"The Upbeat" - A Utah Ska Documentary
Coming out this summer, “The Upbeat” is a documentary chronicling the Utah ska scene, and features interviews with Toots Hibbert, Robert “Bucket” Hingley, Buster Bloodvessel, and well-known Utah ska bands like Stretch Armstrong and Model Citizen.
According to producer/director/editor Brandon Smith, the film’s genesis was initiated by “…an interview from Buster Bloodvessel, after an AMAZING Bad Manners show,” which led him to interview many other artists and bands. Besides perhaps becoming the next Ken Burns, Brandon also plays tenor sax in Salt Lake City’s The Upstarts, and tells us, “At the same time I was taking the camera with me to band practice…” as the band was recording its debut album. He continues, “[we] were concerned with the current state of the ska scene in Utah.” With the release of The Upbeat, Brandon helps preserve the legacy of ska music in Utah, which had a very strong scene in the 1990’s. Brandon says his approach to making the films was to “…dive into the history of ska in Utah, and [I] got an enormous amount of help from those who experienced the phenomenon firsthand.”
Judging by the trailer, this looks like a well-produced and well-thought out film that touches on many aspects of the Utah ska scene, including its influence in the Mormon community.
The Upbeat Official website: http://www.theupbeatmovie.com/
The Upbeat on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theupbeatmovie
The Upstarts on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/upstartska
Discussion Area - Leave a Comment