The birthdate of Open House is a little tricky to pinpoint. It might have been when singer-guitarist Steven Reker (People Get Ready) and guitarist-keyboardist Ryan Seaton (Callers) covered “I’m Set Free” at a Lou Reed memorial concert. Or when Reker and drummer Matt Evans (Tigue) had a beer during Reker’s DJ set at a ping-pong hall and they talked about a mutual love for Alan Vega. It might have been when Reker lassoed together keyboardist Eliot Krimsky (Glass Ghost), Evans, and Seaton to workshop a show for the American Songbook series at Lincoln Center in early 2015. Later that year, Open House solidified as a full-fledged collaborative ensemble for an acclaimed run of shows at The Kitchen. Open House is a convergence of different musical realities. A Venn diagram of the band would show the union of several sets of musical logic, influences and characters: Krimsky’s emotionally dense soundscapes coupled with his electrifying improvisational skills; Evans’ precisely off-kilter beats merging with his roots in the new music community; Seaton’s quietly incendiary guitar playing and his hyper-refined work as a sound designer; Reker’s history in DIY bands guiding a post-punk approach to the band’s staging. All of this overlaps and interacts, creating something like a strange party where everyone is invited and you’re not sure who spiked the punch.
Open House
Open House