RENDRD Live: Arkells at Thunderbird Arena [PHOTOS + REVIEW]

Photo by Alexia Agouridis

On February 1st, the Arkells hit UBC’s Thunderbird area with opening act, Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls. The Juno award-winning band announced their “Morning Report” tour dates back in October, with a Vancouver date almost exactly a year from their last TWO sold out shows here at Commodore Ballroom.

Frank Turner and the Sleeping Souls truly started the vibe in the arena, getting fans jumping and cheering with literally no pause or downbeat during their entire set. The English folk group yelled friendly banter at the crowd, receiving howls of laughter in return.

Arkells Frontman Max Kerman started the show out strong, with his pulsating energy and clear passion for the music. Early on, he jumped into the crowd to surf over the audience, with fans screaming underneath him. “Come to Light” was one of the first few songs that the Arkells played, setting a lively tone for the rest of the night.

The band played a handful of songs from their new album, “Morning Report”, including “Drake’s Dad”, and “Private School”, but the crowd truly went wild for classics such as “Oh, the Boss is Coming!”, with no lack of fans screaming out the lyrics.

Overall, the show was a complete hit. Fans left singing their favorite songs from the set list, grinning from ear to ear. The Arkells succeeded at turning Thunderbird Arena into a giant party, which is exactly what I imagine they wanted.