A NOTE FROM FILMMAKER, DAVE HABEEB

Beautiful Was the Fight was my passion project for about eight years. I wanted to make a film that focused mainly on women musicians from the local scene and also included members of the LGBTQ+ communities. Through my love of music and cinema, I wanted to highlight their music, the value of live performance, the importance of community, and the current state of venues in the Boston area.

Boston was home to world-renowned music schools, had no shortage of talent or passion, and boasted a rich history of successful artists and bands, especially in the rock and punk scenes. Despite this, it remained a very difficult place to develop and sustain a music career. Simply put, Boston was not considered a music destination in the same way that cities such as LA, New York, Nashville, or Austin were. The Boston music scene faced several challenges that hindered greater commercial success for its artists and made it difficult to sustain a vibrant live performance scene. There were not enough venues, especially smaller clubs to support up-and-coming artists, and Boston lacked the industry infrastructure for it to compete with other music cities. Additionally, and not exclusive to Boston, there were challenges for women and the LGBTQ+ communities in the form of gender inequality and acceptance. However, many people in the scene remained determined, worked hard to bring about positive change, raised awareness and offered support.

As a filmmaker, I wanted to explore what could be done to put Boston on the map as a music destination and keep artists here. Production began in September 2016 and the film was completed in February 2023. The project started shortly after I attended a concert at The Sinclair in Harvard Square on September 9, 2016, featuring Ruby Rose Fox and Walter Sickert & The Army of Broken Toys. I was already a big admirer of The Army of Broken Toys, but I hadn’t seen Ruby before and didn’t know her music. I became an instant fan. Ruby was the first artist I approached about making a film. My original vision was fairly modest in scope; I envisioned a “weekend-in-the-life” documentary short. Had Ruby not said yes and produced Queen Treatment Only, a concert featuring a line-up of several female-fronted bands from Boston on October 22 that same year, what became a vastly expanded vision for the film may never have become a reality. The show’s producers, Vickie and Peter Van Ness of gimmeLIVE, allowed me to film backstage and document performances. It was at that event that I met so many additional artists and, on the drive home later that night, realized I wanted to expand the scope of the project. Ruby was very supportive about the idea when I talked with her the next morning.

My goal was to make a film that shined a spotlight on the current Boston music scene – a film that celebrated the talent, success, drive, and passion we have in Boston, but also addressed its many challenges head-on. Most of all, I wanted to make a film that people would feel proud to be a part of.