9X JUNO Award winners Arkells release their surprise single “Handshake Thugs”. The track marks their first new music since their latest album, Between Us, arrived earlier this spring.
Inspired to get the song out of their system and into their live set, Arkells wrote the track in early September, recorded it a few weeks later with producer Gus van Go, and immediately started playing it live on tour in the UK this fall. Today’s release coincides with U.S. midterm Election Day, a date the band felt was especially topical to share the music.
“We tend to think of thugs as people who steal, cause havoc, and make our lives less safe,” says frontman Max Kerman. “But these are largely imagined boogie men. The real thugs sit at the top, make deals for themselves, and eat first, before everyone else. Handshake Thugs is a song for the 99%, inspired by the 1%.”
As Arkells continue their 2026 global touring cycle, they return to Canada for another series of their Between Us City Takeover shows – a one of a kind tour stop where fans can experience the band live over 3 nights, in 3 different local clubs.
The up-close-and-personal goal of the tour has been to bring the new music to distinctive live settings, built around in-person connection. Previous sold-out City Takeovers took place in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Arkells continue the run, starting tomorrow night, in Saskatoon, Winnipeg and Ottawa, before closing out the year with anticipated holiday shows in Niagara and St. John’s, NL.
2026 BETWEEN US CITY TAKEOVER DATES:
November 5, 2026 – Saskatoon, SK – Amigos Cantina SOLD OUT
November 6, 2026 – Saskatoon, SK – Capitol Music Club SOLD OUT
November 7, 2026 – Saskatoon, SK – Coors Event Centre SOLD OUT
November 10, 2026 – Winnipeg, MB – Side Stage SOLD OUT
November 11, 2026 – Winnipeg, MB – The Park Theatre SOLD OUT
November 12, 2026 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
November 25, 2026 – Ottawa, ON – The 27 Club SOLD OUT
November 26, 2026 – Ottawa, ON – The Bronson Centre SOLD OUT
November 27, 2026 – Ottawa, ON – HISTORY Ottawa SOLD OUT
2026 HOLIDAY “SLEIGH THE NIGHT” DATES:
December 17, 2026 – Niagara Falls, ON – OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino
December 18, 2026 – St. John’s, NL – JAG Soundhouse SOLD OUT
December 19, 2026 – St. John’s, NL – JAG Soundhouse SOLD OUT
