They wuz robbed, probably...

Photo: Mike McArdle

Dave Furnival of Ok Broken.

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O2 Academy, Leeds.

IT was a brilliant night for Ok Broken at the huge O2 Academy venue in Leeds when they strutted their considerable stuff at the ‘Soundwaves’ talent competition final.

But the lads will have returned back home on the snowy M62 slightly disappointed. Gaz, Phil, Dave and Adam won’t tell you that because - being such an infectiously charismatic and upbeat bunch of lads - there were so many positives from just from making it into the final in the first place.

Ok Broken got the chance to play three storming tracks in front of a sea of faces from the same vantage point as Leeds legends the Kaiser Chiefs, and the Inspiral Carpets and Shed 7 just three weeks earlier.

The Oldham outfit smashed it during their big chance to taste the ‘big time’, but they should have won this competition. Robbed? Probably.

I may be parading a tiny hint of bias here, but Ok Broken were the best. I reckon they were the best out of a sometimes dodgy dozen acts or artistes, but some of them will like to have been so described.

Kicking-off just after 6pm, the first batch of finalists certainly didn’t float my boat. We had anything from screamers to out-of-tuners, as well as karaoke-style ‘singers’ who just almost lifelessly belted out dreary cover versions.

Then came Ok Broken, and with crisp, tight renditions of crowd favourites ‘Sirens’, ‘Fake mask’ and ‘Waiting in line’, which featured a smart cameo appearance by harmonica player Denis Ferrige. The sound was great, the stage presence helped whip up a minor storm in front of the stage, and though the miserable judges offered high praise with a slight feeling of disaffection, surely, surely this was the band to beat.

Unfortunately there was one more decent band on, As Sirens Fall from Keighley.

Granted, they were tight, and they’d clearly had a word with the lighting tech as it was an eye-catching 10-minute show. But the vocalist was another screamer who was to go on to celebrate ‘Soundwaves’ victory at around 9.30pm.

They go on to a high-profile support slot, a recording session and a bit of radio air play, but there will be no ‘Broken’ spirit from our lads. Ok Broken are set for a great 2016 and if I were them I’d maybe skip the ‘Soundwaves’ auditions next time.