Open Sails
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Open Sails

Calgary, Alberta, Canada | Established. Jan 01, 2013 | SELF

Calgary, Alberta, Canada | SELF
Established on Jan, 2013
Band Rock Alternative

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Music

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"Open Sails"

Calgary, Alberta’s Open Sails is essentially an Evanescence clone, but a pretty good clone at that. Running at nearly a half hour in length, the band blasts through 10 songs of female vocals-led alterna rock on their debut self-titled disc. Opening song “Take It All” is basically an uplifting song about dealing with life’s problems, and the band mines the topicality of relationships for much of their material. Helping things tremendously is the vocals of Joy Lynn, who has the rock diva pipes to pull off this stuff. And the album deftly moves from fast-moving tracks such as “These Same Mistakes” to mid-tempo rockers such as “All of Me” to slower material such as the acoustic guitar ballad “Sunsets”. Notable for an independent release, Open Sails features clean, meaty production, so you have to give kudos to the group for pulling out all of the stops and throwing money at putting their best foot forward, if not putting that money where their mouths are. Some might want to write these guys (and girl) off for merely copying a popular band, but Open Sails does show range and versatility, and should they step away from merely copping an influence, you have to wonder what the band might be capable of in the future. If a major label doesn’t come courting, I would be highly surprised.

While the group does want you to think beyond Evanescence, and I suppose there’s enough deviation here to warrant that assertion – particularly in straight-up rock cuts such as “Make You Move” – the press materials note that the group looks to Metric for sonic inspiration. I don’t hear the comparison, as I think of Metric as being more of a dance rock band and they have a particular signature sound. However, the Evanescence resemblance is definitely there with its high, soaring female vocals. That said, Open Sails don’t really reach for the melodrama and sense of the gothic that Amy Lee and company reach for. Open Sails is pretty plain in comparison. Still, this album screams out fun, no matter if it might not be the most groundbreaking thing on the planet. Despite my critical inhibitions, I rather enjoyed Open Sails on a base, emotional level, and was taken by the positivity of their sound and message. For that, Open Sails is a superlative example of a band successfully taking a sound and adding their own wrinkle to it. Again, Open Sails won’t make you forget what came before, but this is highly outstanding stuff and recommended for those who are impatient about Evanescence’s ongoing hiatus. - Zachary Houle at Pop Matters


"Concert Review: Keiran Strange, Within Rust, Open Sails, This Side of Town"

Then came the first full band of the evening, Open Sails. They had just released their self-titled debut album earlier in the month and were on a tour of their own. Hailing from Calgary, AB, I had never seen them before but had listened to their album and was really looking forward to seeing their opening act. They participated in the superhero theme and had five members all together, including female vocalist Joy Lynn - always a great bonus for pop-punk bands. Open Sails ended up wowing all of us that night. About halfway through, they performed a cover of “Sugar, We’re Goin’ Down” by Fall Out Boy, which may very well have been the best and most memorable part of the night. It was absolutely amazing and a flawless cover. - The Permanent Rain


"All of Me Song review"

Airspeaker’s Review in Real-Time: So right off the bat you get a hint of a Paramore influence when you first hear Open Sails, but don’t let that fool you. From their hometown of Calgary, Alberta Canada, they come at you with their first indie, self-titled, album with just a purely great hard rock/pop album that goes through strong track by track and quickly ends, leaving you wanting more. Great music by the band and strong vocals by Joy Lynn will make this a band to look out for in the near future whenever they come out here to the states. Choosing a song to play first from the album was a bit difficult with songs such as “Breakdown”, “Take It All”, and “Sunsets”, but we decided to go with “All of Me”. We hope to play more of them in the future and hopefully have them on the podcast! Hope you enjoy them as much as I did. (4 1/2 out of 5 headphones) - Airspeaker Podcast


"Open Sails FemIndie INterview"

It’s Monday, and everybody needs a pick-me-up. Enter Open Sails, an alternative/pop-punk band out of Calgary. They just finished recording the debut EP to be released this summer, but we couldn’t wait that long. Joy and the boys were ready willing and able to tell us about their band, the music scene and the truth about Canadian Football! Check it here…

For those of us new to the band, who is Open Sails?

Open Sails is a group of 5 best friends who love to make catchy, high-energy rock music together. Each of us is dedicated to her or his craft, and we particularly enjoy bringing our love of music to the stage — we value our role as performers and have put a lot of energy and focus into our live show! We strive to be a band that will blow you away in a live setting as well as in our recordings.

You just finished recording your debut EP. When do you think you will release it and what can we expect to hear?

We’re super excited about our EP, which we’re calling Stars Apart. It will come out in early summer 2014. When it’s released we’ll be in rehearsals, preparing for our Western Canadian tour in July.

Where do you get you inspiration from for song subject matter? Is the process a band effort or does it fall to certain people?

Joy brings the lyrical prowess to the table, and she likes to write positive songs about overcoming obstacles and beating the odds. She writes with a lot of heart and we feel it is very relatable.

What is the music scene like in Calgary?

The music scene in Calgary has some pretty interesting niches, and most people don’t notice just how multifaceted it is. There is a really tight-knit all ages scene, the “hip” indie music scene, the bar rock scene… Also the Calgary Stampede takes place here, so you can’t ignore the country music scene.

Our goal in the past year has been to try and get to know bands and fan in all these different areas, rather than to be a part of a closely-guarded scenario where cliques become the status quo. Ultimately, music should bring people together!

One thing that helps us ‘get around’ within the Calgary scene is the fact that we have a pretty wide range of age as well as musical tastes in our band.

When was that moment when you first realized, “this is what I want to do” and what created that inspiration?

Adam- Since I was very young, I knew music would always be a huge part of my life, and my journey has been about defining what that would look like, exactly. I’ve been very fortunate to have a lot of opportunities playing in different genres, in different parts of the world. None of that has felt the same as sharing the stage with Open Sails. So I guess that inspiration would have to come down to creative chemistry and the strong musical talent of those around me.

We all share this innate passion for music. We are so lucky to have a band of 5 like minded individuals with the same goal in mind. We share the desire and willingness sacrifice in almost every sense of the word to reach our shared goal. Collectively the more we play together the deeper the passion and drive becomes.



What has been your biggest struggle in your music career so far and what are you most proud of?

Probably the single biggest struggle in my music career (and I think the others would agree) has been finding the right people to play music with. it’s really been about finding people We admire, people who get along famously on and off stage, and people who have drive, determination and a sense of direction. The synergy that can come of this is what it takes.

We are most proud of our relationships as musicians. None us us have been part of something where all the parts work together. We all have strengths and weakness and we all contribute to the shared goal.

When you’re not working on your own music, who are you listening to?

Our band’s musical preferences are pretty eclectic — anything from Judas Priest to Justin Timberlake, Ben Howard to Bring Me the Horizon. For inspiration, we frequently listen to Paramore, Fall Out Boy and Tonight Alive, among a ton of others.

Just how popular is Canadian Football?

From a personal standpoint, not at all (haha). However, it seems like there is a die-hard core of fans who flock to the stadium in their red and white (Calgary Stampeders) gear even if it’s below 0° C and snowing.

If you had a chance to play with anybody from history, alive or dead, who would it be and why?

Jared- I’d have to say Fall Out Boy or Taking Back Sunday. Both of those bands shaped my musical tastes both lyrically and sonically.

What does it mean to you to be an independent artist in the music industry?

To us it means having a ton of fun every time we get together.

However, it also means doing everything in your power to find a wider audience and share with as many people as possible. It means sneaking out of work 30 minutes early to drive across town just to deliver two $10 tickets to your show. It means driving an extra eight hours in order to add one more show to the tour, so you can hopefully meet five more people who might like the sounds you’re creating. - FemIndie


"Open Sails Canadian Beats Interview"

From Calgary, Alberta, Open Sails is a five-man, pop-rock band. With their first single, “Breakdown,” available on itunes, they are busy working towards the release of their first album while playing shows across the country.

Make sure to get their single, “Breakdown,” on itunes and follow them on Twitter and like them on Facebook.

Get their single, Breakdown HERE:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/breakdown-single/id575218596

Twitter: https://twitter.com/opensails

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opensails

Recently I had the chance to ask the band some questions!

Where did the name, “Open Sails,” come from?

OS: The band name came about after a trip to the coast. We were by the harbor in Victoria, BC which inspired us to brainstorm nautical terms for our name. It was the first one we all agreed upon. It signifies strength and perseverance which is the message in a lot of our lyrical content.

What is it like starting out as a new Canadian band?

OS: Starting out in Canada has its challenges. Canada is so vast and the cities are spread out which can make touring difficult. It makes us driven to work that much harder to get our music out there.

How has music influenced your life?

OS: Music is a language all its own. It has the ability to sooth and to heal. We are collectively so passionate about music that I don’t think there is any part of our lives music has not touched or influenced.

What made you want to pursue music as a band in the first place?

OS: Open sails is unique in that every member shares the same dreams and goals and the willingness to work toward them. All members have been part of other projects before but never have any of us been part of something where passion and efforts are equal among all members.

What was it like filming the, “Breakdown,” music video?

OS: Filming the music video for Breakdown was an amazing experience. The video was filmed in Victoria BC by Dave Wallace of Innovate Imageworks. We packed up the van and drove 13 hours to the location. One of the most time consuming and exciting aspects was the body painting on the second day of shooting. Although the vividly colored “zombies” only appear in the video for a few seconds it was amazing to watch the artist Kristin Grant of Urbanheart create masterpieces on the bodies of the extras. Overall it was a whirlwind experience and we look forward to another video in the future.

Who or what are your musical influences?

OS: Anberlin, Paramore, Kings of Leon, You Me at Six, Fall Out Boy and Imagine Dragons

What was the first album you ever bought?

Joy : Alanis Morissette “Jagged Little Pill

Jared : Anberlin “Blueprints for the Black Market”

Terence : Offspring “Conspiracy of One”

Casey : Young MC “Stone Cold Rhythm”

Chris : I honestly can’t remember!

Who would you like to tour with in the future?

OS: That’s tough! Probably Fall Out Boy, You Me at Six and Paramore.

What should your fans expect from you in the future?

OS: Our fans can expect some new music coming in the very near future as well as another tour coming up in the fall

@ATL_dani wants to know what inspires you when you write a song?

OS: Lyrically our songs come from personal experiences. When Joy writes song lyrics she has the ability to write from her own experience as well as the empathy to “walk in other peoples shoes”

Life is ofter far from perfect for most and our collective message is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. That hope is worth having.

And now, so us, your fans, can get to know you all a bit better, tell us some of your favourites!

Favourite superhero?

Joy : Wonder Woman

Jared : Spider-Man

Casey : Silver Surger

Terence : Iron Man

Chris : Batman

Favourite fruit?

Joy : Nectarines!

Jared : Mango

Casey : Papaya

Favourite species of bird?

Joy : Peacocks

Jared : Owls (but only because flying squirrels aren’t technically birds)

Casey : Bowerbirds

Chris : Puffins

Terence : I gotta go with Penguins

Favourite tv show?

Terence : Revolution

Casey : The Mighty Boosh

Chris : Breaking Bad

Joy : Game of Thrones

Jared : Breaking Bad

Favourite sweet/candy?

Jared : Warheads

Chris : ALL OF THEM!!!

Joy : Wine Gums

Casey : Coke Bottles

Terence : Nerds

Favourite writing utensil?

Casey : Mechanical pencils

Jared : Magic Markers

Chris : Feather Pens

Terence : Spray Paint

Joy : Anything that write in black ink

Favourite thing to do at a concert?

Joy : Stand in the back and soak in the music

Casey : Learn from the performers

Jared : People watch

Chris : Become fanboy

Terence : Jump

Finally, is there anything you would like to say to your fans?

OS: We can’t wait to come to your hometown soon! Thanks for all your support! You are the reason we do what we do! - Canadian Beats


"Soundcheck Sunday"

For this week’s Sound Check Sunday, I am pleased to inform you about a band that is (shockingly) not from Vancouver! Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Open Sails is a pop-rock band consisting of Joy Lynn (vocals), Jared Christopher (lead guitar), Terence Gillespie (bass), Chris Doi (rhythm guitar), and Casey Adams (drums).
Formed in 2012, Open Sails have already released their first single called, “Breakdown,” along with it’s video.

You can buy “Breakdown” on Itunes here:

https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/breakdown-single/id575218596

While working towards the release of their first record, Open Sails have already begun their ascend into becoming a well-known Canadian band.

Recently, they have had the opportunity to play with amazing bands such as Brighter Brightest and The Red Threat. They are also preparing for their upcoming show with Silverstein, The Wonder Years, and Kingsland.

You can buy tickets to their upcoming show here: http://www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/229409?skinName=tfly&utm_medium=api&wrKey=771C5F0C9E194EDCEC8581CAA3F0D741

Make sure to keep looking back here for upcoming news on Open Sails and also check out their websites below.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/opensails
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/opensails
Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/opensailsband

- Canadian Beats


"Open Sails - Featured song of the week"

t is March 24th 2013 which means it is time to announce the next 'Song of the Week'.

Open Sails, consisting of Joy Lynn (vocals), Jared Christopher (guitar), Chris Doi (guitar), Terence Gillespie (bass) and Casey Adams (drums), is the band receiving this week's featured 'Song of the Week' spot.

From Calgary, Alberta, these five have been showing the music scene their incredible [pop/rock inspired] music since forming in 2012. On the band's Facebook page it states, "Open sails formed with the vision of creating music to inspire and encourage. In 2012, founding members Jared Christopher, Joy Lynn and Terence Gillespie sought to establish a sound that was unique to their own and with mass appeal. Through contact with mutual friends, Chris Doi and Casey Adams came on board to share in Open Sails vision. Together they have produced a polished pop/rock sound accompanied with an energetic and emotionally charged live show." And, although I have yet to experience their live show, their recordings certainly show their energy and passion which is why their song Breakdown is this week's 'Song of the Week'.

Released on October 29th 2012 on iTunes, Breakdown has already been gaining popularity from fans all over. On iTunes it holds only five star reviews receiving messages such as "awesome local talent" and "this song should be on the radio".

t is March 24th 2013 which means it is time to announce the next 'Song of the Week'.

Open Sails, consisting of Joy Lynn (vocals), Jared Christopher (guitar), Chris Doi (guitar), Terence Gillespie (bass) and Casey Adams (drums), is the band receiving this week's featured 'Song of the Week' spot.

From Calgary, Alberta, these five have been showing the music scene their incredible [pop/rock inspired] music since forming in 2012. On the band's Facebook page it states, "Open sails formed with the vision of creating music to inspire and encourage. In 2012, founding members Jared Christopher, Joy Lynn and Terence Gillespie sought to establish a sound that was unique to their own and with mass appeal. Through contact with mutual friends, Chris Doi and Casey Adams came on board to share in Open Sails vision. Together they have produced a polished pop/rock sound accompanied with an energetic and emotionally charged live show." And, although I have yet to experience their live show, their recordings certainly show their energy and passion which is why their song Breakdown is this week's 'Song of the Week'.

Released on October 29th 2012 on iTunes, Breakdown has already been gaining popularity from fans all over. On iTunes it holds only five star reviews receiving messages such as "awesome local talent" and "this song should be on the radio". - Basement Entertainment


Discography

On June 24th, 2014, Open Sails released their debut self-titled album. It is now available on itunes and can be streamed for free at www.opensails.bandcamp.com

Photos

Bio

Open sails formed with the vision of creating music to inspire and encourage. In 2012, founding members Jared Christopher, Joy Lynn and Terence Gillespie sought to establish a sound that was unique to their own and with mass appeal. Through contact with mutual friends, Chris Doi and Casey Adams came on board to share in Open Sails vision. Together they have produced a polished rock/pop sound accompanied with an energetic and emotionally charged live show.
In the past year Open Sails has shared the stage with some of the best talent that Canada has to offer. Playing shows alongside Silverstein, The Wonder Years, Brighter Brightest and The Red Threat they are showing no signs of slowing down.

Open Sails have just released their debut full length album and will be touring Western Canada this summer.

Band Members