Christian Hobush managed to do this without getting electrocuted!
Words and photos: Paul Bourdon
I hadn’t even planned on going to Snowboard on the Block this year. I’m 33 years old and admittedly out of touch with the snowboard world. I’ve reached the point with snowboarding that the only thing related to snowboarding I really care about anymore is the actual act of snowboarding itself. I don’t have a magazine subscription, I don’t know who half the pros I should know are, and honestly I probably would’ve rather spent the afternoon on my bike riding from pub to pub around Denver with a shit-eating grin on my face. But I volunteered to cover the event for Brooke since I live in Denver these days and figured what the hell, might as well go see what all the fuss is about especially, since I’m getting in for free.
While not a make, it was the sickest thing thrown in the rail jam in my opinion. Scotty Vine’s 50-50 to rodeo out was a crowd pleaser, but this was way heavier. Brewer would sit out most of the rest of the rail jam as I’m sure his knees hated him.
I got down to 35th and Walnut around 1pm on September 13th, did my media check in and immediately made my way toward the rail jam. I think the only pro I for sure recognized was Scotty Vine. Does that say something about me? Oh yeah, I’m old. While Vine may have won the event for a second consecutive year, it was Andrew Brewer’s attempted gap to flat off the podium that really caught my attention. Vine’s rodeo may have been a crowd pleaser and technically difficult; but the commitment displayed by Brewer on something he had very little chance of actually sticking was fucking sick. Next time, have them throw some snow on the ground for ya buddy!
Gimmie gimmie gimmie!
I honestly think the only reason people go to an event like this is because they’ll walk outta there with a ton of free shit, and booze. Don’t forget booze. To emphasize this point Smith did a product toss during what was supposed to be the awards presentation for the rail jam. Maybe it’s because I’m old and have a different perspective, but it kinda pissed me off no one gave two shits about Scotty Vine winning. These dudes are out there chucking their meat for you in a less than ideal arena and all you care about is free shit? Show some damn respect. But then again, free shit is cool right? Maybe you got a sweet Smith sticker you can proudly display on the back of your 4Runner so that everyone in town knows you snowboard once in a while.
Hans Mindich plus ads from Sony Action cam and Woowdard!
After the rail jam, I managed to talk my way into a free beer (see, who doesn’t like free shit) from one of the bar tents and made my way over to the mini ramp to see kids do shit I can’t do on a skateboard. I had lost the friends I had come with at this point and decided I was here to work any way so I made my way around the festival grounds. I managed to catch a couple sections of Absinthe’s Heavy Mental including Bode Merrill’s and Kazu Kokubo’s parts. Merrill’s part was insane as to be expected, while Kazu displayed the kind of classic and timeless style he has become known for. I missed the ‘Will Film for Food’ movie, which sucks cause Wyatt Stasinos is one of those pros whose name I do know and whose parts always make me wanna go ride good snow with good friends. Where was I for that you ask? At that point I think I was talking with OZ snowboards owner Adam Browning about snowboarding and how splitboarding is horrible and hard work and how people should probably just keep riding lifts and paying Vail Resorts lots of money to do so. It was either that or I was catching the last bit of Speedwolf’s set…one of the two.
Traded this picture for a beer. Worth it.
As the afternoon wore on it became more and more obvious that I was going to need more drugs and alcohol in my system if I were going to continue to cover the event. Unfortunately drink lines were a little on the long side as I must have not been the only one feeling like it was time for more booze. More wandering ensued to where Grenade was holding a wet tshirt contest in its tent. I figured I might as well go try and get a shot of tits for YoBeat since this article is gonna suck any way; but standing 5 rows back from the action all I managed to walk away with was a crowd shot where if you squint really close you can make out the contestants. That scene was funny shit though. So many cell phones and creeps…I’m sure those girls are internet famous by now.
Snowboarders love 3 foot mini ramps. Mellow 3 foot mini ramps.
Still on the hunt for a drink I ran into my buddy Aaron after the Capita premiere, where I fanned out on Cocard like an idiot. But hey, I got the shot and finally had some booze in my hand again. Aaron and I wandered around a bit catching up with old rep buddies of his from back in the day and I bailed on the festival before the Misfits even took the stage since they’re not really the Misfits any way without Danzig. All in all, snowboard on the block was a bit like what I imagine Comicon being like but with snowboarders instead of comic book kids, and more booze…
Cocard was so nice!
What would coverage be without a picture of Scotty Vine flipping off a rail?
Times are tough at monavie.
Winner, winner.
Creepy picture of pros I was too afraid to talk to.
More sweet pros!
Speedwolf!
Chad Otterstrom was there!
How deep? Mob deep, yo.
Willie McMillon and Kurt Wastell. They used to be pros.
Klaus came all the way from Germany for this shit. And by shit I mean, Keystone light.