Five-piece AltRock band Arkells aren’t household names in the U.S., but just north of the border in their homeland of Canada, the group is among the country’s current big-name domestic acts. One listen to the band’s 2014 full-length, High Noon, shows that stateside success is well within reach for Arkells. The band boasts a sound that’s arena- and radio-ready, with strong hooks and an ’80s Pop undercurrent that makes the group come off a little like the Canadian version of The Killers. The band’s singles have consistently done well on the Canadian Rock and Alternative charts (including High Noon’s “Leather Jacket,” which landed at No. 1 on the Alt charts). The 2015 Juno Awards (Canada’s Grammys) were also kind to Arkells; the band scored the Rock Album of the Year trophy and also beat out Chromeo and Nickelback to win the overall Group of the Year award. 8 p.m. Wednesday. $12. Madison Live, 734 Madison Ave., Covington, Ky., madisontheateronline.com.
This article appears in Apr 22-28, 2015.