Arkells planning to take over the world?

Hamilton’s small big-city success story may seem familiar to those from these parts

Bringing skinny jeans to a back alley near you: Hamilton’s Arkells.

When Arkells took the stage in 2004 at Hamilton’s McMaster Battle of the Bands competition and lost, it seemed unexpected that they would return triumphantly to a sold out crowd of cheering fans in their former stomping grounds four years later.

Having recently received a public-nominated CASBY award, as well as booking tours with bands like The Black Crowes and Winnipeg’s very own The Waking Eyes, vocalist/keyboardist/guitarist Dan Griffin is more than humbled by the band’s luck so far.

Arkells’ first full-length album, Jackson Square, was released this time last year. After its success here in Canada, the band has much larger aspirations for it, as they plan to make it available worldwide in the new year.

Having been invited to the South by Southwest festival in the United States and the Great Escape festival in Britain, it seems as though their dreams of taking over the world are not far off. It doesn’t hurt that the troupe were recently signed to Dine Alone Records, a Canadian label home to the likes of Bedouin Soundclash and Alexisonfire.

Griffin compares the growth of the Arkells to a photograph of a sweet haircut from a few years back; you may think it looks cool at the time, but in retrospect it may not have been the best idea.

“The band is still young, we’re still evolving and coming into our own,” says Griffin. “As the still-frame photo ages, it becomes less relevant to you, but it’s still as important as ever in the band’s history.”

The band’s sound is a blend of blues hooks mixed with modern rock-laden riffs, pushing a more up-tempo feeling than some indie counterparts.

Griffin also credits growing up in Hamilton as a strong influence on the band’s sound.

The city is similar to Winnipeg in population and socio-economic variety, and is as representative of the canvas on which their music is presented. The proximity of Hamilton to Toronto is an added challenge as a musician trying to make it there, largely due to the sheer abundance of talent that emanates from the Toronto area. Nevertheless, Griffin credits Hamilton, specifically its distinct sound, as a key benefactor to their success so far.

The title of their debut is inspired by the borough’s barely-existing Jackson Square Mall, an unheard-of institution in the city’s neighbouring mecca.

“It represents the anchor of the city, where everybody meets to go to work, take the bus ... The centre of it all.”

Published in Volume 64, Number 10 of The Uniter (November 5, 2009)

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