Music acts throughout the city – and across the country – now have a new place to perform after Norwich's newest live music venue opened its doors for the first time.

The Open Youth Venue in Bank Plain welcomed its first acts to the stage at the weekend as part of its official launch as a live music venue.

Almost 400 people watched a total of 10 bands, including Cielo, play in the 350-person capacity club room at the venue on Friday and Saturday night.

Rick Lennox, live music manager at Open, said: 'It went down really well. We opened up with five bands on Friday and five on Saturday – they absolutely loved it. The club room has got to be the best venue for its size in Norwich.'

The main hall at the venue, which has a standing capacity of 1,450 or can alternatively seat between 300 and 500 people, will open its doors on April 22 when it will host Charlene Soraia, best known for her cover of Wherever You Will Go by The Calling.

Over the coming months the hall, which also has partition walls that can come in or be taken out, will see the likes of Reverend and the Makers and former Evening News-backed Next Big Thing competition winners The Kabeedies perform.

Mr Lennox said: 'The future is bright. As the word gets out I want to be putting on bands that lots of people have heard of, not just underground indie bands. I want bands that were going in the 1970s and 1980s and all sorts – folk, a bit of jazz.'

The venue will have bands playing most Friday and Saturday nights but might also have bands playing during the week if they are touring.

To find out more about the venue log on to opennorwich.org.uk or call 01603 763111.

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