things Stampede-related, and music is a key piece of that,' said Wright. 'I was surprised at the amount of artists they get and people who are more famous than I thought they would get,' said Willans. Music has always been a big part of Calgary Stampede but organizers have worked to boost that over the past few years, attracting a variety of options. Music has always been a big part of Calgary Stampede but organizers have worked to boost that over the past few years, attracting a variety of options. Stampede says it tries to secure popular artists, and sometimes the performers get even more popular after they've been booked. 'Sometimes we have artists that have a hit once we contract them in that draw a new crowd or audience that was maybe a little different than we anticipated, but really we're excited when these artists find their way to Stampede,' said Wright. There are several options off the grounds, too, including Badlands festivals featuring EDM and South Asian music called Stampede Mela. Oxford Stomp has offered a bustling festival with big-name artists for 35 years, but organizers say there is a lot more competition now. 'Back when we first started, we were kind of the big music festival. The entire 10 days of Stampede is now a music festival—it's really amazing how many incredible bands come to Calgary,' said Rob Dubeau. Dubeau says for its second year at Prince's Island Park, Oxford Stomp expected a crowd of about 8,000 people for their lineup of Hotel Mira, Dear Rouge, The Sheepdogs and Sheryl Crow. Playing any venue during Stampede has become a hallmark for many artists. Dear Rouge played the Coca-Cola stage and now Oxford Stomp. 'Stampede, I think, is always on everyone's list. It's amazing because it's already the biggest festival,' said Drew McTaggart of Dear Rouge.
Hamilton Spectator
21-06-2025
- Hamilton Spectator
Top Hamilton headlines this week: NCR ruling in patricide blindsides family + Their home demolished. Possessions gone. A family's ‘nightmare'
The weekend is here, but plenty happened in the Hamilton area this week. Don't miss these top stories from Spectator reporters. Summer is officially here and there are plenty of things to do outdoors. Head to the Arkells rally , try out FrancoFEST at Gage Park or celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day in Stoney Creek with a powwow. And there are plenty more things to do . It's going to be hot! A 'multiday heat event' is descending on the city, with temperatures peaking past 30 C on the thermometer that will feel much warmer with humidity. George Howson, a defenceless 73-year-old with Parkinson's disease, was killed by his stepson. Tim Brown was charged with second-degree murder in the 2021 slaying but was found not criminally responsible. Family members, long concerned about Tim's behaviour, say the case was rushed and the system failed. They're still fighting for answers. School photos. Family heirlooms. A guitar collection. Souvenirs from travels around the world. Even her parents' wedding rings. Those are just some of the things a central Hamilton family lost when their home was torn down in mid-April, due to construction next door. The city has closed the Birch Avenue leash-free dog park until further notice 'as a precautionary measure' over health concerns about dogs who visit the site. On paddle boards and without life-jackets in Lake Ontario, it could have ended badly for this duo. But after hours of drifting, two lucky women — blown out by heavy waves and wind — were saved by the Canadian Coast Guard, with help from Hamilton police. A Law Society Tribunal hearing for a lawyer charged with fraud spent 20 minutes suspending her licence and four hours discussing her desire to keep 1,500 pages of evidence secret. Subscribe to our newsletters for the latest local content . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
