REVIEW: St. Lucia, The Arkells @ Royale 11/12

By Christian Jaeger

The Brooklyn-based St. Lucia and Ontario-based Arkells transformed a Monday night at Boston’s Royale into a Saturday. The Theatre District night club was overflowing with energy.

It was just after 8 p.m.. A bustling crowd for a Monday night was decked-out in Arkells apparel: hats, tees, etc. Surprising, because they were just the opening band. Little did I know that the alternative  rockers have completely exploded in their hometown of Ontario, even luring some Canadians to the show.

In 2016, I saw the Arkells open for Fitz & the Tantrums in LA, never having heard of them or their music before. They were a promising opening band back then, touring across America to gain more fans worldwide. In two years, their energy, style, and performance have undergone an incredible transformation.

Improvement is an understatement. “It’s weird to see them playing such a small venue,” an Arkells fan (who travelled to see Monday night’s show) said. “They’re selling out amphitheaters back at home.”

Audiences who went for the Arkells got the amazing, rockin’ performance that they expected. Audiences who had no idea what an Arkell were utterly blown away.

The five members–Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis, Nick Dika, Tim Oxford, and Anthony Carone–stumbled on to the stage like they owned the place. Grabbing their instruments, igniting a bright yellow “Arkells” street sign, and nodding to the audience, the Arkells began to play “Relentless,” a track off of their 2018 record Rally Cry.

Crowd goers were either chanting along or would were soon to be–no exceptions. It just took the simple yet addictive lyrics of the songs and the raw talent of the band to immediately captivate the room. Lead singer Max Kerman’s raspy voice, devilish looks, and savage confidence stole eyes and ears from the audience, not returning them until their hour-long set was finished.

“Who’s ready to turn tonight into a Saturday night?” Kerman asks the crowd as they yelled back; he had their full attention. The band began “Saturday Night,” another track from Rally Cry.

Other songs included “Knocking at the Door,” “Private School,” “People’s Champ,” “Eyes on the Prize,” “Leather Jacket,” and “My Heart’s Always Yours.” Combine the Killers and Fitz & the Tantrums and you might get the Arkells. Key word: might. Kerman’s presence and sound resemble that of Killers frontman Brandon Flowers, and his style also could be compared to Michael Fitzpatrick (or “Fitz”) of Fitz and the Tantrums. Funk, blues, rasp–all overflowing from the glistening Royale stage.

The first act said their goodbyes at 9 p.m. and made way for the headlining St. Lucia. The founder and face of the band, South African raised Jean-Philip Grobler has squeezed every bit of his diverse musical training, taste, and style into his six-year-old project St. Lucia.

Still an up-and-coming act in the music scene, but a big name in the indie-alternative genre, St. Lucia has mastered the ability to get crowds on their feet and lyrics stuck in audiences’ heads for days. Members of the band include Jean-Philip Grobler, Ross Clark, Nick Paul, Dustin Kaufman, and Patti Baranek.

The alternative genre is vast–almost too vast–so what sets St. Lucia apart? Perhaps it’s that two of the lead members are married: Grobler and Baranek. Not only this, but the couple had their first child in 2017: Indiana “Indy” Grobler–an inspiration for several songs off of their 2018 record Hyperion. The couple have an undeniable charisma within the group. Perhaps it’s the beloved ‘80s feel that bleeds from songs into listeners’ ears. Lead singer Grobler’s glossy and smooth falsetto doesn’t hurt the band either, rather proving St. Lucia’s distinct sound.

At 9:30 p.m., the artists emerged onto an empty stage. Grobler–the founder and face of the band–entered last. Synths of “September,” one of the band’s most loved and oldest dance anthems, introduced the set. This song would succeed in reviving the audience from a short break between bands, the first one setting the bar real high.

“China Shop,” a track from their latest album Hyperion, followed. After applause and a warm welcome, Grobler informed the crowd that it was the band’s last show of the tour. They came to dance, to perform, and to give us absolutely everything.

With a lot in their collection, including three studio albums and a range of EPs, St. Lucia had a large number of songs to play in order to fulfill everyone’s desires. Surely, the band did not ignore this task required by the audience; they knocked their last show out of the park, jumping from record to record.

Following tracks included “Home,” “Closer Than This,” and “Gun,” each from a different album. “We Got It Wrong,” “Dancing On Glass,” “A Brighter Love,” and  “Walking Away,” kept the crowd moving to the increasingly upbeat dance favorites.

St. Lucia slowed down with “All Eyes on You,” one of their oldest and fan-favorites. The song is as brilliant live as it is on the record. Catchy, but not familiar. Slow, but quick enough to require movement. Most of all, constantly building; the song’s bridge of trumpet and synths–steadily increasing–builds with such weight, such power, that the song explodes into its final chorus, even more so live.

The ultimate highlight was Grobler and Baranek dedicating “Bigger,” a song about their soon-to-be one-year-old, Indy. A spotlight would then shine on the youngster and his nanny, grooving upstairs in the balcony. Lucky nanny: Her bosses are rock stars. Luckier son: His parents are rock stars.

With it being the last night of the tour, it was fair to assume that the show would have some surprises. The band performed “Forgiveness” and “Cold Case,” both from their first album When the Night and songs that they “haven’t played in years,” stated by the lead.   

Grobler created an intimate setting during “Love Somebody.” He traveled through the pit, singing his lyrics to the faces of strangers.

When he returned to the stage, the band played “Physical,” one of St. Lucia’s most popular dance hits off of 2016’s Matter. This had no problem getting the crowd back on their feet, even continuously jumping for several minutes. They closed their first set with “When the Night,” a moody trip from 2013’s When the Night. It appears a slow song, but the synths in the background disagree; they build, and when the drums kick in it is a wonderful combination inspired by ‘80s synthpop, even comparable to Depeche Mode or the Talking Heads.

The audience’s applause brought St. Lucia back for more. “Paradise is Waiting” is perhaps the most diverse St. Lucia tune of all. Full of soul, even gospel-esque chants, the song encouraged fans to bump to the funky rhythm, sing lyrics, and stretch their arms like in worship. The opening Arkells then joined the stage for the finale, “Elevate.” Ten members filled the stage then–dancing, singing, making the most out of the last song on the tour.

The show closed with generous thanks and even a tour picture requested by Patti. The audience squeezed warm and tight so that every face could be captured in the band’s memorabilia.

When St. Lucia will return? Unknown for now, but it sounded like the husband and wife couldn’t wait for a long, comfortable break with their baby boy. The Arkells, however, aren’t slowing down anytime soon; they were excited to announce a headlining show in Boston in just a short couple of months.