The Open

Joint-headline tours have a long history. In Southampton’s legendary smaller-than-your-average Joiners venue Coldplay opening for Terris springs to mind. You don’t need me to tell you what did or didn’t happen to both bands and tonight serves up another potentially juicy treat: Thirteen Senses and The Open. Which band would steal the show?

Thirteen Senses are welcomed on stage by an extremely sweaty crowd, eager to see if they can build on the hype that’s been generated by some choice Radio 1 plays in recent months. They perform songs from their forthcoming LP, 'The Invitation'. The first few plod along with no real charisma or inspiration – they’re just songs, and not very interesting ones at that. Memories of a recent Easyworld show come to mind, and I’m starting to wonder if this could possibly top that for sheer boredom when their set is saved by the wondrous single, 'Thru The Glass'. It’s the first time in the evening that singer has bothered to stand up. If only they’d injected some energy into their other songs, they might actually be really good. The latest single comes next, and 'Into The Fire' is about 50% as good as 'Thru The Glass', so it’s not all bad.

The Open are a different proposition altogether. They have a certain element of swagger about them, without coming off as overly arrogant. Two of them are sporting leather jackets, which must be extremely uncomfortable to say the least, and they play through tracks from their ‘Silent Hours’ LP. Epic and, at times, enthralling, singer Steven Bayley’s vocals come across extremely well, soaring above drawn out guitars and spaced out sounds. Set highlights include ‘Forgotton’ and ‘Close My Eyes’. If I was picking holes (which I clearly am in the mood for doing), occasionally the guitar solos tend to drag and not end at whatever destination they were originally intended, but overall a convincing performance that successfully reinforces their recorded sound. No encore, but then you can’t have it all, can you?

Another double-header has come to an end, then. There’s no doubting the potential of either but for this reviewer, Thirteen Senses need to veer away from the dangerously middle-of-the-road territory in which they are treading – and fast.

Picture from theopenmusic.com