We did it again. This time with some help. On Monday night of October the 15th, Brendan and I had gotten word that the magazines had finished printing. I was going out to Vegas the coming week for work and then up to State College the next weekend–we realized that a proper release party could only occur if we acted fast.
After being at a few Tak Appreciation parties over at the Takanassee Handshapes board shaping compound, I knew I had to go talk to Dave and the boys about throwing a proper party. I shot over to see the guys after work and for the most part, they were about it. Head shaper and mastermind, Dave Grimes did have some worries: “Usually I don’t like to do these things without a board to raffle off…” With a sigh, I agreed. “Totally understand, maybe we could plan this better another time.” Andy and Tommy wilted, “It’s just a bunch of extra work, we’ll work everyday to make it happen.” Dave gave an unsure smirk, “We are due for a party.” With an angel and a few devils on his shoulders, he battled with himself over money, time, and overall motivation to clean, setup, finish the boards he was working on, and make an entire new one to raffle off. A little pissed, anxious, and stoked at the same time, we cheers-ed the Coors cans we were holding and agreed to put our efforts toward this party.
After runs to the dump, manly bouts of wood chopping, sanding, buffing, glossing, marketing, and party favor buying, it was Saturday October, 20th–time to boogie. Friends drove in from all directions and sleeping arrangements turned from couches to pitching tents at the Tak compound. Five o’ clock rolled around and the first partygoers appeared. A band called More Or Less set up as soon as the party began (thanks to my rad neighbor, Brian) and by 6pm they were jamming out, playing Grateful Dead, Phish, and other corresponding tunes. The vibe was mellow as people walked in, paying $5 for magazines and $5 for the Tak board raffle.
Yeungling flowed from the party’s keg and I threw slightly-under/overcooked slabs of meat to a ravenous crowd of party goers. There were sightings of wheelchair-bound NASCAR drivers, vicious surfboard destroyers, and punk rock mosh groups as More Or Less packed up and the second act, America Part Two, got on stage. “Are you ready to fucking rock!” screamed Freddy and the band. At concert-level sound these guys rocked the shit out of Dave’s backyard. It didn’t take an hour for the cops to roll through. “This is actually a pretty sweet setup,” said Long Branch Officer 1. “No more music,” said Officer 2, “If it stays this [sound] level then you guys are good to go.”
We carried on as if the cops didn’t just blow up our spot. One of the band members asked if he could, “maybe just get one more song man, I don’t wanna go out like that.” “Nooo, no, no, no, no [laughing],” I said. “Let’s chill man, we’re gonna raffle off that board.” And we did. The board went to a mystery ticket that someone (maybe it was Haze Rainis) lost. As that board slipped through the unlucky raffler’s fingertips, the next ticket was called. “That’s me,” said Andrew Moon. We cheered, got photos, and all went into the shed to look at the masterpiece of a twin-fin.
“This is awesome,” said Moon. “Yeah it’s kinda cool when you can win an $800 board for $5, right?” said Dave with a crazy look in his eye, clenching the board.
The party continued. People went to the bars, people stayed, people camped, people sang, people destroyed surfboards with axes. It was an amazing party. Listening to Sabbath on full blast, with a bottle of tequila in my hand I hugged Andy and Tommy and my best friends that showed up to the shindig. The photos below are the only ones I was allowed to post online, all others may have landed my best buddies in jail–or worse… Check out the gallery below for pictures of partyers, the magazine, the custom board, and if you didn’t get to experience this stuff–I’m really sorry.
Thank you to everyone who came to the event, everyone who helped make it happen, everyone who chipped in on making the board, and everyone who helped write and take photos for the mag. It really means so frickin’ much and we love you all. In the meantime, check out the new mag, check out Dave’s boards, and hopefully we’ll see you next time, because after this one, there has to be a next time (:
