This Ken Davenport movie is the definitive biography of the band, Red Wanting Blue. They been around for 14 years, but if you never heard of them, that’s understandable. Considered by some music journalists as the “the best underground independent rock band in the USA.” Yet they’ve never been signed to a record label.
The band’s sound is pure middle America, comparable to Dave Matthews Band and Lifehouse. Lead singer Scott Terry has a soulful vocal similar to Eddie Vedder, and his dogged persistence is central to the bands success. We follow the band on the road and through the process of creating their 8th album and hearing testimonials from fellow touring mates OAR, family members and past band members. A majority of the action is concert footage and backstage scenes. These guys do everything themselves, including posting their own concert fliers on campus in the dead of night. Much like the last film I reviewed, this is the story of a band that deserves fame and fortune, but is relegated to doing it because music is their shared passion. We meet all the members of the band and learn their bios, their day jobs, and how they survive as working musicians. We conclude with a triumphant, yet anti-climactic signing by Fanatic Records. Overall, the film is inspiring and educational as to what it takes to survive in today’s musical landscape.