Upstate Update: Albany & Syracuse

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Photo by Zach Malfa-Kowalski

Every summer in New York has a “get me out of here”-moment. It usually happens in August — when you realize all your free time has been spent sitting at Tompkins, maybe leaving to watch your friend try a trick somewhere, and then ending up at T.F. West or maybe probably definitely the bar. The past month feels a week long.

The easiest way to slow down time is to spend it in an unfamiliar environment. Having already gone way over budget on the seminal European tour video, 56 Tricks, we had to resort to more modest options. Thanks to a paper bag full of crumpled bills from Nike SB, we were able to load up two vans with #core #skateboarders — guys without agents who would never dare suggest that we “warm up” at a “skatepark” — and got on the road for a five-city #core #tour of Upstate New York.

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Photo by Zach Malfa-Kowalski

To get the pressing question out of the way, no, we could not make the Dime Glory Challenge. As we pulled into New York’s capital, we looked northward at the 200 miles to French Canada and wished the boys good luck, but travel towards Dime HQ ended there. In consolation, Albany contains one of the most perfect spots known to man: T.F-esque flatground separated by three levels of mellow banks. There have been rumors of it getting turned into a skatepark, but thankfully that hasn’t happened yet. It’s perfect as is.

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‘That Dirty Spirit 2’ — QS + PDX

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Below is a quick video of our weekend trip to the land of Lunarlon, “Matt Beach did this here”-anecdotes (never forget), insanely good food, gorgeous mountain views, bad [face] tattoos, and strippers dancing to MF Doom.

Naturally, DS2 A.K.A. “That Dirty Spirit 2,” as it is known through Matt Perez’s Snapchat, did not leave the CD changer throughout the duration of the journey.

Features Finn, John Gardner, Cyrus Bennett, Dom Travis, Ty Lyons, Rob Sissi, Tyler Tufty. Video by Johnny Wilson, of Space Heater fame.

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‘Nice To Meet You, I Run a Core Skate Brand’

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^ #core #skateboarding

“I can’t talk to these people about Thug Motivation when we have fake money in the boxes.” Thanks for everything man #july26ththeboydeliveredaclassic

Damn, the dude on the New Yorker cover can barely even ollie.

Free Skate Mag has another Lucas Puig Instagram remix, edited to that Young Thug song that everyone really tried to make happen #in #da #club at the start of the summer but already forgot about. Works great for the vid though.

The “Summer Trip to New York” edits are finally starting to roll in! As is the DS2 music supervision! Thought it was a drought! D.C’s Palace 5ive rolled up to New York for a bit and came back with a five-minute VX montage.

Someone made a new Cyrus Bennett remix with a bunch of his HD video blog footage.

Kareem Campbell still got it.

Quick two-minute montage with a bunch of Bronze affiliates and a three-minute montage with a bunch of dudes from the Bronx.

Whatever, DJ Khaled is still one of my favorite skaters.

Amazing that a lot of these European D.I.Y. spots started with a single quarterpipe. Or that, like, they’ve been allowed to exist for as long as they have.

Fakie Hill Bomb has a cool interview with Iain Borden, one of the most vocal pro-skateboarding architecture academics, about the future of integrating skating into modern public spaces (e.g. hopefully this.)

Diamond Days #82.

Making It Happen is a new all-New York vid coming out later this year. Teaser here.

The Times put together a “where are they now?” feature for that movie that skaters really like on the occasion of its 20-year-anniversary.

Spot Checks: There’s a new wallie thing behind T.F. and a BMW at Lenox.

Quote of the Week: “I watched Wild, it was like a fakeass Into the Wild.” — E.J.

In case you haven’t already heard / seen: the NYPD installed a police tower in the middle of Tompkins. Be careful doing whippits behind the basketball court after you lose on a nollie flip in S.K.A.T.E.

Cyrus Bennett Space Heater Remix

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Photo by Pad Dowd

Happy DS2 day! Been a while since we ran a remix video (a whole half a year!), so here’s #anotherone with one of the more exceptional kickflip guys working in New York today. Footage pulled from Paych, Horny and She’s Garbage.

And unfortunately — even on DS2 day — the remix desk has a strict rule on recycling from the same pool of #musicsupervision that the given skater has used in recent parts, so this suggestion unfortunately cannot be upheld. This edition is a bit faux Bianca Chandon …even though Bianca Chandon has never made a video before ;)

Guest tricks from John Choi (obviously.)

Alternate YouTube Link

Shout out to Roctakon on da mix :)

‘Sure’ — The New Video From Johnny Wilson

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*****Help Kev get a new knee*****

“When did Johnny’s videos peak?”

That has been a popular topic in 2015. Pundits believe the videos were at their purest when Space Heater dropped — but then you remember that Beef Patty contained the last full-length Paul Tucci part, or that Paych had that fire Gwen Stefani song.

As we wait to see if the monster of New York City nightlife has Wenning-esque consequences on the Most Productive Crew™ (that may be an antiquated name) and their filmer, Sure is the latest one. It got rave reviews on premiere night.

Features parts from Andrew Wilson, Harry Jumonji, reigning Q.S.S.O.T.Y. Max Palmer making a strong case for potentially pulling the first ever two-peat win of the award, Paul Tucci with his highest volume of footage since the aforementioned video, Corey Rubin skating a bowl wearing a chain, John Choi from Dime and Cyrus from Polar. Guest appearances from all the familiar faces, along with a middle montage filmed at some weird sunny part of Brooklyn (?) that I have never been to.

Previously: Horny, Paych, Beef Patty, Space Heater