Liz and I went to the early showing of this video. We met up with Fuzz and Carleigh after some dinner with Darin and posted up next to one of the stars of the night, Shad. It was rad. Lots of teasers including a new Null one. The video itself was awesome. Not a hammer video with lots of raw street skating that can be viewed over and over. I can’t wait to get a copy of it. Liz and I bailed as soon as the credits started to get to the J Mascis show.

We said a quick hello to friends then posted right up front. I laughed as J’s guitars were brought to the front with the airplane tags still on them. Kinda hard to see in my cell phone photo above, but we shared a laugh with the guy next to us who might even be a bigger J Mascis nerd than me (not possible). The fire alarm at the Hi-Dive was going off which was pretty annoying.

J was walked up front looking frail and awkward and after a quick “Hello” busted right into The Wagon. Pretty much my favorite song ever. Although I’ll admit that’s one of those songs that benefits from the added noise of the whole band. Next up was Listen To Me off the new album and then Several Shades Of Why. Several Shades may have been my favorite song of the night. Then he went on to play mostly oldies including classics like Alone, Get Me, Ammarring, Quest. Oceans In The Way had one of the loudest crowd responses which kind of surprised Liz and I, but is just more evidence that Farm is one of their finest. I was surprised and excited to hear Not The Same. Not Enough went off. Flying Cloud is another runner up for my favorite song of the night. The encore was Raisons then Repulsion I think. The show was great. The only thing that takes away from it to me is this was the Several Shades Of Why tour and he only played four songs from it. A couple more would have made this show beyond epic to me. That being said, it was still a totally awesome show and J Mascis cannot be touched. After the show I went to get a t-shirt, but they had all sold out except one size large and a bunch of XXL (I’m not Mikey). Doh. Read a better review and see better photos at heyreverb.com.

I’m way more productive when I’m injured.  My rolled ankle isn’t going to take long, but here’s a review of the latest Transworld video.For some reason there are a lot of Transworld video haters out there. Personally I’ve always thought their videos featured top notch filming, editing and skating. And Now could easily be one of the best Transworld videos to date. The line up is sick and the intro starts it off pretty well.Having the pleasure of seeing Gravette skate some bowls in Denver on the Independent tour made me gain even more respect for the dude. He skates hard. Really hard. Somehow he even makes handrails look fun. Not sure about the “Freedom Rock” song for his part though and as much as he rips his part doesn’t do that much to get me off my couch. He’s one of those skaters I think I’d rather watch in person. That huge front 50 with his arms at his side is pretty darn ridiculous.I had never heard of Matt Miller before this video. He definitely has the surprise part of the video for me. The first three tricks alone are incredible. How do you do tech tricks that perfect? The 360 flip over the handicap bar is retarded. I still don’t know what the last trick is, but I totally dig this part.Richie Jackson. Oh god. The first couple times I watched this part I wanted to go outside and wax everything I could and just powerslide it. But after a couple more viewings I just can’t handle the dudes wardrobe. Sorry, I can’t relate to looking like a gypsy. I like the skating a lot, but the gear is just too much for me. Call me a fashion Nazi if you want, but seriously, style has a lot to do with your garb and this is just too much. Skip.The friends section intro is hilarious. Some jock soccer dude gets served. It’s funny. TNT skates faster than anyone. I swear I never gave a shit about that dude until I saw him skate in Denver and he blew me away. The whole montage is pretty good. Lots of variety, good filming, editing and the music works well for a montage. Andrew Allen is one of my faves. Chima goes huge. Slash is good at Smiths. Some dude on a Creature board goes huge in a bowl. Chad Bartie should get rid of the mullet. Silas is skater of the year. I want to see more of Chris Pfanner.I expected much more of Kenny Hoyle, but it’s weird, every viewing of his part gets better. Perhaps it’s because his style is so damn amazing. He has by far my favorite line of the entire video. The heelflip up the stair, push, nollie cab down the gap. It’s so damn perfect. Even the push. I can’t explain it, but I can seriously just watch that and want to go skate. Part of my love for this dudes part might be due to how much he reminds me of how Riley skates. The last hardflip is so rad.Nick Trapasso’s intro, while edited amazing, bums me out. Seriously dude, try a trick right into a dude busting you? Lame. Gotta give it up to the John Lennon song though, it goes perfect with his part and the kickflip into the puddle is rad. Dude has some serious moves and a rad style. For whatever reason though his part doesn’t do much for me. If you were to say it’s your favorite part I wouldn’t think less of you. I think it’s just a weird judgment thing and for whatever reason the dude doesn’t get me amped to skate. The story behind his ender 5-0 is pretty rad.Sean Malto gets props from Rick Howard in his part. That’s just how good his part is. His skating is the future. Everything and everywhere, fast, bolts, clean, no gypsy gear, no flare, Why does he have so many blank decks though? Come on Girl, send the dude his own board for crying out loud. This part easily has my favorite song in the video too. It’s a Bob Dylan cover and it rules. The switch flip switch front crooks in a run is retarded. The back to back noseblunts down rails in a run is retarded. The hardflip ender is filmed horribly, but luckily I’ve been there, seen those stairs, and their huge. Best part of the video by far and he pretty much has a smile thoughout the whole part. Rad.The credits I’m not so sure about. It’s pretty rad and all until the end when they show everyone enders again. Same angles and all. Ends the video on a totally cheesey note. Although it’s pretty funny that Kenny Hoyle totally disses Richie Jackson on the high 5.People that think the Lakai video is edited better than this video are whack. There is plenty of setup footage and HD artsy shots, but it normally actually has to do with the trick that follows so it makes since to me.  Plus there isn’t a complete over abuse of slow motion.   I could do without the complete Freedom Rock soundtrack, but all in all it’s a pretty great video.

This video has been out for almost a year now and I’ve been wanting to review it for awhile.  I have a love/hate relationship with Fully Flared.  I love most of the skaters, most of the filming and how epic the video is.  But I hate most of the music, the over-editing and complete abuse of slow motion as well as how long the video is.  I hate how boring they made MJ and Mariano’s parts.  The very first time I watched the video I fell asleep during Mariano’s part.  What?!?!  I was pissed.  Granted I was pretty tired, but still, I fell asleep during my first viewing of Mariano’s part.  Ridiculous.  The music says something about sleep and it’s boring music and well, I fell asleep.The intro is pretty amazing.  Once, twice, maybe even a third time.  But seriously, could the opening shot of Koston be any slower?  It’s almost as if he’s not moving at all.  By the time he even pops his tail for the kickflip I skip it to Mike Mo’s part.  Then there is the horrible over edits of random crap at the start of that part so I skip that too.  Don’t get me wrong, I think Mike Mo is amazing, but his part doesn’t live up to the hype for me and the over editing and crappy music is too much for me.  Next up is Pappalardo.  Maybe best part in the video?  The music is awesome, the editing works, the skating is amazing, and it’s not boring California gaps or rail footage.   This part gets me hyped.  I don’t even know how many parts I skip after that.  It’s not that the skating isn’t amazing, but I don’t have one hour to sit around watching a video before I go skate.  Sometimes I watch Cairo’s part, sometimes I don’t.  It’s a sick part though.  I have not watched Jeff Lenoce’s part since the first viewing.  Skip.  Alex Olson’s part is amazing.  I hate when my remote doesn’t work and I can’t fast forward the way-too-long intro though.  Dude skates fast and has style for miles.  I didn’t like the song at first, but now I’m into it.  Rick Howard’s part is pure awesomeness.  Dude is old and rips.  Carroll is still one of the best, although his second song really sucks.  Can you tell I don’t like new school gangsta rap crap?  Beibel is pretty sick, but I never watch that part.  Skip.  Koston.  Wow.  Koston is the best.  The frontside halfcab flip manual 180 down the three stair to switch manual.  Wow.  So many amazing tricks and Public Enemy!  Public Enemy and Koston go together so so good.  This is normally the last part I watch and I’m hyped to go skate.  I love Mariano, but the editing and two boring songs kill it for me.  I’ll watch the part, but not if it’s before I go skate.  Even though I’ve skipped half the video there is still more.  Three songs of MJ.  Seriously?  The third song has slow motion for EVERY SINGLE TRICK.  It’s the stupidist thing in history.  This part should have been two songs.  I’m find with him having last part, MJ is the man and his skating is so creative and inspiring, but I almost never watch his part because it’s too long.Basically I don’t think this video is all that.Rating:

I love east coast videos and the last Traffic video Via is still one of my all time favorites. According to stuff I read on various skate nerd sites this is more of just a promo video to introduce it’s new team riders Bobby Puleo and Jack Sabback than a real video. Knowing that I was still a bit surprised by the shortness of this video. Bobby and Jack each have full parts and there is one montage. Luckily the video packs a lot of sick skating in and just like their last video, makes me want to stop whatever I’m doing and go skate immediately. If only I could leave work whenever I wanted to. Doh.The filming and editing is improved and the video flows well. Puleo opens the video with his patented quick feet, long lines and unique spots. I was expecting a bit more, but it’s still a good part. My favorite trick is the ollie up onto the ledge while 50’ing a wide flatbar. Sabback’s part is pretty ridiculous. Tons of tech tricks while flowing through the city and dodging pedestrians. Dude is sick.Rating: