Max Kerman and the Arkells are partnering with Boston Pizza to save Canada's vanishing grassroots music scene. Here is how local acts can land a spot on the tour. The "Live & Local" tour kickstarted with a surprise concert in Sarnia and will hit Vaughan, Markham and Ajax this week. Open call for Canadian musicians to perform across 40 cities. By Mike Pearson Insidehaltoncom Tuesday, May 19, 2026 2 min to read Article was updated 6 hrs ago * Twitter * Email * Print * Save JOIN THE CONVERSATION Years before his headlining gigs as the Arkells' frontman, Juno Award-winning musician Max Kerman made a name for himself playing local open mic nights for a few dozen spectators. Kerman, singer and guitarist for the Hamilton-founded rock band, is now accustomed to playing festival headlining spots and larger venues at stadiums and arenas. But like virtually all musicians, he paid his dues performing at small local venues. Local venues disappearing. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW As more local concert venues disappear - like Velvet Underground and Koolhaus in Toronto and or The Casbah in Hamilton - those spontaneous "who IS this band?" moments are becoming rarer. Boston Pizza, a chain of casual sports bars with more than 370 Canadian locations, is hoping to fill the void with a campaign called Live & Local. With performances running from May through the end of summer, the effort aims to put up-and-coming performers in the spotlight with live performances at Boston Pizza restaurants across Canada. Kerman and the Arkells are partnering with Boston Pizza on this year's Live & Local campaign. The Arkells recently took over a Boston Pizza in Sarnia, where they treated fans to a surprise concert event. Because future headliners need somewhere to start, Boston Pizza announced an open call for artists across Canada. All categories from bands to solo acts and acoustic performers are invited to connect with their local Boston Pizza for a chance to hit the stage. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Kerman said small local stages are important for emerging artists. "As a young artist, you just need places to play," Kerman noted in a news release. "That's where you learn how to connect with a crowd, build confidence, and really sharpen your craft. Those smaller stages are where artists grow, and every big act starts somewhere." Before They Get Big tour. Boston Pizza has announced an all-new "Before They Get Big Tour," which aims to bring rising Canadian artists to more than 40 cities across Canada. Using a Boston Pizza-branded Ford F-150, the tour will travel more than 14,000 kilometres, stopping at local restaurants to serve up live music alongside pizza, cocktails and possibly Canada's next big headliner. "Canadians want more access to live local music, but the spaces to perform are disappearing," noted Boston Pizza International vice-president of marketing James Kawalecki in a release. "BP already has what great summer nights need: patios, communities that love live music, in places where local talent is eager. By turning those spaces into stages, we're giving more artists a place to play and more Canadians the chance to discover talented local acts close to home." Live Nation partnership. Running through Labour Day weekend, Live & Local will transform Boston Pizza restaurants into live music venues while tapping into the restaurant's partnership with Live Nation Canada to bring fans exclusive perks and chances to win tickets to some of summer's hottest shows. While details have yet to be released for 2026, last year the Live Nation Canada partnership included a chance to win one of 400 concert tickets, plus a VIP experience at Rogers Stadium. How bands can book a gig. Artists looking to book a gig for Live & Local can visit localtalent.bostonpizza.com or contact their local Boston Pizza for more information. See who's playing. Fans can visit bostonpizza.com/live-summer-music for more information on Boston Pizza's national live music program, or check their local restaurant page for nearby live music performances. The next Live & Local performances in Ontario are happening this week in Vaughan (May 21), Markham (May 22) and Ajax (May 23). Mike Pearson is a reporter on Metroland's Digital Content Team. Reach him at [email protected]. Join the discussion about this article or read previously posted comments

XMC announces four major brand wins across Experiential, Sponsorship and staffing. Toronto, March 30, 2026 - XMC continues its strong 2026 momentum with four major new client wins: TikTok, Church & Dwight, Molson Coors, and Boston Pizza. Strategy Online - XMC Four Wins The new partnerships span a range of integrated marketing needs, from experiential campaigns and national staffing support to cultural activations and consumer engagement programs. The wins reinforce growing demand from brands seeking partners who can combine strategy, flawless execution, and measurable business outcomes. As brands continue shifting investment toward channels that deliver stronger connection and performance, XMC remains focused on building experiences that influence behaviour, drive conversion, and create lasting brand relevance. These new partnerships further strengthen XMC's leadership across: * Experiential Marketing(TM) * Sponsorship * National Staffing Solutions * Corporate Hospitality * Marketing Evaluation and Analytics Looking to build experiences that drive measurable growth? Let's talk. Founded in 2006, XMC is an award winning and proudly independent agency that provides strategic counsel and execution of bespoke Sponsorship and Experiential Marketing(TM) programs for over 50 world-class companies. XMC collaborates with clients to create powerful integrated marketing campaigns shaped by strategic insight, defined by meaningful execution, and supported by proprietary business tools and AI-fueled analytics. Together, we leverage shared passion points in sport, music, culture, and cause to connect, engage, and inspire target actions with our 70+ full time employees and roster of 4,000 part time employees across the country.

This long-standing Boston Pizza location in Edmonton is closing its doors. Mar 30 2026, 11:46 am Boston Pizza employees at Edmonton's Jasper Ave were recently told they would be having their last day this Tuesday. Boston Pizza is a casual Canadian food chain which first opened in Edmonton in 1964. Unfortunately, one of Edmonton's most long-standing Boston Pizza locations on Jasper Avenue and 106th Street will be closing at the end of this month, on March 31. After word of the closure surfaced online, Dished made a call to this location to confirm the news. Speaking to an employee briefly, it was confirmed that the last day of operation would be Tuesday, March 31, 2026. Address: 10620 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, Alta.