Concrete Skateboarding Issue 129 by Concrete Skateboarding Magazine

Issue 129 / 2014 / free

est. 1990: canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original skateboard magazine Issue 129 / 2014

new brunswick DIY exposure altamont in VEGAS Alexis Lacroix Art Blender andy pitts past blast syd clark Sound Check warpaint 5 spot brad cromer

AT I B A P H O T O

JON SCIANO / FS 50-50 INTRODUCING

I N S TA : @ L A K A I LT D F B : L A K A I LT D WEB: LAKAI.COM / SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM LAKAISTICKERS@SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM

THE

/ M O R E I N F O AT L A K A I . C O M

distributed by ultimate

KELLEN JAMES

@KELLENSM4L

PHOTO: JOE HAMMEKE

FAKIE HEEL TAILSLIDE IN THE

WORKER PANT.

WAT C H T H E C L I P AT W W W. J S LV. C O M / K E L L E N JA M E S | @J S LV |

#J S LV | #J U S L I V

WATC H “ PAC IFIC NORT HW E ST” ONLI NE NOW

OLLIE INTO ROCK

F R O N T

TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING @TIMEBOMBTRADING

S H U V

PHOTO: BLABAC

issue 129 / 2014

FEATURES

24 new brunswick saint john & Moncton

36 DIY exposure photo feature

50 altamont in vegas days & nights

66 Wandering

the alexis lacroix interview

SKINNY TO SKINNY cover photo & caption by

Nathan Éthier-Myette

ALEXIS LACROIX and I are always talking shit to each other. A few weeks after I moved to Quebec City last summer, he called about shutting down the city with an epic banger. As usual we laughed about it, but I knew it was no joke when he told me to meet up at this gap called Skinny To Skinny. He’s been talking about doing this trick for a few years now, and even though it’s not the biggest gap, the danger factor is high. At first he just wanted to cruise around and wasn’t down to try this 360 FLIP. I don’t usually put on the pressure, but I told him there’s no way I’d leave without him trying. Good thing Alexis works well under pressure; he rolled away a few tries later and was ready to crack a beer on our way to the next spot.

wade desarmo

noseblunt nollie flip photos brandon alton

matt berger

tailslide fakie photo rich odam

issue 129 / 2014

13 14 16 20 80

razor tail by p.D. p.d. past blast issue 17 / 1995 inventory art blender andy pitts young bloods

burke / belrose / lanteigne

88 sound check warpaint 90 video links 92 five spot brad cromer

nadine otte

DEPARTMENTS

Rise & Shine – Nathan Éthier-Myette words Dan Mathieu

Two years ago I was thinking: “How good was the fisheye follow-filming in the Broke Am video? Who filmed this shit?” Turns out Nathan was holding the VX, and a funny thing ended up happening: his interest in still images took over moving images. He asked me to check out his work because he wanted to contribute photos to Exposé mag. I was stoked and we started working together. Nathan is friendly, easy going, and he kinda looks like George Costanza. Judging by this issue’s cover (his first one for Concrete) and the photos he shot for the Alexis Lacroix interview (p.66), it’s no wonder he got this Rise & Shine shout out. Nathan: you deserve it, but could you please return my Hasselblad that you borrowed “for a few days” over a year ago? @thisnathanguy Broke Am: vimeo.com/24363642

THE

HIGHLIGHT

TYLER BLEDSOE

timebombtrading.com | Facebook.com/timebombtrading | @timebombtrading

Skate Photo by: Sam Ashley Portrait: Kevin Barnett

distributed by ultimate :DVWH WLPH ! RQ IDFHERRN FRP WR\PDFKLQH LQVWDJUDP #WR\BPDFKLQH RU FUXVW\ ROÂ· WR\PDFKLQH FRP HQG RI WUDQVPLVVLRQ WKLV OLQH PDUNV WKH HQG RI WKLV SDJHÂ·V LQIRUPDWLRQ SOHDVH PRYH RQ WKH WKH QH[W SDJH

ISSUE #17 - 1995 Syd Clark

Frontside Flip [o] Nicholas burke

This cover—which was shot at the old Vic West park in Victoria, BC—was one of the reasons why I moved to Vancouver. Well, that and getting sponsored by etnies (for a couple years I’d only rock those white Raps). Vic West was all we had back then because the cops were still super aggressive about street skating. So I pretty much skated that park every day with Judah Oakes. That led us to getting a part in the first Whiskey video, which ended up being a pretty big deal back then. After that I got sponsored by RDS Skate Supply in North Vancouver, and continued working with RDS for 16 years before venturing off on my own and opening up Menu Skateboard Shop in Gastown. It’s cool that I got this cover in ’95, and after all these years I own a store and I’m passing out new issues of Concrete to people. I still go back to Victoria as often as I can to see old friends and family. It’s cool to see how much the skate scene has grown over there, with more parks and shops popping up. Shout out to Coastline, where you can still find one of my old Tribute boards up on their wall. R.I.P. James “Jamer” Lindsay. —Syd Clark

collection compiled by

casey jones

etnies

Highlight This is Tyler Bledsoe’s colourway of the Highlight, which is the lightest skate shoe out there. Built with no rubber, it utilizes STI Evolution Foam, a siliconebacked one-piece toe, a stabilizing TPR heel wrap system and much more. etnies.com

chocolatE

Jerry hsu decks A desire to continue working with like-minded individuals, and the opportunity to rejoin long-time friend Marc Johnson led to Jerry’s Hsu’s big move to Chocolate. He’s psyched, and you’ll be psyched on his stylish planks. chocolateskateboards.com

HUF

Galaxy Brand new for Spring ’14, the Galaxy is an instant classic. Based on the classic athletic silhouettes of the 1970s, this one comes in clean and timeless. It’s yet another HUF joint to get behind. hufworldwide.com

LAKAI

emerica

lakai.com

emerica.com

Brandon Biebel 4 The BB4 will be hitting shops as you read this, and will feature a cupsole because this is how the man rolls. The look stays true to an athletic court shoe, but it’s built for the streets.

Highside Jacket The Highside is part of the Jerry Hsu Collection, and it features stretch denim bonded with polar fleece to wrangle that body heat during a coldweather roll. The varsity style collar also helps make it sweet.

footprint

FP’s ARTi-LAGE foam is all about impact absorption, and the unique Painkiller Socks will prevent shinners and ankle bites. As for insoles, the heat-moldable Guy Mariano and Cali Girls Gamechangers help those with low or fallen arches, while the versatile Kevin Romar Kingfoam absorbs up to 90% of impact energy. fpinsoles.com

matix

Victory AK Jacket This jacket is military inspired, water resistant, fully functional and built to last. Classic styling to keep you warm in the late winter weather, and yet another must-have from the Matix camp. matixclothing.com

DVS SHOES

Torey VPR This is the cupsole version of T-Pud’s original pro shoe, and it’s out in a limited series with premium-look synthetic weave textile paneling. The high-rebound foam VPR cushioning technology helps make this one both stylish and functional. dvsshoes.com

knox hardware

Industry vet Tim Gavin wanted to add just a small twist to the nutsand-bolts game. Each container comes with wax, and the Seven Seas tee and snapback are looking good, too. Teamsters Chris Cole, Daewon Song and Vincent Alvarez agree. knoxhardwaremfg.com

adidas Skateboarding

Busenitz Pro With inspiration from the legendary Copa Mundial soccer boot, Dennis’ version features a kangaroo leather upper, a durable one-piece toecap and a GEOFIT collar for comfort and stability. Step your game up. adidas.com/skateboarding

distributed by ultimate

JORDANTRAHAN

welcome to the team WALLIE 50 50 > NEW YORK • PHOTO ARTO SAARI

BALANCE t STRENGTH t ENDURANCE DESTRUCTOTRUCKS.COM | FACEBOOK.COM/DESTRUCTOTRUCKS DISTRIBUTED BY ULTIMATE

art blender

andy pitts

round 800 kilometres south of Winnipeg lies the small town of Mitchell, South Dakota. Known for its cornfields and overwhelming flatness, it was where Andy Pitts was raised and grew up skating. He eventually made his way out west with the goal of becoming an Art Director in the skateboard industry, which is exactly what happened. Andy is now a full-time artist and designer at Deluxe in San Francisco. Prior to the NorCal move, and lacking art or design-related education, he gained experience by entering online t-shirt design contests at threadless.com. Andy also designed tees for Salt Lake City’s Dirty Hessian/48 skate crew. For the past five years he’s handled anything and everything for the Deluxe art room. From his beginnings as a freelance artist for REAL, Andy quickly jumped in full-time to create product, print ad, web campaign and video graphics for Spitfire, Thunder, Venture, Anti Hero and Krooked. His favourite mediums are board graphics and tees because of the open area of creation, but his work on wheels and trucks shows his ability to create within any restriction. “I really enjoy doing packaging for Spitfire; coming up with new ways to present the wheels and tell a story really appeals to me.” While busy applying his unique style, witty graphics and inhuman levels of output, Andy still manages to find time to freelance on the side, kill it on a skateboard and build DIY spots for the Bay Area scene. Overall, he’s the most down-to-earth skate rat around. —Randy Laybourne the1948timemachine.com

“I have to check myself just about every time Andy shows me a finished piece of his art. I worry that showering him with praise might go to his head. I just nod and maybe smile while I consistently get blown away by hands-down one of the most creative and positive people I have ever met.” —Jim Thiebaud

left to right from top: REAL “Long Days Brock” deck REAL “Hard Nights Brock” deck REAL “Pest Control Hardy” deck REAL “Magic Carpet Ramondetta” deck REAL “Band-Aid Ishod” deck REAL “Busenitz Police” deck REAL “Bad News Blob Squad Chima” deck REAL “Special Ed Brock” deck REAL “Watermelon Team” deck Spitfire “Darkside” tee Spitfire “Some Like It Hot” tee Spitfire “Blood Beast” wheel Thunder “Gerwer Rocket” truck Krooked “Boxing Klub” tee Spitfire “Molotov” tee Spitfire “Spirit Animal Johnson” wheel Spitfire “Grade A Alvarez” wheel Spitfire “Froston Lager” wheel Spitfire “Billionaire Johnson” wheel Spitfire “Speed Lovers Mariano” wheel

“Visual Guide To Skateboarder’s Signs” by Andy Pitts. Created exclusively for Concrete Skateboarding. visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer & mobile device.

Saint John & Moncton New Brunswick

Whenever most people mention the “east coast” of Canada, they’re usually referring to the bigger-known cities like Toronto and Montreal. For that reason the Maritime provinces are often overlooked when it comes to demos, tours or skate trips in general. New Brunswick is one of those provinces. But truth-be-told it’s finally starting to shine through as an up-and-coming skate destination, thanks to its ever-growing skate scene and surprising abundance of spots. This feature will cover two of the major New Brunswick cities and their distinctive scenes. There’s Saint John, which I refer to as the San Francisco of the province because of all the sick hills that litter Canada’s oldest city. Then there’s Moncton, the city where I grew up and currently reside, which has always been the skate mecca of the Maritimes. I hope this feature gives you a solid glimpse into a small and often forgotten corner of our great country. —Justin Allain

jeff delong

DS &

WOR

TO PHO

JEFF

DELO

Situated along the great Bay of Fundy in southern New Brunswick is the industrial port city of Saint John (not to be confused with St. John’s, Newfoundland). Being located on the Bay, which has the highest tides in the world, means cool summers and mild winters compared to the rest of the province. This is good for skateboarding. The city is divided up into several sections: Uptown, North End, South End, Westside and Eastside. Although mostly residential, scattered throughout the city are large industrial centres such as the massive Irving Oil Refinery on the Eastside, and a pulp and paper mill smack dab in the middle of the city. Better though, is the famous Moosehead Brewery (89 Main St. W), located across from the mill. The majority of skating goes down in the Uptown area, which is really the downtown business core of the city (it’s just called Uptown being that it’s situated on a large hill). The area is made up of beautiful historic architecture with lots of unique spots to skate if you’re prepared to handle the rough and weather-worn terrain.

As for a little skate history, one cannot speak of the scene in Saint John without mentioning the Circle. Located in the heart of the city, the Circle is a brick plaza consisting of ledges and stairs. For years it was the central meeting spot for locals such as Andrew McGraw, Tim Breen, Kevin Murray, Matt McFarlane, Justin and Brian Gautreau, to name a few. These days the Circle is in dire need of a new brick surface as most sections are almost unskateable. The Station One plaza (99 Station St.) opened in 2009, just a couple of blocks away from the Circle. This park caused an amazing and much needed rejuvenation to the skate scene in the city. Located beneath an overpass beside the Harbour Station Arena, it’s a fun park with friendly locals. It also has lights for evening and late night sessions. There’s currently no indoor in Saint John, so in the winter most people head to the Riverview park in Moncton, which is about an hour away.

Chris Gilbert 360 flfflLIP

Terrill Sands taildrop

There are a couple of skateshops around town; a new one right by the park called Pristine (55 Prince Edward St.), and there’s also Eastside (101 McAllister Dr.). If you’re looking for a tour of the different spots around the city, the locals are always more than happy to show you around. After a long day of skating you can relax on the boardwalk, which is located along the waterfront Uptown. It’s made up of several bars and restaurants that offer some of the best beer and seafood you’ll find anywhere. In the summer you can hit the patios there to ogle the beautiful women or watch the cruise ships come and go from the harbour.

If you’re interested in heading off to check out the sights, some recommendations would be to visit some of the many museums and art galleries, wander the Uptown area or go for a hike through the 600-acre Irving Nature Park on the Westside. If you’re feeling really adventurous though, you could walk over to Partridge Island in the Bay of Fundy, which is connected to the mainland via a long causeway of giant boulders. This is Canada’s first quarantine station, designed to keep sick Irish immigrants from entering the city in the early 1800s. There are all kinds of cool abandoned buildings and graveyards over there to check out, as well as a great view of the city. So if you’re planning a trip to the Maritimes, you’re guaranteed to meet some great people, take in some Canadian history and skate some great spots in Saint John.

Tyson Preshyon noseslide

Sam Bech feeble

STIN S JU

ALLA

OS HOT

TIN

DUS

SECA

WOR

Moncton is a small city located in southeast New Brunswick. It’s been dubbed “Hub City” due to the fact that it’s located in the geographic center of the Maritime provinces. The city has always had a flourishing skate scene; even more so when the very first concrete skatepark in the Maritimes was built in 2000. The park is on Assomption Boulevard and Foundry Street, right beside the Petitcodiac River, which is home to the famous tidal bore—a very rare natural phenomenon. It’s a three-foot wave that never breaks, and it recently gained some extra public attention due to people surfing it for the first time. A few shops have come and gone over the years, but Boardertech (465 Main St.) has been the local shop that stayed alive through the fluctuating popularity of skateboarding in Moncton. Located in the downtown core, Boardertech is just a minute skate from the park and roots itself in the scene by hosting a great mix of events. Moncton has had its fair share of notable locals over the years. Guys like Mike Prangnell, Delaney Fearon, Maurice Gautreau and Andre LaFrance to

name a few. The newer generation of ripping locals include James Leger, Marty Arsenault, Fred Lanteigne (check out his Young Bloods profile on p.84), Tyler Dobson, Jackson Landry, and Jordan Poitras. These guys know all too well that street skating anywhere in the Maritimes is not very easy. The harsh freeze-thaw cycle caused by cold winters and hot summers means that street spots often become uneven and riddled with cracks, sometimes after only one winter. This means it’s necessary to be a bit resourceful and hands-on with keeping our favourite spots skateable. Speaking of which, there’s alot of quality spots popping up thanks to the abundance of new construction in the city. We’re also lucky enough that virtually none of these spots ever get capped. Another good thing about the Greater Moncton skate scene is that right across the Petitcodiac River, in a town called Riverview, we have access to an indoor park (145 Lakeside Dr.). It features lots of well-built obstacles, but can get very congested due to some flaws in the layout. We can’t complain too much, though. At least we have somewhere to skate during the six long winter months.

When you’re done skating for the day, there’s still lots to do in the city and surrounding areas. Just a short 15-minute drive to a town called Shediac is where you’ll find Parlee Beach, which has some of the warmest salt water north of Virginia. If you’ve worked up an appetite there are plenty of great restaurants, but my favourite by far is the Tide & Boar Gastropub (700 Main St.). It features great meals all made from scratch using seasonal ingredients, and more beers than you’d care to shake a stick at. Seafood fans are usually really hyped on the fresh Atlantic lobster this region is known for, but you should be ready to plunge yours to its boiling death to get the full experience. All these things are all well and great, but what really separates Moncton—or New Brunswick in general for that matter—from the rest is the people who live here. I’ve been to a lot of big cities throughout North America and I can say with confidence that this is where the genuinely nicest people live. If you’ve never seen the eastern most portion of Canada yet, I strongly recommend you start in Moncton between the months of June and October. It’s something every true Canadian should do at least once in their lives.

Wilkie ( Ryan 180 nosegrind Justin Allain )

front board shuv

conlan killeen

hip ollie to far bank [o] Jay Delaney

ometimes it’s as simple as a little patchwork, and sometimes it’s making something out of nothing. Some spots are here to stay, and some are long gone. The DIY landscape is constantly changing shape and will forever be explored. Skate it until it’s dismantled, then build again.

[o] Brian Caissie

“Brian Caissie hit me up one summer day with rumours of a Vancouver ghetto spot where he wanted to lay down concrete to create a channel gap. Always being down to renegade some DIY, we arrived and started to unload the trunk, only to realize we had everything except the concrete [laughs]. Learning from previous mistakes we headed back to this spot, hidden behind prickle bushes and rubble, and cemented transitions to a pillar slab that has a smashed out channel gap. Whatchu got?”

—Jamie Maley

josh clark

backside tailslide photos: Brian Caissie

“This nice out-ledge in Quebec City drops off just below head high with a skate stopper you have to gap over. The runway was brutal though, with the top stair pretty much falling off and two-inch gaps between all the blocks right where you needed to pop. So Eric Mercier, Brian Caissie and I got to work, pulling up the whole top stair to fix the sand underneath, then used Bondo to fix all the gaps. Sometimes with big cracks it’s best to put down two layers—one to fill it and one to make it flush on top.”

—Josh Clark

Andrew classon

front hurricane switch crook photos: Rich Odam

“The Clayton ledge was built in this shitty old abandoned lot in Surrey, B.C. just off the Fraser Highway. We found some parking blocks under overgrown bushes then used trowels, buckets, a drill with mixing paddles, concrete mix and water to cement three curbs on top of cinder blocks in a few hours. We spent a few more rub bricking, filling the cracks with Bondo and putting on lacquer. After letting it cure overnight, we waxed it up and had ourselves a Fully Flared ledge, which later got torn down for construction. R.I.P.”

—Mike Schulze

Jamie maley

backside tailslide photos: Jay Delaney

“The progression of Vancouver’s Leeside tunnel under the Cassiar Connector has been interesting, to say the least... from burnt wood ramps, to chipping away eight inches of rock-hard road base, to the handmade concrete transitions it has today. The City of Vancouver now lists Leeside as a ‘skatepark’ on their website. Recognized but not funded by the city, it shows what can be accomplished with the dollars and elbow grease of like-minded people. There’s usually a couple bridge trolls down there that’ll show you some lines and tax a few of your beers.”

—Seb Templer

Mitch Barrette

heelflip

photo: Josh Hotz

“This spot is actually on my old man’s property in Ottawa. We were thinking of doing something there for a long time, then that Red Bull DIY contest came up. So we built it and won a free trip to Vancouver [laughs]. Aaron Cayer and Julian Garner came up with the design. We would pretty much just have a couple a drinks, hack a couple darts and work on the spot.”

—Adam Scarabelli

“This spot was located under the Rosemont street overpass, in between St-Denis and St-Laurent, in the Mile End district of Montreal, which is a prime location. Some called it P46, but most called it Rosemont. At first, the cops and city workers were down. They even told us that as long as we don’t touch the bridge structure, we could do whatever we want. But eventually, some city workers started complaining. And that’s that.”

—Dan Mathieu

Andrew mcgraw

alley-oop backside kickflip photos: Dan Mathieu

distributed by ultimate

KELLEN JAMES - GAP TO TAILSLIDE - SAN DIEGO, CA. SK8MAFIA4LIFE.COM - INSTAGRAM: @SK8MAFIA #SK8MAFIA - TWITTER:@SK8MAFIA4LIFE PHOTO: CONNELLY

WORDS & PHOTOS: RICH ODAM

“I’ll start out by saying nobody should spend a week in Vegas—that’s the worst idea,” mentions Skylar Kehr, who did just that alongside his Altamont Canada teammates Hugo Balek, Colin Lambert, Andrew Wenckstern, Scott Varney and Timebomb Trading TM Tyler Holm. “A week in Vegas,” Skylar continues, “is like a year’s time anywhere else.” The city of Las Vegas can be a two-faced bitch, divided only by the natural ambient light given to you by the sun. The daylight hours are more known for recovering from the previous night’s hangover, overheating, spending time swimming in pools, and sightseeing at the Hoover Dam. Then there’s the dark side. Vegas nights are pretty much the only reason people travel there. During the winter the sky turns down at around five o’clock, which is technically too early to start up on indecent behavior. But those damn neon lights attract humans to The Strip like flies to poop.

Nestled in the Mojave Desert, Sin City offers an abundance of skate spot options. And as Colin Lambert puts it: “Las Vegas skateboarders are extremely generous with their time, equipment and spots. No attitude whatsoever.” While skating during the day is the obvious choice, you have to battle the desert climate and intense heat. But once the sun goes down and things cool off, businesses close and more spots become available. No matter where you are, those neon lights shine bright though. The Strip is easily spotted from anywhere in the city at night. Do you remember anything from a stint in Vegas? Going there on a skate trip is a definite gamble, but these guys managed to make it happen day and night.

altamontapparel.com timebombtrading.com #altamontsincity

One thing Las Vegas has lots of, which is fairly odd for a city that has virtually no rain, is very good skateable ditches. These are pretty sweet for warming up the legs because the ground is smooth. And unlike some skateparks, they’re not vortex-like traps, plus they can become a great spot to start shooting if the situation arises (which it did). From there we would plan out a skate spot route. Thanks to the Vegas homies Bernard Van Weydeveldt and Dom “G” Granieri, we had the city laid out. We’d scout spots, skate the ones we were feeling and take note of the ones we had to revisit later. Once we were out skating under the penetrating sun, lunch was at times overlooked. Our focus didn’t shift towards food as much as beverages and lip moisturizer. The extremely dry air had claimed many white-lips-of-pain victims. “Buy the finest box of chapstick money can afford or your lips will look like a mild case of herpes,” Hugo Balek clarifies.

It’s rare to think that Las Vegas claims victims during the daylight hours, but in the case of our good friend Andrew Wenckstern, that was just the case. Sporting a common cold upon arrival, his body never seemed to recover. Even a daily dose of Vitamin D triggered by the sun didn’t help. He just didn’t feel right, so we drove him to a nearby hospital to get checked. Once released back into the wild he felt much worse within hours, so back to the hospital for him it was. As he puts it, “Vegas got the best of me with crazy anxiety attacks.” I suggested that a legal prostitute might help his case, but apparently it wasn’t in the allocated budget for this trip. While driving the streets of Las Vegas during the day, it’s hard to say how far you’ve traveled or how far you got until you get back to the hotel. It’s all desert and much of the neighbourhoods seem the same. But once night falls, the strong white beam emerging from the top of the Luxor Hotel pyramid serves as a lighthouse for The Strip. From anywhere in the city, it’s a symbol of where to find trouble.

a e k i l s i s a g e “A week in V where else.” y n a e m i t s ’ r a ye r —Skylar Keh

Once sunset came we basically had two choices, set up the generator and lights to skate some spots, or hit the strip and begin the debauchery. We did a little of both, but the best stories came from what happened after we got back from skating. Our first couple nights started rather mildly: walking the strip, hopping from casino to casino looking for those good tables with low buy-ins and free booze. The first night Hugo Balek generously offered to buy the crew some sugary slush booze drinks from a street vendor. This was the Montrealer’s first-ever night in Vegas, and he chose to make it memorable. Hugo spent more money in five hours than I had budgeted for the whole trip. He already spent most of that buying drinks during the flight over with some stranger that was sitting next to him. “The Vegas night life will kill you,” Hugo remembers. “I spent $450 the first night, and got banned at the Hooters Casino on the last night.”

When I got to Vegas, I had set the usual low gambling budget for myself. I’m not a huge fan, but it didn’t take long for that limit to go out the window. One night we all sat down at a roulette table (our game of choice) and next to me was Skylar. After a few $20 bets, he decides to throw down $100 and wins. His luck was just getting started, which was clear when I heard an important sounding 8 a.m. bang at the door of the hotel room I shared with Tyler Holm. As Skylar explains: “Me, Hugo and Scott met Jason the pit boss and stayed up all night drinking and gambling at the Hooters Casino. This landed me a comped room, $380 in slot play and $180 in comped goods around the casino. Oh, and $3,400.”

e h t s a w s “Thi ” . r e v e a e d i p i r t t s r o w bestk e l a B o g u H —

Skylar’s gambling streak continued for a few days, and it got to the point of acquiring some quirky rituals that included poor hygiene. Scott Varney adds: “One time after leaving the bathroom Skylar asked me if I washed my hands. I said ‘nah’ and he said, ‘Neither did I; I’m not washing off this good luck.’”

Gambling, panic attacks, sleep deprivation and brutally chapped lips aside, we all survived Vegas more or less. Some were lucky enough to come out alive, and some were lucky enough to leave with money left in their bank accounts. Sin City itself was lucky that Hugo didn’t extend his stay by missing his departing flight. In his words: “This was the best-worst trip idea ever.” But Skylar sums it up best by saying: “In the end, we all walked away with a bad case of the Vegas.”

distributed by ultimate

NEEN WILLIAMS FOR

TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM

CLOTH.

@TIMEBOMBTRADING

FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING

CUT

FROM

DIFFERENT

ALEXIS

words tyler holm

photos nathan éthier-myette

eople are so obsessed with social media, their iPhones and technology in general these days. But there are a few out there, like Montreal’s Alexis Lacroix, who don’t even have a phone. He also doesn’t have a car or a care in the world. He is truly going with the flow, and letting life take him where it pleases. Some people probably couldn’t live in such a way—without structure. The majority of structure in Alexis’ life happens when four wheels are beneath his feet. The Emerica, RVCA (through Timebomb Trading), Krooked, Thunder and Spitfire (through Supra Distribution) rider has been traveling from city to city with a bag on his back and the wind in his long, greasy hair. Considering his overall lack of responsibility, there’s something about Alexis that makes you confident that he’ll do just fine. I know people with full-time jobs that I’m more concerned about in life then Alexis. He goes after what he wants, and what he wants is simple. Right now it’s skateboarding, playing music in his band and taking advantage of the adventure that comes with being young and free. Alexis doesn’t need material things to make him happy. All it takes is good company and some dry concrete to help him push along to the next destination.

[o] jay delaney

How do you pronounce your first name and what does your last name mean? Al-ex-ie. Lacroix translated to English would be “the cross.” Is it true that you recently hitchhiked all the way to Vancouver from Montreal? Not exactly, I got a lift from a truck-driving girl. Like a semi, is that how you call it? She was a nice, rough girl. She definitely had a good story to tell. How did you meet her? My cousin, she was a truck-driving girl. And when you’re a girl driving a truck you meet other truck-driving girls because there isn’t a lot of them. So my cousin looked through her contacts and this girl was down to hook me up with a ride. I got to learn about how their career works and how they got to be committed to the road. Would she take any drugs to stay awake? No, not at all. Just tall coffees. They have a schedule to respect so they have to sleep. She had a bed inside the semi, so I got to sleep in there while she was driving. It was pretty comfortable. What was she transporting? Meat. Frozen meat. That’s pretty boring Yeah, it is [laughs]. But it was a good experience. Now I know I don’t want to do this job. She dropped me off in Winnipeg and I skated a bit there. Then I had to bus from there to the valley of the Okanagan in B.C., where I stayed for about two weeks to meet up with my girlfriend. She was picking apples. I just got to chill there and experience the picker’s lifestyle. 68

Frontside feeble pop-out

Switch barley grind 180 out

Frontside feeble [o] Brian Caissie

What’s it like living the picker’s lifestyle? They live right in the orchard, pick stuff all day, then they party and camp every night. It’s a pretty cool scene. Nice landscapes and shit.

opened a beer and the cops just came at the same time. We ended up chatting and telling jokes, so it wasn’t too bad. I’m supposed to go to court to talk this ticket out. I’ve got some good arguments about it.

What’s the name the band you play harmonica and trumpet in? And how are your bandmates holding up with you being away for so long? It’s called Jam Boulevard [jamboulevard.bandcamp.com]—a French lyrics band that’s been doing real good. I kind of left it for three months and they did a couple shows without me.

How was it staying in Vancouver? Fun. I was living at a downtown Vancouver hostel, right off Hastings Street. Cool place, pretty cheap. Dirty, but nice people and good parties. Living off Hastings and seeing all those crackheads and zombies kind of got to me so I had to get out of there. I traveled a bit around Whistler and Victoria, then to Salt Spring Island—that was really good for the soul. Too much concrete, or too much dirt and crazy people can affect your mental health. I had to get out and see some green stuff. You guys have the most beautiful place in the world probably. B.C. is amazing.

So they don’t need you? Yeah, they missed me [laughs]. They do need me. We played some shows over the summer and I have to go back to Montreal by March to record our first album. I can’t wait to do that and be a part of it. Have you ever been arrested? For skateboarding mostly. I was arrested once for driving a car and drinking, but that was not the case actually. I was parked when I finally

Is the homeless scene that much different in Vancouver compared to Montreal? It seems like the homeless scene is only on one street in Vancouver. In Montreal it’s kind of all over the place, so you don’t see it as hard as it is on Hastings. I’m pretty sure it’s probably worse in Vancouver.

“Too much concrete, or too much dirt and crazy people can affect your mental health.”

Smith grind

You were in Vancouver a lot longer then you expected, eh? Yeah I got caught in the vortex. Me and my girlfriend are just trying to go down south and chase the sun. So you two plan on hitching rides down south? Hitchhiking is a fun way to do it. Most of the time you meet locals and if they pick you up they tell you to go to this place, or go to camp there, or go to this bar. They give you tips. It’s cool to be on the road, and it’s different all the time. Good stories. do you plan on making it as far as Mexico? I’m thinking about going all the way down through Washington, to Oregon, to Cali, and then maybe Guatemala. I’ve heard it’s friendly there for tourists and young people. I heard Mexico is kind of crazy, but I’d love to check it out for sure. I’d love to learn Spanish. I’ve heard that for people speaking French it’s easier because there’s a lot of similarities between the languages. The best way is to just go there.

Nollie shuv nose manny nollie heelflip

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I try to skate with everyone. Some people skate with their crew the whole time, but I try and jump from one to the other and be more like a lone wolf .â&#x20AC;?

Lipslide

[o] Brian Caissie

What’s the furthest you’ve ever traveled from home? I guess it would be San Diego. It was a while a go, probably four years. I was there skating and checked out L.A. too. I’ve gone to San Francisco twice. I love that city. During your time in Vancouver I noticed you’re the most frugal guy. Can you elaborate on your spending habits? You might think I am, but I’m not that frugal. When you’re staying at someone’s place it’s easier to be frugal because you’re just skating all day and not spending money. You’re more on a mission so it’s easy. But when I stayed at the hostel it was easier to go to the dark side—party and drink beer. Who were you skating with on the coast? Oh, I’ve skated with so many good people. Filming with you, Dakota Allison, Jake Kuzyk and Alex Doyle. Skating with Skylar Kehr, Arte Lew, Mike Campbell, Tyler Warren, Clayton Uhlig, Desmond Hoostie, Conlan Killeen and Dustin Henry. I’ve skated with so many people, man.

How about when you’re in Montreal? I try to skate with everyone. Some people skate with their crew the whole time, but I try and jump from one to the other and be more like a lone wolf. I skate with the Dime dudes: Antoine Asselin, Charles Rivard, Hugo Balek, Kyle MacDonald and Josh Clark. I’m stoked on everybody. I skate with the P45 crew, too. That DIY is bringing a really good vibe to Montreal, which is kind of what we need because we don’t have so many crazy parks like in Vancouver. But there’s a lot of good spots in Montreal; I’ll be stoked to go back there for street skating. Do people bring up the ski-jump you did down that San francisco double-set? Yeah, I get it pretty often. I feel like if people know who I am as a skater they’ll probably talk to me about it because that’s the trick that stands out the most. And it’s funny because I knew it was going to be something hard that was going to feel good, but I never thought it would be that big of a deal; people thinking it’s the best trick I’ve ever done or something. I don’t think you can really claim one trick as the best trick. But it was definitely one of the best feelings I’ve had on a skateboard.

“I love to see tricks that amaze me and make me laugh at the same time.”

Ollie

Any other plans for that double? I have this crazy idea about trying a coffin down it. I’ve even dreamt about it and made it in my dream. That’s a good sign, for sure [laughs]. I thought about wearing a big leather coat, having a few beers, and then trying it. I’ve got to get this coffin thing on point and try a few hill bombs. It’s more like a circus trick. I love to do those kinds of tricks because I love to see tricks that amaze me and make me laugh at the same time. You have a very different way of looking at spots. What’s going through your head when you skate? I feel like when I’m watching skate videos, I’ll see some really good tricks that impress me, but when I see something I’ve never seen before it’s mind blowing. It may not be hard or crazy, but I dig it. Then again, you can do the same trick as every one else, but with a different style, and it’s going to be real amazing.

5-0 frontside grab

[o] jay delaney

Have you ever invented a trick? I guess I’ve invented one or two tricks. But you can’t really claim that because with all the skateboarders world-wide, you never know. There might be a guy in Japan who did your trick, filmed it with his iPhone, and then lost his phone [laughs]. What’s one of the tricks you think you may have come up with? I’ve never seen a boneless lip shuv before. I’ve also never seen a ski jump wallie. I was told that you were picking mushrooms in Vancouver. What’s the story behind that? I was hanging out around a community center getting some cheap food, and I met this mushroom guide there. He presented himself as “F”. I’d see him sometimes in the streets and he would always be saying some spiritual prophecy. He showed us around UBC and Wreck Beach where special 76

mushrooms grow. You have to know the right mushrooms to pick, but they can be real tasty for your mind. If you pick the wrong one, or if you don’t dry it right, it can be deadly. did you quit your day job to live the dream? Yeah I had this amazing job at my father’s coffee roasting company, Lenoir & Lacroix [lenoirlacroix.ca], as a sales rep. Just mainly being on the road, selling coffee and spreading the good word. Now I want to focus on skateboarding, music, and traveling around, because later might be too late. So I’m just trying to live off music and skateboarding for a while. Was it upsetting to leave your father’s business? Yeah, because it was a real nice job and I was stoked to be able to help the family business. I felt like I was good at this job, but I’m better at skateboarding, I’m better at playing music. So I figure I’ll concentrate on what I do best, and what I love best. The company is doing fine without me.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to focus on skateboarding, music and traveling around, because later might be too late.â&#x20AC;?

distributed by ultimate

photos antosh cimoszko

Steven Burke age: 19 lives: Surrey, BC sponsors: Cliché, Converse, Coastal Riders

wallie 50-50

Since first meeting him, I’ve learned that Steven is a sneakerhead and he has one of the most enjoyable styles to watch. Putting his effortless pop and good trick selection to use, he’s progressed substantially over the last year. You should be seeing a part from him in the local Vancouver video, Still Rollin’ 2, which will be out sometime in 2014. —Antosh Cimoszko

In Canada through Ultimate Distribution

photos sam fidlin

Jesse Belrose wallride feeble pop-out

age: 23 lives: London, ON sponsors: Fallen Footwear, Concrete Ice Cream Wax, London Skateboard Co-op

Pilsner, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Molson Canadian, Budweiser or Olde English perhaps? The list goes on, but if you can name it, Jesse will drink it. His skating is very similar in the sense that he’s one of those all around rippers. Put something in front of him and he’ll figure out a way to skate the hell out of it, while also being a hype man at the session. —Sam Fidlin

photos dustin seca

Frederic LANTeigNe age: 14 lives: Moncton, NB sponsors: Studio Skateboards, LRG, Surface Skateshop

noseslide

Skateboarding just comes naturally to Fred, and even at 14 he’s better than most guys are in their prime. He can also adapt to skate just about anything, be it rails, ledges, gaps, or trannies. He’s definitely someone to look out for in the near future; I guarantee that in a few years’ time you won’t be forgetting his name. —Dustin Seca

TIMEBOMBTRADING.COM FACEBOOK.COM/TIMEBOMBTRADING @TIMEBOMBTRADING

Gab Proulx Ollie

photo phil bernard

concrete Est. 1990: Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s original skateboard magazine

PRINTED IN CANADA

skateboarding.com view issues on your desktop & mobile device for free

PUBLISHER Kevin Harris EDITOR-in-chief Frank daniello

frank@concreteskateboarding.com

PHOTO EDITOR / staff photographer Brian Caissie brian@concreteskateboarding.com

ART DIRECTOR Dave Keras

davek@concreteskateboarding.com

media Sales Manager Casey Jones

casey@concreteskateboarding.com

contributing designers Randy Laybourne PD Administration Dave Buhr

Contributing Photographers nathan ethier-myette brandon alton, rich odam Nadine Otte, jeff delong dustin seca, jay delaney josh hotz, dan mathieu antosh cimoszko, sam fidlin phil bernard, mia kirby, jeff comber Contributing Writers nathan ethier-myette dan mathieu, pd, syd clark casey jones, randy laybourne justin allain, jeff delong rich odam, tyler holm antosh cimoszko, sam fidlin dustin seca, john lucas david ehrenreich, joe flannerly concrete accepts unsolicited submissions, but is not responsible if such materials are lost or damaged. submissions sent via letter-mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return sending. for further submission inquiries, contact submissions@concreteskateboarding.com. for retailer inquiries in regards to carrying concrete, please contact info@concreteskateboarding.com.

Instagram @concreteskatemag facebook @concreteskateboarding twitter @concreteskate vimeo concreteskate tumblr concreteskateboarding Concrete skateboarding is Distributed 6 times annually by Ultimate Distribution east: 705.749.2998 // west: 604.279.8408 Subscriptions: 1 Year for $19.95 (includes shipping / taxes) â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 6 issues including The Photo Annual subscribe online at concreteskateboarding.com or send cheque / money order to: Concrete Skateboarding Subscriptions 150 - 11780 River Rd. | Richmond, BC | V6X 1Z7

distributed by ultimate

mia kirby words

John Lucas

Not every band has the confidence to include mistakes in their recordings, but Warpaint is clearly not just any band. The Los Angeles–based foursome opted to kick off its second full-length album, also called Warpaint, with the aptly titled “Intro”. A few seconds into the track, a walloping beat begins, then abruptly stops, and we hear drummer Stella Mozgawa say: “Ahh! Sorry!” According to Warpaint bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg, the decision to keep Mozgawa’s flub started as something of a joke between producer Flood and the band. “It’s something that just kind of happened organically when we were recording that song,” she reveals. “We just kept going in and listening to each take of the song, and Flood just wasn’t taking that out. He kept adding it to the beginning because it was funny. It was almost like a humorous thing, just for some comedy, to make us laugh. When we listened to it without it, it felt like there was something missing. So we left it in there.” That one minor hiccup aside, Warpaint showcases a quartet with impressive chops, possessing a particular talent for crafting widescreen atmospherics. The rhythm section of Lindberg and Mozgawa lay down a rock-solid

foundation for the more ethereal explorations of singer-guitarists Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman. That same formula went into the group’s first album, 2010’s The Fool, but this time out Warpaint pared its arrangements back to the essentials, and added some electronics to the mix—witness the hip-hop-informed drum loop that drives “Hi”, and the shimmering synth textures found throughout.

attention-span era. “I think there isn’t enough of that these days,” the bassist argues. “I think the art of the album has decreased over the years. I think it’s old-school, you know? Albums used to be classic, and they used to take you on a journey, and I think it’s important. I always want to listen to an album that does that. I think it’s more interesting than just listening to an album full of hits.”

According to Lindberg, touring in support of The Fool proved difficult because the songs were so densely layered with interwoven guitar parts and other elements that were impossible to pull off on-stage. “We had to strip back a lot of those songs and almost rewrite them in a way so that they would translate live,” she says. “Basically, it was too much information, and it didn’t actually sound good. With this record it’s really easy to play them live. In fact, we’re almost embellishing them a little bit, which is also really fun.”

Lindberg says the decision to make the new record a self-titled one came easily, and was sparked in part by the fact that it was composed in its entirety by the whole band. To elaborate further, Mozgawa played on The Fool, but some of the songs had been written before she joined Warpaint.

As the product of an act that places more importance on mood and texture than on pop hooks, it’s not surprising that Warpaint takes a few listens to fully reveal its subtle charms. As such, it’s best experienced as a whole package, which Lindberg admits is a rarity in our short-

“It felt like a real representation of who we are as people, and where we were at that time, so it just made sense,” Lindberg says. “And also, in trying to think of a title for the record, nothing felt right. When were like, ‘Let’s just call it Warpaint,’ it resonated so well with all of us. We didn’t really think too deep about it. It was like, ‘Let’s just call it Warpaint.’ Easy and done.”

warpaintwarpaint.com

PHOTO: Hammaeke

distributed by ultimate

STYLE: BIXBY

°FOOTWEAR WWW.DEKLINE.COM

#DEKLINE #SKATEROWNED #BACKIT AARON “JAW S” HOMOKI, MATT BENNETT, CHAD TIM TIM, NICK MERLINO, DAKOTA SERVOLD, RYAN SPENCER, BL AKE C ARPENTER, PAT BURKE

curated and written by

David Ehrenreich

“I think there’s a natural reaction to being bombarded with cheap, meaningless online edits every day. You become more selective, develop a more critical taste and you want to support the things you see as being meaningful. And I think indie skate videos are one of the most meaningful things in skateboarding,” says Josh Stewart—Static series creator and contributing Habitat filmer—regarding videos like the ones featured below.

THE OLLIE CREW VIDEO you tu.be/W CMP6Hq uIyM

What move would you be proudly associated with? The Ollie Crew is a bunch of friends from all over Canada who skate together in Vancouver and Calgary (also in San Francisco for this video). Legend has it, the name was coined when Stacy Gabriel asked Keith Henry: “Oh, you’re going skating with that crew that just does ollies?” As word spread, Bryan Wherry and Wade Fyfe at HUF Canada began to call the whole posse Ollie Crew. Ryan Witt and Landon Avramovic are a part of it, and happened to be working in the Take Five Trading warehouse (Canada’s HUF distributor). Together they made The Ollie Crew Video, which actually contains a wide variety of tricks by the filmmakers and their friends: Tyler Warren, Mike Campbell, Ben Blundell, Dustin Henry and many more.

SHITFUCKS

vimeo.com/bradleywarlimont

Brad Warlimont’s collage of skateboarding hits so fast and random that you’ll need a couple of parts to understand what’s going on. The musical timing defies conventional editing methods, and utilizing a chorus or major verse of a track doesn’t happen. Instead, Brad cuts in and out of songs as he feels, leaving you confused and wanting more. I have no idea why it holds the title ShitFucks because I think these guys are all a lot nicer than they may view themselves. However, Kane Hopkins’ finale part, scored to his own drunken freestyle folk ballad, lives up to the essence of the name. If you know Vancouver skating, Brad’s video is packed with familiar faces: Jamie Maley, Rob Rickaby and cameos from most of the Ollie Crew. It’s another entertaining independent video, filmed on possibly the most diverse combination of cameras ever assembled.

SEARCH THE HORIZON you tu.be/yGd 6unBh J5I

Mark Suciu’s skill is elite. His quick-footed prowess is untouchable, and his ability to invent hard new moves makes him the most advanced and productive skater in the last couple years. So it goes without saying that his Search The Horizon part is incredible. It’s the other stars of the video, Alex Davis and Brian Delatorre, that come through with parts I want to talk about. Davis has the best song (“C.R.E.A.M.” by El Michels Affair) and best kits in the video. His skating is inspiring yet tangible; you can imagine yourself trying similar tricks at your local spots. Delatorre? Not so tangible, just smooth and powerful. In a lot of ways he could be considered as the brand’s new answer to Danny Renaud—a statement I would never make lightly. It’s the epitome of what we love and expect from every new Habitat video. Watch this one again.

THE STRAIGHT & NARROW vi m eo.com/ 79059909

Brett Stobbart’s skateboard video is confined to Vancouver’s diverse back lanes, and it features the likes of Bradley Sheppard, Graham Nicholas, Will Howell, Colin Nogue, Stobbart himself and many more. When the idea first surfaced it seemed too good to be true, as in it would never fully be realized. But after a couple years Brett pulled through and made it. The Straight & Narrow is all alleys, all smiles and it was voted as having the best video name and concept for 2013 by an esteemed panel of Video Links judges (me). This really is one of the best videos ever, and Brett—like any respectable filmmaker would—gave last part honours to our favourite skater Bradley Sheppard. Brett could have handled the curtain call; his full-on attack of Vancouver’s downhill alleys, which includes riding on and off roofs, makes his part one of the best and a true inspiration. 90

BRAD CROMER What can I say about Jupiter, Florida’s Brad Cromer? He’s just a straight-up skater’s skater. A true one-of-a-kind, whose effortless style combines both power and grace. Brad knows what tricks he wants to do and possesses the talent to execute them. He also knows exactly how he wants the end result to look, and that keen eye for detail is easy to see in his footage. I’ve been filming and skating with Brad for 10 years now, and not only is he a great friend, he’s refreshingly honest. Whether it be on or off the board, Brad will tell it to you how it is. —Joe “Pang” Flannerly

youtube.com/yofficemobile

#stoopseurotour Stops

Gonz Video Parts

HUF riders

1. Video Days 2. Real To Reel 3. Kicked Out Of Everywhere 4. Gnar Gnar 5. Dizzy

1. Definitely 2. The 3. Whole 4. Damn 5. Crew

Websites

Floridians

1. dlxsf.com 2. hellaclips.com 3. youtube.com 4. quartersnacks.com 5. stumbleupon.com

1. Andrew Reynolds 2. Rodney Mullen 3. Elissa Steamer 4. Danny Renaud 5. Pat Stiener

Canadians

OG Florida Spots

1. Rick Howard 2. Rick McCrank 3. Antoine Asselin 4. Russ Milligan 5. Lee Yankou

1. Synagogue Rails, Miami 2. Ghetto Banks, Miami 3. Riverwalk, Fort Lauderdale 4. Cheesecake Hubba, Boca Raton 5. Triangle, Miami

Going Pro Perks

Homie Videos

1. Not 2. Too 3. Much 4. Is 5. Different

1. VHS Tape 2. Cosmic Vomit 1 & 2 3. Florida Daze 1 & 2 4. Rough Draft 5. All the GX1000 vids

Go-To Tracks

Wes Anderson Films

1. “Astral Weeks”, Van Morrison 2. “Slide Away”, The Verve 3. “Empty Words”, Bowery Electric 4. “Take Everything”, Mazzy Star 5. “Only Tomorrow”, My Bloody Valentine

1. Bottle Rocket 2. Moonrise Kingdom 3. The Life Aquatic 4. Fantastic Mr. Fox 5. The Royal Tenenbaums

jeff comber

1. Copenhagen 2. Amsterdam 3. Manchester 4. London 5. Berlin

distributed by ultimate

ON INSTAGRAM @filament_brand & TWITTER @filamentbrand FILAMENTBRAND.COM

COMING THIS FALL

IN CANADA THROUGH ULTIMATE DISTRIBUTION ULTIMATEDISTRO.COM

DAEWON 13 VPR BROWN SUEDE F E AT U R I N G

LIGHTWEIGHT CUSHIONING SYSTEM

DAEWON SONG

Y O U J O I N E D T H E D V S F A M I LY T H E D A Y Y O U S TA R T E D S K AT E B O A R D I N G PA R T I C I PAT E @ D V S S K AT E B O A R D I N G O R D V S S H O E S . C O M / / F # @ K W H AT YO U H E A R D WWW.SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM

DVSSTICKERS@SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM

WWW.SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM - FOURSTARSTICKERS@SUPRADISTRIBUTION.COM #FOURSTARCLOTHING #RICKHOWARD