For some pretty random guy to come out with a part, an 8 minute part for that matter, and have it be worthy of multiple viewings takes some skill and luck. What caught me off guard was just how easy and fun the entire part felt, so that by the time he's actually dropping some hammers near the end you have to double take to realize it. Casual and enjoyable but also inventive and gnarly at the same time, Jet Caputo's part in FOOTAGE PARTY is one of those break out parts that's worthy of remembering.
Some other sweet videos: Dillon Constantine - Video Check Out - a hammer-filled rail assault with a vigor you don't see too often Ben Gore - SF Nights - a short and sweet part with all the right ingredients: SF, night skating, and stylish Ben Gore Truman Hooker - Ditch Demon - Thrasher said it best: the spot search alone makes this an interesting part, but Truman's ditch skating skills seal the deal. Huf - Australia for Tour - The team is too good and Sammy Winter kills it! Huf needs to get him on there. HYPE - Totally Original - The HYPE squad rips and keeps the video tasteful. JP Oliveira - Mag Minute - another strong member of the new breed of tech-gnar Ishod Wair and SOTY Naawwsty - The crew alone is epic but the skating and fun-having is just priceless. AJ Zavala - Shep Dawgs Teaser - I only saw his name tossed around in Shep Dawgs montages but now I can finally put a name to a face and a sick style. Pumped for Shep Dawgs V4! Danny Dicola - SLAVE - The vibes are definitely relaxed but Danny's spot selection is far from it.
Video part remixes are the best way to give old footage new life and new vibes, the aspects that make some video parts truly memorable. Now there were a couple sweet remixes from this week, including a Brandon Westgate one of just NYC footage from his past 3 or 4 parts. That's the kind of thematic remixing that Quartersnacks does best and it really comes out well to see Westgate ripping the Big Apple in this video. Then there was one of Chase Webb, reminding us how gnarly he is and how he's been powerfully coming up the past couple years. It's good not to forget his steady stream of bangers in the internet's vortex of ripping Californians.
Bryan Whalen would normally be given the VOTW honors from me because I haven't seen as enjoyable of a part as that one in a while, especially with as graceful switch skating and fun trick selection as he came through with. But there's no way I can deny Jordan Hoffart finally getting a board sponsor after too long in limbo, especially because he manages to drop yet another gnarly part.
GX1000: Living in the Bay with an incredible crew ripping through the streets Tom Asta Pro Spotlight Chris Cole for DC Cole Lite 2 Ben Raybourn Welcome to Nike Ramshakle: Nick Palmquist, Chad Bartie, Josh Hawkins, Aldrin Garcia Element United Nations at the Berrics Sylvain Tognelli opens up Nozbone's Cafe Clope with a sick part Kurt Hodge Footage Party Brad McClain Mag Minute
It's really getting ridiculous at the quantity of good skateboarding that's coming out every week. This week I could include a lot more videos but I'm going to try and keep it short enough with my favorites.
Ultimately, I was pretty pumped to see Ishod take SOTY 2013 after dropping loads of high caliber skating and looking ever-so-relaxed while doing it. The ease with which Ishod does his tricks can be super misleading, particularly for his ender from Wair N Tear. The switch frontside big spin down the LOVE gap didn't come as too much of a shock to me because I had seen the sequence in an issue of TWS and was somewhat expecting it at the time this video part came out. So seeing Ishod barely lift an arm and rollaway flawlessly from this trick made it seem like just another day in the park for him, no biggie. The realization of just how gnarly the trick really was though came this week with the uncut footage of Ishod's work for the trick above. For one, it's the LOVE gap, not small by any means. Secondly, a switch front big spin is definitely not the first choice trick for many skaters. But what gets me is just the volume of attempts that Ishod goes for the trick. The determination to not let the wind, cracks, or commotion at the spot get to his head is already a lot, and then you add on the fact that his body must be so sore after jumping down so many times. If that's not enough, throw in a broken finger, a broken board (and having to get acquainted to the homie's board), and actually sticking it numerous times without rolling away and you have a near impossible mountain to climb. But it's this very reason, and the relatively calm, non-glamorous outcome of landing this trick that make Ishod a great choice for SOTY 2013.
Uncut footage and outtakes are some of my favorite clips of skateboarding because you can connect with the skater more and appreciate the work put into tricks. So just like the 5 minutes of switch front big spins from Ishod, Nyjah's Fade to Black Outtakes are just priceless. While the video part itself was an audiovisual experience for the ages, seeing the raw footage is just as good, if not better. Personally, it was kind of cool to see Nyjah get frustrated with some tricks and just crack a laugh here and there as well. That's the stuff that brings out the fully-realized awe of watching some gnarly skating go down.
On top of that, David Reyes came out with a fantastic part via the Berrics and Etnies. His style is essentially perfect and absolutely kills handrails, along with some other sick clips for a great part overall. Richie Jackson returns to the radar and doesn't disappoint with a new video part of one-of-a-kind tricks. It's crazy to think just how much he has innovated aspects of skateboarding and continues to do so in ways most of us never would have thought of.
The 5boro squad released a sweet video of footage from Philadelphia. They always come through with some of the best East Coast skating vibes out there.
Though the part will probably be taken down soon, Tony Cervantes' part from Cold War was released. A tad short but very sweet, Tony's footage keeps grabs and gnarliness alive and kicking.
Ashes Griptape came out with a "half full length video" called New Sheet that is just awesome. Full of some serious ripping, including some definite face-melters near the end, it's likely a first for a griptape company to come out with a full team video like this. Tons of gnarly and appealing spots coupled with a really sick European team makes this video so rad. I must also say I was scared for Chris Pfanner at 3:53 but his crazed, fearless assault on anything he comes across allowed him to just keeping on rolling.
And finally for this week, is Old Woops New Groove from Magenta Skateboards. Leo Valls and Ben Gore take the throne of SF by mixing extremely fast and stylish skating with loads of fun and a new look for skateboarding at the streets and driveways in SF. This is exactly the kind of video that gets you hyped to just go out and skate and have fun.
