Not long after arriving, I was hurried upstairs and into the dressing room to try my hand at an off-the-cuff interview. The band, complete with cameraman, were ready and waiting, so I attempted to make myself sound as informed and Jeremy Paxman-like as possible. I'd never interviewed anyone before, but it gave me a real chance to get to know Upbeat Sneakers as a collective. A mischievous bunch (I barely got a word in edgeways), Upbeat Sneakers show a real chemistry off-stage. No-one escapes unscathed or unembarrassed in the Upbeat collective.
There were a few holes in the crowd when Upbeat Sneakers bounced onstage - England getting annihilated by Australia tore a few away for a momentary period - but the first tremor of charging horns got them racing up the stairs.
The first thing you notice is the sheer number of them on the stage. I was skeptical about an 8 piece ever working - you can barely fit them in the same photograph. Is this a case of too many cooks, not enough broth?
Not a chance. The sound is full and rich, with everyone doing their bit without stepping on anyone else's toes. The pacing and placement of each individual is spot on, and it all equates to a sound that is rich and stereophonic. Upbeat Sneakers aren't necessarily channeling the American New-Wave ska of Rancid or Reel Big Fish - there's much more of a gritty, grassroots British sound more akin to The Specials and the 2-Tone sound. Either way, the energy is there, and it is infectious.
The band told me before they went on stage that they aim to party, and party they did. Catchy, I-swear-I've-heard-this-before choruses and big, chanting breaks erupted from the stage. Ryan and Alex, the men at the helm of the operation, are more than willing to offer themselves to get the crowd jumping.
Musically, I noticed the bass being far more prominent in the mix than you'd expect - you found yourself singing along to the bassline, dancing and skanking your ankles raw with it. The horn section, rock-solid and perfectly judged, is the real glue of the band, marrying everything together into one big, colourful lump. Watching proceedings from the rear, 13-year old Daniel takes drumming duties seriously, beating a steady groove and throwing in splashes to keep it interesting. As a collective, this is a line-up that really works well together.
I've heard through the grapevine about what Upbeat Sneakers have in the pipeline - opening for some worthy names on the ska scene, a small UK tour and so on - and it got me wondering: did they get all this just by being the only ska band to emerge on the scene? Are they worthy of these achievements with so little gigging time under their chequered belts?
In truth, their niche market helps. Being one of the only ska bands in the area puts Upbeat Sneakers in an enviable position, but after seeing them live, I can tell you that they are more than worthy. They're tight, well judged, and bold enough to take on any decrescendo or any time change. They juggle the 8-person lineup well, and there's more chemistry between them all than a season of Breaking Bad.
Upbeat Sneakers are staying tight-lipped about much of what they have planned, but rest assured that it is entirely deserved. This is an exciting act with a bright and interesting future. I went in unsure, and came back completely and utterly convinced in the spectacle that is Upbeat Sneakers.
So what do Upbeat Sneakers sound like?
Start off with the best of 2-Tone, and give it a bottle of vodka and a packet of party poppers. Throw in some Jim Carey comedy and some Monty Python slapstick, and serve on a black and white chequerboard on the back of a Lambretta.
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Photograph Courtesy of Framed Photography.
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