Empire Skatepark Halloween Jam 2013

                  

A festive feel to this post as on Saturday Empire Skatepark in Colchester, Essex hosted their annual Halloween jam. 

With refreshments provided by amigo Mikey Joyce at the Kiki cocktail bar and decorations of quality by the park staff and friends. Fancy dress was not compulsory, but some excelled all the same!

One of the park staff, Harry Wilson decided to dress as Blackwell for the night. This led to a surreal scene as Mikey, dressed as a Mexican bandito proceeded to apply as many of Lee's tattoos as he could to a regularly dressed Harry using a photo as reference with a permanent black marker, sitting next to a crocodile and The Joker on the sofa.
At the mid point of covering one of Harry's forearms, Blackwell turned up dressed as Brandon Lee (off of The Crow). He immediately picked up a second marker and attacked Harry's other arm and neck using his own tattoos as reference. As I say, surreal.
After changing into some Blackwell-esque gear, provided by the man himself, Harry emerged from the kitchen in a long black wig, the transformation was complete. I laughed my arse off for a good minute before I could focus a descent photo!

Blackwell by Blackwell

"Tonight Matthew...."

Geoffrey Holder

The Kiki Bar, the micro mini and a plumber.

Andy Law with one of many flipped lip tricks. Andy - if you can name it, let me know. I think this was to tail.

 After a good amount of booze had been consumed and everyone had upped their games with the effects, a best trick comp went down on the micro mini in front of the kiki bar. I'm not sure if there was an overall winner, but prizes were given, rewarding some tech trickery and wall associated gnarliness alike and many a spectator's shin were hit.

Egon - (?)

Jordan Thackery - f/s blunt

f/s flip disaster

Jordan - smith flip in

(sorry)

Cerven Cotter - pre-grab 

Cerven

an inverted scooter no-hander from a complete joker... cool trick mind... for a scooter

The plumber (Elliot Simmons) using his mushroom

Harrywell - melon

Route One Fourth Annual Free Skateboarding Day at Empire Skatepark

Empire Skatepark in Colchester, Essex was one of four parks across the UK to take part in this great annual event. Now in it's fourth year, this event is a great opportunity for skaters to get parks to themselves for the day with no entry fees. And Route One were giving away prizes for the usual random acts and gnar.

I popped down for the afternoon and evening, skated a little and shot some frames.

Lee Blackwell - b/s indy

Harry Wilson - b/s ollie

Radman - 5-0 fakie

Vince Condon - f/s air

Harry 

Stefan Giovannini - one foot mayday

Blackwell - egg plant

Urbside Improvement Day, April 2013

Yet more root canal work for me this week. Not a pleasant business.
I also managed to get started on the long overdue task of tidying up my Mac and sorting through old photos for archiving. After the last wheel of death moment (more like 3 days once I'd finally sorted it!) I decided on the purchase of a network/backup drive which works a treat. Only downside being that you have to maintain it!

This set of 75 - yep, seventy five photos were taken throughout a day of demolition and reworking of one end of the now locally infamous Urbside DIY skate park, Essex in a bid to improve the park ahead of the annual Lords of the Swords competition later in the year.
I thought I'd lost them during the crash, but no!
You lucky things.
Skating next time.