Monday, June 30

DC in the NYC -- The DC Video Premiere

By Dave Finger
EXPN.com

Ah, I love a good video premiere. The skateboard video premiere is like a king's feast for the trickwood experience. It contains elements of excitement you simply can't get by watching the DVD at home. When the DC Video hit the Roseland Ballroom in New York City on June 27, all the hype, team and DC'ified skating that you'd expect at this type of feast was out in full force. What can I say? You should have been there. But since you weren't, here's a five-course menu of what you missed, straight from the NYC.

The Hype It's The DC Video, and that's exciting. This thing took three years to make and it's the first skateboarding video released by DC in its eight-year existence. "We actually planned on having it done a year ago," said Ken Block, owner of DC Shoes, "but we didn't want to put it out unless it could be one of the best skateboard videos of all time … you'll see at the end, it was worth the wait."

AVE, Danny Way and Lindsey Robertson hold it down out front before the big show.

The Team Real, live, pro skateboarders from the DC team were there. AVE, Danny Way, Stevie Williams, Brian Wenning, Ryan Smith, Robbie McKinley, Josh Kalis, Ryan Gallant, Greg Meyers and Lindsey Robertson were all in the house. "This is my first one. I went to jail in LA so I couldn't come out for the other one," said the AVE. "I don't even know why I went to jail. I blacked out at five o'clock in the afternoon and then woke up in jail. But I know my favorite part is Danny's." Plus, it's always a good time to snake the same people at the bar whose parts you were just screaming for on the big screen.

The Vibe Feeling the joy of screaming for skating and watching the skills on a bigger-than-any-living-room screen with hundreds of other heads is damn fun. Local soldier Brian Wenning was by far the most crewed-up rider in the NYC. During his part's introduction, a whole section of his boys blew up the spot, screaming, breaking chairs, overturning tables, helicoptering T-shirts and launching tablecloths, all of which prompted a brief visit by a serious-looking bald dude. "When you're from Jersey, that's how it goes," said Brian when I asked him why he was so well represented. Even his dad was partying it up.

The brothers and their wives (from left to right) Damon and Danny Way, then Damon's wife Suzie with Danny's wife Kari. The original caption to this photo was "Way Hot."

The Man Being the first of your friends to see the skating could trump almost all other courses on the menu. From now until the video is released, you are the conduit of DC Video information, which makes you The Man. It's up to you whether you leak the info slowly or let the levee break and drop all the tasty tidbits in one session. Here's a couple of starters: Jamie Thomas filmed Lindsey Robertson's part and Rob Dyrdek skated to Eric B and Rakim. So who will film your part? Or what song will you skate to in your section? Pondering these video necessities will help pass countless hours of boredom.

The Skate To see the diversity of the DC team stacked up in one place is like sitting down for breakfast with a variety pack of mini-cereal boxes and a cold carton of milk. Each sugar-yum serving of skate treats you with something deliciously different, from the high ledge style of Stevie Williams to Ryan Smith's steep and committing rail gnar. But it was Danny Way's part that had everyone talking, and it was worth the anticipation. He goes so darn far on his skateboard he's making pro snowboarders think twice about their job security. He set two world records on his high-desert Mega Ramp (see notes), destroyed the DC vert ramp and laid down a style-spiked street section. Damn, Danny's desert part is crazy - how would anyone even think about tricking over a custom-built ramp with bigger roll-ins and transitions than any ramp skated before? So, Danny ... why? "Exploration of terrain on a skateboard … I was bored on my board."

Jason Dill showed up and totally frizzed out.

… If you missed the party on Friday (the last stop on the North American tour, by the way), you have to wait till the video is released on July 19th. This is, however, the mighty interweb. So maybe you're reading this story from an international location the DC crew is headed to next. If you can catch them, do it. You'll have five new reasons to make your friends jealous.

International Tour Dates:

London - Tuesday, July 1, Prince Charles Cinema, Leicester Square
Barcelona - Thursday, July 3, Base Nautica
Biarritz - Sunday, July 6, Le Colisee
Zurich - Tuesday, July 8, Kaufleuten Theater
Frankfurt - Thursday, July 10, IMAX Cinema
Moscow -Saturday, July 12, Skatepark Adrenalin
Tokyo - Tuesday, July 15, Club Harlem, Shibuya
Sydney - Thursday, July 17, Tank Club

Sample conversation before the show -- Bro #1: "Yo dawg I'm rocking my hat at 12 degrees tonight, you should do the same." Bro #2: "Yeah dude, that sounds sick, I'll get out my protractor and pass the word."

And without giving too much away …

Danny Way -- Set two world records during the filming of the video -- a 75' backside 360 over a gap and a 23.5' backside air on the quarter pipe following it.

Out on the high-desert mega ramp, he went 360, 540 and even a little more, but you'll have to watch the video for yourself to comprehend the skill on display, because words ain't even coming close.

AVE - The AVE kicks ass! From his agro break-stuff intro to his crazy switch trickery (like long manual to tre flip and switch kickflip up a big set of stairs), all the way over to him getting nutted bad on a rail -- Van Engelen rips.

Josh Kalis - He managed to jump in on a double dutch session between a Caballairial b/s noseblunt slide on a butter ledge, LOVE park footage and a switch heelflip bigspin.

Rob Dyrdek -- The skits with Rob and his own personal security guard, Big Black, brought out the funny times. Rob gets Big Black to focus his board and take out a fool or two. Plus, Dyrdek gets crazy style points for a backside overcrooked grind he throws out at a nightime location.

Ryan Smith - BC represent! Smith was killing rails all day, including a big, steep and scary looking lipslide to end his part.

Lindsey Robertson - A little guy doing big stunts, including a large, late, frontside pop-shuvit. Plus, Jamie Thomas filmed his part.

Colin McKay - The Vancouver, BC, local had a crazy vert part on the DC ramp, including some off-camber, reverse logic drop-ins and a stomach-turning shot of his dislocated shoulder.

Brain Wenning - Switch backside 180 into the LOVE Park pool, Jersey up in this.

Stevie Williams - Stevie's got more hops than a Yuengling brewery. Crazy style. Super-high ledges and signature tricks like his switch pop-shuvit nosedriving back to regular.

Stevie Williams (seen with Ian and Jackson) -- "Holla at your boys -- DGK DC all day -- holla."

Bonus Nuggets:

Just over 1,000 people made it out to the Roseland Ballroom for the premiere, including the likes of Damon Way, Ken Block, Fred Gall, Ty Evans, Chris Cole and Jason Dill.

Danny's part is eight minutes long and his footage from the Mega Ramp was finished exactly one week before the June 19th world premiere in Los Angleles.

Director Greg Hunt spent the last two months of the editing process holed up in Ken Block's pool room (where he moved the entire editing suite) finishing the video.

The video shown in New York was a different copy than the one shown in Los Angeles -- A few last-minute tweaks were added to the cut before it went on world tour.

Ken Block used to have a gold front tooth, which he replaced with a fake, normal-looking tooth. To make up for the loss, he now has a platinum tooth on his bottom set.

Iron Maiden, Tortoise, Eric B. and Rakim, Gangstarr, Slayer and "Escape" (The Pina Colada Song) by Rupert Holmes are all on the soundtrack - but you'll have to wait until the video drops to see who skates to what.

DC Am Greg Myers was kicked out of Roseland for "wildly" running around the venue with his skateboard. Funny how that works.

There is no truth to the rumor that Anthony Van Engelen punched out an EXPN.com photographer after the show.

New Jersey native Brian Wenning was rollin so deep even his dad showed up to represent.

Say What?

"I'm a security guard myself by trade. So there was a time in my life when I had to tell these guys to get off the premesis. But somehow I've turned to the darkside and now I'll never do it again … DC for life." Big Black , on being Rob Dyrdek's personal security guard.

"Holla at your boys -- DGK DC all day -- holla." Stevie Williams, on the video.

"This ain't no Cali sh*t. This is the New Jersey, New York City, Philly sh*t. I got everybody I grew up with on my back so that's it." Brian Wenning , on his crew being so deep.

"What is the new flava? There is no new flava. It's all been recycled. There's only 31 flavors that we've gone through numerous times in the different generations and decades that have promoted fashion and art. And we're all the way back to the 80's now." Damon Way, on where the new flava's at.

"Oh god, another crazy Danny idea." Ken Block, on his initial thoughts on the Mega Ramp.

Guard the goods -- Big Black (Dyrdek's personal security guard) and Brian Wenning floss the master copy after the premiere.

*Check back later in the week for five-minute interviews with Danny Way and Ken Block.