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Turning a garage into a stage
One of Canada’s most beloved bands performs live from a fan’s garage.
It was a brisk, sunny November afternoon in Minesing, ON—a small community of 600 people, just over 100 kilometres north of Toronto—when an MX-5 in racing orange carefully backed out of Jenn’s garage, soon to be replaced by drums, keyboards, guitar amplifiers and one of Canada’s most beloved rock bands.
But what led to this moment?
For Mazda, it started with a belief that we all seek out experiences that move us. The kind that are worth circling on a calendar and waiting months for, or even driving across the country to experience in person. It’s no surprise, then, that we believe that nothing moves you like live music.
Every live performance creates a rare opportunity to experience something that is meant for only those who are there in the moment. Even on a cross-country tour with dozens of stops along the way, no two performances will ever be exactly alike. Each night, the shared connection between the artist and the audience may exist only for a brief time, but it can leave an impression that lasts a lifetime. As they say, “You just had to be there.”
“You can’t pay money for these type of things. It’s just once-in-a-lifetime.”
KELSEY MCKIBBON, FAN WHO ATTENDED THE SHOW
It’s this kind of unique, yet fleeting experience that fans go to great lengths to seek out. Some travel for hundreds or even thousands of kilometres for a chance to see their favourite band perform live.
As convention goes, the bigger the band, the bigger the stage. But at Mazda, doing what’s conventional has never quite been our style.
So what happened when we turned a garage into a stage, bringing a big band to a small town?
The first-ever Mazda De-Tour was held in late November in one lucky fan’s garage in Minesing, ON – a small town you’re not likely to find written on any band’s tour routing. But for one night, we brought a live performance unlike any other right to their backyard—or more accurately, right to their garage.
Introducing the evening’s headliner: one of Canada’s most popular and beloved rock bands, Arkells. Earning the moniker, “Canada’s favourite touring band,” these 9X JUNO Award winners have spent the better part of two decades playing to devoted crowds across Canada, the United States and Europe. Earlier this summer, the band played two back-to-back nights at Toronto’s Budweiser Stage, before bringing their “Big Feelings” arena run across the country.
“We’ve played in every kind of venue, but we haven’t played a garage. Now we can check it off the list.”
MAX KERMAN, LEAD SINGER OF ARKELLS
For Arkells, playing in a garage also had an element of nostalgia to it – remembering earlier years jamming in less traditional venues. Having played nearly every kind of spot, the show was their first in a garage.
Around 4:30pm, a crowd limited to just over 100 people began to arrive at the venue – Jenn’s garage – the location of which was a tightly-kept secret until the last possible moment. It wasn’t long before the garage doors opened and the show began.
Arkells invited the crowd to join them inside the garage as they played their opening number, “Come to Light.” The band continued with a setlist filled with their hits and fan-favourites from throughout their career, including “Past Life,” “Leather Jacket,” and “Knocking at the Door,” which was featured in a recent Mazda TV commercial. Throughout the show, fans moved to the music, danced and sang along. After their set, the band bid the audience goodnight as the garage doors closed once again, sending fans home with a smile and the memories of a truly special night.
Words Kyle Carpenter / Images Nathan Nash / Film Mark Myers
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