LOCAL alternative pop band, Opposite the Other, has been selected as the opening act for American band, The Lumineers’ South African leg of their Cleopatra World Tour later this month.
The band, consisting of former Stirling High School pupils, Sam Burger (lead vocals and piano) and Dan Burger (bass) as well as Capetonian, Rob Spooner (drums), will be opening for both shows in Cape Town and Johannesburg.
5FM offered listeners the chance to choose the opening local act for The Lumineers.
Six local bands were shortlisted and each band was interviewed by 5FM’s Nick Hamman, with their music being aired on the Forbes and Fix Show on 5FM, after which listeners were asked to vote for their favourite band.
After being shortlisted on the national radio station, alongside other local bands, including Sean Kock Trio, Sannie Fox and Early Hours, Opposite the Other won South Africa’s vote.
‘We have dreams as musicians and as artists to really connect with people’
“It was rather exciting news to wake up to – hearing that we were going to have the chance to support a world-renowned band on two massive stages and in front of such large audiences. We are real fans of The Lumineers’ work and so, to be able to experience playing on a stage with them is going to be incredible,” Spooner said.
The Lumineers are an American folk rock/Americana band based in Denver, Colorado who have sold over 2.3 million albums worldwide. Opposite the Other started out 14-months ago and are based in Cape Town. The band have done various live performances around Cape Town and are currently working on their first body of work that will be released as an EP.
“The best part is having the ability to create and play the music we love with such close friends and to share our musical ideas and share in musical experiences with people we have never met; which in turn, gives us the opportunity to have a moment or a conversation with a person we have never met,” Sam said.
Dan said: “The energy of playing live is something which is sometimes difficult to explain. “There are moments on stage which you just wish you could bottle and carry around with you to experience at will.”
The band is looking forward to releasing their EP and playing live shows around the country. “We have dreams as musicians and as artists to really connect with people and grow a community around our music and the messages which are carried through it. We have already started to experience this and we hope to see it grow even further and deeper this year,” Spooner said.
