Open Space is a pop rock and indie rock band from Minsk, Belarus. Started in the middle of the 2000s with their English repertoire with a bit of Belarusian songs, they have changed the language of songwriting mostly just to Russian in recent years. Since 2006, they have released two full albums and several EP and singles, but nowadays the musicians play together mostly as a cover band. In addition to that, since March 2017 Vitaliy Matievskiy, frontman of the band, promotes his synth-pop duo Days of Days and since June 2018 he also writes music for his solo electronic music project MATIVI.
History
Band's history dates back to January 2006, when Seva Maslov and Vitaliiy Matievsky first met. They had one thing in common – they wanted to start a rock band. By that time, both had some music training and Seva played in a few local bands before. The band's first rehearsal on 12 March 2006 became the date of the band's birth, but it was only after Maxim Mestovskiy and Andrey Malashenko became part of the band, when Open Space was fully formed. Maxim joined the band after second rehearsal, while Andrey came in September 2006, when Open Space decided to replace their previous drummer. He was already a local music scene veteran, played in popular Belarusian bands Indiga, Papenkinz Band, Leprikonsy, L.I.P, Po Glazam, and Impat. In June, 2007 Open Space recorded their first demo EP-disc "Wake Up". The presentation of this album took place in the "Graffity" club in Minsk on 13 September. All tickets were sold out in a few hours. With the growing popularity, Open Space made a tour across Belarus and Russia. Soon songs 'In My Head', 'Today', 'Song of the Seaman', and 'Wake Up' from their first EP became very popular and are still broadcast at prime time on most popular Belarusian radio stations. During 2008, Open Space played concerts with popular Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian, and international bands: Morandi, Segodnyanochyu, Multfilmy, Sergey Babkin, Singleton, Bi-2, and Hair Peace Salon. In April 2008, Open Space released their new EP album "Beautiful", which consisted of 5 songs recorded at the Maple Tree studio in Minsk, Belarus. Open Space celebrated the release of their new maxi-single “Beautiful" with a big sold-out show in the Minsk "Bronx" club on April 25. After that, band had a lot of gigs in Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia. In the fall of 2008, Open Space released their debut video for the song "Beautiful". On 23 November the video was broadcast nationwide for the first time. In February 2009 the band was nominated as "Best New Artist" at the annual "Rock Coronation Awards" 2008 in Belarus, but they not got the main prize. In May 2010 it got awarded at the "Rock Coronation Awards" 2009 ceremony as "Best Pop-Rock Band", presenting its cover on Hot N Cold by Katy Perry. On January 21, 2010 Open Space released their first long-play "Deal With Silence" on the local label West Records. Also in 2010, the band played on main stages at the popular Be2gether and Basovišča music festivals with Skunk Anansie, Empire of the Sun, Rubl, Alina Orlova, Haydamaky, Lyapis Trubetskoy, Lipali, Rima, and others. On December 1, 2010 Open Space released their third EP "Let It Go" consisted of 4 songs, and most of these subsequently appeared on their new long-play "Pressure" released on 15 March 2012, while a big live show to support it was held on 22 March 2012 at the “RE:PUBLIC” club. At the National Music Awards 2012 presented by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Belarus and Capital TV, the band was honored as “Best Rock Band.”
Style
During the early days of Open Space on the basis of a joint concert with brit-rockers Milque Twins, Hair Peace Salon, Jitters in autumn 2006, columnist for the newspaper “Muzykalnaya Gazeta” Slap noted, “It felt the overdose of Coldplay in the music. The only difference is that it is easier, more primitive, not so nice, and does not cling in Open Space. Musical form only without filling with their personal ideas and feelings has been found inherited”. Each composition is similar to the previous one with memorable dance rhythm, decorated with heavy guitars. The band has “clinging, catchy songs designed for a wide audience,” wrote the Belarusian music portal LiveSound.by in 2007 upon their concert with brit rockers also Hair Peace Salon. “Open Space is a very strong band. The guys play great and will play for a very long time,” wrote Aresha from LiveSound.by in 2007. After attending one of joint-concerts of Belarusian brit-rockers in fall 2007, Fobia_L from LiveSound.by described the sound of the band as soft Britpop, while Open Space played very smoothly, with good teamwork, neat, and even professionally, though she witnessed the problem of balance, summarized that with the word “boring.” In 2010 hosts from European Radio for Belaruss noted that the band is often confused with Hair Peace Salon and Coldplay on-air.
Cover versions
In 2014 the Sunny Days band sang its cover on the song Heta Niaprosta from the Do You Remember maxi single.
