And very shortly after debuting, crowds began to swell to capacity to hear HALYX play. As up to this point, Disney Records was really about remixes and soundtracks, this was new and uncharted territory. Serious offers came pouring in to give them a proper album release, but HALYX never recorded. The experimental band broke up at the end of the summer season, but for those who were there and remember, HALYX’s legacy lives on.
And if you’ve never heard of them before, then no worries, as the director of Live From The Space Stage, Matthew Serrano, eases audiences into all the history, whirlwind of support, background machinations that both created and broke the band, and all the personal stories one could hope for. He ably sets the stage, so to speak, for the band’s creation and their rise. Serrano gets all the band members back for interviews, with one exception, and gets several producers and executives at Disney that were involved, including Krisel, Post, and A & R producer Bambi Moe. He also gets numerous fans to discuss their experience watching HALYX perform live.
“…the speakers are lively and happy to discuss this seemingly forgotten, though beloved, piece of Disney history.”
All the speakers are lively and happy to discuss this seemingly forgotten, though beloved, piece of Disney history. Everyone gets (roughly) equal time to share their perspective, with the documentary recounting HALYX’s journey chronologically. Thanks to the editing, by Serrano and producer Kevin Perjurer, of Defunctland fame (seriously, that show is the bee’s knees), Live From The Space Stage moves between all these speakers and pivotal milestones in the band’s career in a compelling, thoughtful way. It’s evident that the filmmakers wish to do justice to the big-little band’s history, and they definitely succeeded.
Live From The Space Stage: A HALYX Story tells what could have a very traditional and cliched-filled narrative, true story though it is, in a genuinely compelling and thoughtful way. By seamlessly entangling the personal and career matters, Serrano shows the talent of HALYX and what their success and demise meant to all those involved and their fans in a way that will enthrall the audience. This is an excellent documentary, not just for Disney fans, but lovers of rock n roll and movies as well.
"…evident that the filmmakers wish to do justice to the big-little band's history..."
