By Nick Jean

It seems 2016 is the year of the epic tour. As we previously announced, Lauren Mann is working on a 50-date tour with stops literally all across the country. Not to be outdone, Arkells have released a massive slew of dates.

Over the next six months, the Hamilton rockers will be making 31 stops in six provinces, 13 states and stints overseas in Britain and Germany. (See the end of this post for the full schedule.) And as if that weren’t enough, they kicked it all off with a private show earlier this month. This wasn’t just any old house show, however.

The recipients were the friends and family of 18-year-old Jill Zitars (as well as Zitars herself, of course.) Zitars is partway through her treatment for stage two Hodgkin’s lymphoma. July 6 was supposed to be her halfway point for treatment. Instead, doctors informed her things weren’t going quite as planned and they would need to reassess. The Waterloo, Ont., teen was understandably quite shaken by the news.

In an attempt to lift her spirits, her friend Kristin Kelly reached out to Arkells over Snapchat, explaining the situation and asking them to pay a visit. Three members of the band – Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis and Anthony Carone – did just that, performing an acoustic backyard set for Zitars.

“I was so shocked and overjoyed at the same time,” Zitars told CBC of the event. “My friends were amazing.”

Tour Dates
07.23.2016 – Oro-Medonte, Ontario – WayHome Music Festival
07.24.2016 – Colwood, British Columbia – Rock The Shores
07.28.2016 – Chicago, Illinois – Grant Park – Lollapalooza
& Bottom Lounge – Official Lollapalooza Aftershow w/ The Struts
07.30.2016 – New Glasgow, Nova Scotia – The Riverfront Jubilee
08.01.2016 – St. Johns, Newfoundland – George Street Festival
08.06.2016 – Regina, Saskatchewan – Queen City Ex
08.21.2016 – Leipzig, Saxony – Highfield Festival in Grosspösna, Germany
08.23.2016 – London, Middlesex – Lexington
08.25.2016 – Ubersee, Bavaria – Chiemsee Summer Festival
09.03.2016 – Edmonton, Alberta – Borden Park – SONiC BOOM
09.04.2016 – Calgary, Alberta – Fort Calgary – X FEST
09.09.2016 – Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario – Jackson Triggs Theatre
09.15.2016 – New York, New York – Studio At Webster Hall
09.23.2016 – Reading, Pennsylvania – Reverb – w/ Frank Turner
09.27.2016 – Champaign, Illinois – The Accord – w/ Frank Turner
09.28.2016 – St. Louis, Missouri – The Ready Room – w/ Frank Turner
09.29.2016 – Maquoketa, Iowa – Codfish Hollow Barnstormers – w/ Frank Turner
09.30.2016 – Milwaukee, Wisconsin – The Rave / Eagles Club – w/ Frank Turner
10.01.2016 – Kalamazoo, Michigan – Bell’s Eccentric Cafe – w/ Frank Turner
10.27.2016 – Athens, Georgia – The Georgia Theatre – w/ Frank Turner
10.28.2016 – Charlottesville, Virginia – Jefferson Theatre – w/ Frank Turner
10.29.2016 – Morgantown, West Virginia – Mainstage – w/ Frank Turner
10.30.2016 – Norfolk, Virginia – The NorVa – w/ Frank Turner
10.31.2016 – Wilmington, Delaware – World Cafe Live @ The Queen – w/ Frank Turner
11.02.2016 – Clifton Park, New York – Upstate Concert Theatre – w/ Frank Turner
11.03.2016 – Ithaca, New York – The Haunt – w/ Frank Turner
11.11.2016 – Detroit, Michigan – Magic Bag
11.12.2016 – Chicago, Illinois – Subterranean
12.09.2016 – Buffalo, New York – The Town Ballroom
12.10.2016 – Buffalo, New York – The Town Ballroom