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VIDEO: Kelly Upshaw of The Hope Trust Goes On the Road at 35 Conferette


by Anne Bothwell 11 Mar 2011 3:23 PM

Kelly Upshaw of The Hope Trust helps KXT and Art&Seek debut a new video series we’re calling “On the Road.” Beautiful Denton is the backdrop. Check it out.

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Dane Walters and April Kinser are developing a new video series for KXT and Art&Seek called On the Road. Kelly Upshaw, frontman for The Hope Trust, agreed to go first. Filming took place yesterday on the square in Denton. The results: pretty darn cool. Check it out and look for more On the Road videos next week, when the music conference gears up at South By Southwest.

You can read a short q/a with Kelly below. And for more on the 35 Conferette, check out KXT’s Paul Slavens, who has taken over Art&Seek’s YouTube channel to bring you short interviews with musicians as they sign in for the festivities this weekend.

Who are you most looking forward to seeing at the 35 Conferette and why?

Mavis Staples was amazing. It kind of blew my mind to watch her own the audience, and to imagine all the struggle she’s seen in her life. She seemed so joyful. That’s what music is about; getting people together and sharing a moment that is uplifting.

I’m also looking forward to seeing Big Boi. He’s cool. Anything to loosen up a parking lot full of hipsters is good in my book.

What’s your favorite venue in Denton and why?

I really love Dan’s Silverleaf. It’s the best place to see a band in Denton, and it’s been a sort of home for the music community here for years. Dan is a really great asset to Denton.

Does the band have any pre-show rituals? If so, what are they?

I don’t think we collectively do anything. I usually like to take the 15 minutes prior, and be by myself. It always helps get my head clear.

What was the band’s most embarrassing moment on stage? (Or biggest on-stage disaster?)

Luckily, we’ve been pretty fortunate to not have any big disasters. We do make mistakes, and have the occasional technical challenge, but I’ve learned to not get hung up on that. Every show carries it’s own charm for me, and I know we’re more critical of ourselves than the average listener, so I try and keep that in perspective.

5. What is the band’s biggest career highlight?

I don’t know if it comes down to a particular event, but I feel like where we are as a band now feels better than any other part of our collective career. For me personally, I’m really proud of our new record, and that we’re out playing again. It feels like we’re making progress, after spending the last two years recording. I feel like there’s a pretty natural push in our band now to keep moving forward.

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