The Upbeat was formed in 1985, and for the past 35 years has been pumping out a unique blend of ska, roots reggae, and rocksteady, with politically and environmentally conscious lyrics. In 1993, driven by their desire to promote the music they loved, The Upbeat released their debut 5 track demo under the moniker “Upbeat Recordings”. This stark freshman effort garnered them airplay across the country and a series of compilation offers from the likes of Epitaph/Hellcat Records, Moon Records, and SRH Productions.
 
In 1995, the band released their first full length album and sold 5,000+ units. By this time their live reputation preceded them, sending them into a series of surf, skate and snowboard videos including Transworld Video Magazine and The Fox Sports Network. This brought the band even further praise, securing them a world-wide fan base and setting the stage for the band’s subsequent and prolific West Coast touring. During this time, The Upbeat shared the stage with the likes of such varied artists as The Skatalites, Burning Spear, Sublime, Sugar Ray, Toots and the Maytals, No Doubt, Bad Manners, The Specials, The Selecter, The Wailers, Fishbone, Steel Pulse, The Abyssinians, and The Twinkle Brothers, to name a few.
 
In 2000, The Upbeat released their second album, "Backyard Knowledge", and in 2010, a host of new songs were released on their album, "Shuku". This most recent album is proof that the dedicated lineup still has all the passion they started with, so many years ago.