I just saw one of the most nostalgic flicks I've ever seen. My friend, Brandon Smith, has put together an amazing retrospective on the cultural phenomenon that was pre-millennial Utah ska, The Up Beat.
Before the 2nd wave of ska flooded America, it washed up on Utah's landlocked shores. Provo was a national mecca for songs with an up beat. Seriously! Bands like No Doubt and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones thrived here in P-Town. Non-ska acts like Jimmy Eat World could be found opening for local ska bands like Stretch Armstrong. You don't believe me, do you?Well, Brandon's documentary proves it to you nay-sayers while taking those of us cool (old) enough to have been there on a trip down memory lane. But he doesn't stop there. Brandon dissects Utah's current fledgling ska scene and gets to the heart of the obvious question: What happened?
Those of you unfortunate souls who missed the SLUG Magazine premiere of The Up Beat at the Tower Theater tonight can still catch the Utah County premiere on August 30th which will feature a live musical performance by living legends 2 1/2 White Guys. Check out Brandon's website or MySpace for future screenings. You can also view the trailer here and see why this film is a shoe-in for festivals like Slamdance and SXSW if there is any justice in the world. Check this movie out and support your local scene (haven't heard that for a while have you?)!
Moderator's update » 10.31.08 » The Up Beat is now available on DVD. Get it directly from the filmmaker at his website. You can also hear an interview with the filmmaker on Episode 1 of our podcast, 801 Underground.
