Definitely Something Special
There are some bands that you get to see during your time watching live sets, and you just know that there is something special about them that you cannot put your finger on. The Open are one such band performing live and are hot tipped by many people to become the 'next-big-thing' to come out of England with one magazine calling them "the best new band in Britain". You can see their point.
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The Open have not even yet released their full album (due in May), but have certainly done the rounds - supporting Muse on their last UK tour, releasing an EP and singles already being released - they are soon to become one of the hottest bands in the country and are definitely one of the few bands to watch this year.
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They fit in to a similar genre to Stereophonics, yet sound nothing like them - maybe they are more like Super Furry Animals or maybe they are in fact a blend of so many styles that its hard to put your finger on exactly where they are coming from.
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The five-some walk out on stage and play through all of their material to a packed venue, with fans singing along to practically every song. The vocals are spot on and you can feel the emotion in the room. Steven Bayley (vocals) and Jon Winter (guitar) have a dynamic on stage that is clearly visible and means that whether you are a fan or not, the set actually becomes tangible with the music being something other than just another band.
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The Open are certainly not 'just another band' - if you're interested in rock that crosses boundaries in to as many neighbouring genres as possible then you will, without a shadow of a doubt, want to check this band out.
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Look out 2004, The Open are coming.
To view all photos taken during this set click here. There are 17 available.