Taking place every summer in London, London Mela is one of the biggest Asian culture and music festivals in Europe, hosting the crème de la crème of South Asian artists from the world of music, dance and comedy. Last year, it celebrated its 15th anniversary at Gunnersbury Park. Among the performers were The Ska Vengers, […]

Badly Drawn Boy was one of the big names performing at this year’s Galway Arts Festival. Open went along to catch the woolly hat-wearing performer in the unlikely setting of the Radisson Blu Hotel’s Live Lounge. A hotel bar does not seem like the most appealing of venues to watch a singer/songwriter perform, and we […]

Judging by the number of fans, football is by far the most popular sport in the world, with no less than 3.5 billion estimated fans around the world. And considering the sport’s long and glorious history, its huge fanbase seems to also go beyond concepts like race, language, age, and gender. Actually, we can safely […]

River Nelson’s debut album is an infectious, socially conscious yet upbeat effort that recalls the work of British rapper Ty and Chicago’s Common. “You’re gonna hear some original black poetry” begins the album, before launching into ‘Always Winter’, a ditty which could be as much about London as it is about the harsh Brooklyn winter. […]

Recent years have seen reality television push the envelope further and further to keep the genre fresh, exciting, and appealing to its audience. Consequently, being a contestant on a reality television show nowadays is an altogether more demanding – and precarious – position than it was in the early years. French television programme The Game […]