Born in Montreal, Elkas spent twelve years as part of the alternative rock band the Local Rabbits, with whom he began playing as a teenager, in 1990.

[1][2] They released The Super Duper EP in 1993 and followed it with the full-length You Can't Touch This, in 1995.

In 1997, they toured North America and performed as Neko Case's backing band on several Lilith Fair dates.

[3] Their second studio album, Basic Concept, came out in 1998, and in 2001, the band published their final record, This Is It Here We Go.

[4] The Local Rabbits subsequently disbanded, but they briefly reunited in 2007 to record a track for the Rheostatics tribute album The Secret Sessions.