PERFORMANCE DESCRIPTION
Sgt. Scag (aka Sgt. Scagnetti) was a fixture on the Northeast ska/punk scene in the late 1990’s. Migrating from a ska-pop outfit into a harder more frantic sound, the band’s live shows were unpredictable and fun. They would arm the audience with 100’s of plastic toy swords, split them in half and have the crowd reenact a scene from Braveheart. Really. The Hartford Courant called them a “surefire crowd slayer.” The Hartford Courant is what used to be called a “newspaper.” Songs about dysfunctional parenting, revenge fantasies and drug abuse developed into teen center anthems. After an 18-year break (with a reunion show or two thrown in along the way) the band is BACK (their singer was quoted as saying a 2010 set of reunion shows would be their last, but he is a liar). Not a reunion show, but actively writing and recording new material about the drug of nostalgia, illegal firework salesmen and trust fund baby bands. They will play the old stuff too. Don’t worry.



The Upstarters sound draws from the fury of Rock, the fire of Reggae-Ska, and the bump of Hip-Hop and R&B. The Upstarters regularly work with world-famous bands and are festival veterans. They have played: Artscape, the Supernova International Ska Festival, Snallygaster Beer Fest, The Ladybug Festival, M.I.L. Fest, Hightopps Backstage Bash, and Frozen Harbor Music Festival. They've also performed many street fests like SOWEBO, Hamilton, and Laurel. A lively group with themes ranging from Love, social issues, and partying until the sun comes up; their attitudes and outlook on life show through in their memorable and upbeat lyrics.