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Band makes album cover board game to fund release

Opaque Four band members, all male, are sitting on the edge of an outdoor stage as two other male band members stand behind them. They are stood in front of microphones with a drum kit. In the background there are lots of trees with deep green leaves. Opaque
Moony (second in, bottom left) said Opaque once challenged itself to become the biggest band in Liechtenstein after discovering it had fans there

A festival band has included a board game in the limited-edition launch of its new vinyl album cover to help fund its wider release.

Opaque, based in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire, released 200 vinyl records featuring the game with interactive QR codes, hidden tracks, artwork and interviews.

The band raised £3,000 through a pre-order campaign to help production costs.

Beginning To End, Opaque's fourth studio album, looks at its 25-year history and what might come next.

Opaque A drum kit in front of a white tiled wall. One of the drums is black with Opaque written in pink letters on the front. Opaque
The band tends work in the summer and have the winter off to give members more long periods of free time

The band's singer-songwriter Moony said the game had 75 squares representing 75 years of life.

The aim was not to be the first to finish but to collect happy points on the way before rolling the dice to see how you die, he said.

"I had a feeling that maybe [Opaque] is beginning to end, but then I thought to myself... it's been beginning to end since the day we started," Moony said.

"I revisited and reworked some tracks that I wrote as a teenager, so the album's got songs written in the late 80s, early 90s and songs I wrote this and last year.

"But, trying to do this album is very expensive and I realised, my ideas were well above my budget."

Opaque Opaque playing a gig with instruments including a cello, maracas, drums and guitar. There is a magenta light being cast on them making the scene look warm. Some of band are also wearing unusual outfits with one member having a glittery bucket hat, a fluffy jacket and flowery trousers. Another wears a hat with feathers on.Opaque
The new album and board game focuses on the journey of life and how difficult paths can lead to positive outcomes

The five-piece indie alternative gypsy swing band said the pre-orders would "make all the difference to whether we can release this album on vinyl or only as a digital release".

Claiming the inclusion of the interactive board game was a world first, the band said: "In order to record, produce and tour this album we actually need around £5,000 to £6,000.

"We are not asking for charity or donations but rather for you to become one of a very exclusive group of people to own this physical piece of art and music.

"We have no label or financial backing so the ambition of making the world's first vinyl album board game rests in the hands of our fans."

Opaque Opaque are sat on a wall with trees, hills and a large castle like building in the distance behind them. All band members, apart from Moony are holding instruments. Two have melodicas, keyboards with tubes to blow into, two have guitars and another has a drum. Opaque
Moony said the band once tried to crack Liechtenstein after finding its YouTube audience included fans in Europe's fourth-smallest country

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