Don’t call it a comeback.
WE’VE BEEN HERE FOR YEARS.
The Sunnyside Uppers are a Canadian fraternal organization founded in 1934, to promote positive attitudes and healthy living during the Great Depression. Ubiquitous in high schools of the '50s and '60s, they often held spontaneous outdoor gatherings - the original flash mobs. In the '70s, following the success of Up With People in the US, visionary CFL commissioner Jake Gaudaur booked the Uppers to perform at several Grey Cup halftime shows; while they didn't achieve the widespread recognition of their American counterparts, they also escaped the vitriol that soon followed.
But that was the "me decade"; in the '80s as society became obsessed with growth, greed and the new, the Uppers were seen as outdated and irrelevant; a quaint relic. Their message of community engagement and ambiguous spirituality were no longer in demand. Their work moved to the margins of society. Their community halls were used for food banks, AA meetings and incidentally, music venues for the burgeoning hardcore scene.
The organization has been unable to recruit since 1982, following a protracted legal battle over the brand, assets and “suspicious activities” (a tale for another time). Fortunately for us, a loophole was built into their charter: the Uppers are owned by the founding members and their direct descendents, in perpetuity. But the younger generation had little interest in their parents’ “glee-club-cult”. Numbers dwindled, people died, the sun appeared to be setting on the once-mighty group. That suited certain interests just fine.
Things might have continued that way forever, but fate intervened. Despite a general skepticism about the internet (its effects on both the music business and society at large), the 2020 lockdowns presented the Uppers with a new challenge: how do you connect with your community if you can’t visit people’s homes, let alone organize concerts?
At around the same time, one of the heirs returned to the fold, after a stint as an indie band drummer and podcast host. The relationship was mutually beneficial; “the kid” found purpose in the work, and the existing team had someone willing to use the new digital tools to connect them with the world outside of their clubhouse.
And now you understand the Uppers’ current lineup. A rag-tag group of individuals who've seen their share of hard times, they're here for redemption. Their message is resonating with a new generation of community-minded truth-seekers. They're tired of shallow entertainment. They're concerned about social, economic and ecological collapse. The movement is more vital than ever. Come join us.