Monday, December 31, 2012

Happy New Year

From all of us at Grimey Gatsby & #4pieces, we hope your 2013 is positive, bright, and filled with good fortune. Remember that the only way to see a change in the world you walk is to start within.

Unity, Love, Respect, & the Future
We thank you for all the support in 2012. 

"Without 'you,' there would be no us."
-Hunt, President of Grimey Gatsby

Sunday, December 30, 2012

Nobody Beats the Drum - Show Review





Nobody Beats The Drum is Dutch electronic dance music. The group is made up of three men all from Amsterdam. Sjam Sjamsoedin and Jori Collignon create all of the music while Rogier van der Zwaag produces all of the video projections. Together, the trio gives the crowd a unforgettable live performance, that will leave your mind blown. The music is enhanced by over the top visuals. 



Nobody Beats the Drum dropped just something dirty on us in Denver!! They played at the Bluebird Theater on Friday December 28th. Show open with a sensational performance by Herobust. Their electronic up-beat tempo brought the audience to there feet. Nobody Beats the Drum exceed my expectations and brought the crowd to a frenzy. Every drum brought my body to life and my left my bones rattling! Nobody Beats the Drum will definitely be returning to Denver, in the near feature.



Tuesday, December 25, 2012

James Aldridge - Running Back, Rugby, and some new info...


James Aldridge is returning 
to the NFL.....

You know the guy that holds the door for his girl? The one that stands when a lady enters the room? And the guy that would give give an elderly lady his arm to cross the street? We all have a friend that is the "gentleman" of the room.

You would know this about James after fifteen minutes of your first conversation. He's courteous, friendly, and you can't help but notice he's great athlete. He played running back at Notre Dame....and then went onto the NFL. He took some time off to "sculpt" his skill in New Zealand on the rugby field.  He then headed to Aspen to play rugby in the Rockies with the Gentlemen. This is where we met James, after his trip from New Zealand to Aspen, Colorado to play rugby, coach the high school football team, and train in the mountains. He is constantly in the gym and on the field, but Hunt had a chance to sit down with him for a second.

James is born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. The same place our president, Hunt, calls home. They met in Aspen and started to talk about the hometown, football, and the future over the past year or so. This weekend they met in Denver to talk about 2013. James is, currently, coaching the High School teams, is the strength & conditioning coach, playing rugby in Aspen & Denver, a personal trainer, and training for his new goal....to get back into the league. That's right...he's working his way back to the NFL, with a whole new bag of tricks.

James playing Rugby with the Aspen Gentlemen......

"I'm open to it. I've been thinking about it for a while. It's different playing rugby all over the world and coming back to see my classmates playing in the league. I understand a lot of things now; that I didn't then. I'm in the best shape, I can take a hit, and I can tackle. That's something you don't find in the NFL everyday. Rugby and the lessons I've learned are something that I think will make a difference in my skills. It's all about a getting a good look from a team; all I need is the chance," James told Hunt.

"I think there's no better athlete to play football. James has an understanding of more than just the X's & O's. He's been all over the world playing rugby and learning from the best mentors in that world. He trains at 8,000 feet and is training, coaching, and teaching the Aspen Football program. He is the 'ambassador' to the game that we all love to watch. Plus...he's fast as hell and hits like a train," Hunt dropped this on us after the lunch. He would know as James helped him get his knee and conditioning in shape last season for some adventures. 

Stay tuned for more on this GGFam OG.....

James running the ball for Notre Dame....

Strain Release - Native Roots Apothecary - Silverback OG


Strain Release | Strain Review | Hash Review

We received a call from Native Roots about a new strain they were about to release from Snoop's long line of secret genetics. We were also told about the new Tiablo that was about to hit the shelves. They finished the voicemail with, "...oh yeah...Herijuana x Hells Angel OG shatter is dropping today for the hardest hitting holiday dabs." Needless to say....we scooped up some of all that goodness and did a review. We are please to announce Silverback OG, from the long hailed vault of the DPG dogg father crew. This is a pleasant addition to the Denver area. The Tiablo (Diablo x Tahoe OG) is for those that truly "puff tuff." And that hash is next level....

The flowers at Native Roots are happy....
Silverback OG

We took this sample over to Hunt and allowed him to "have at." After a careful inspection he tossed it back at us, "How's it smoke?" We had to tell him that no one had seen, smelled, or tasted this flower yet in the Denver area. "Well, I guess that's why your here; pull up a chair," he smiled with a grin like the Grinch. After grinding up the 3 grams he started into his "iron lung tube meditation.' "True kush from the LA region or 'Snoop's crew' would be around the same era as the Baker's, Humboldt green thumb, and epicenter of LA grow heritage. Since we don't know the official origin, I'll stand to reason, after the looks, that it's from the LBC/OC area of California in the early 90's. The tinge of orange through the stem and dark green into the leaves might be from the elevation induced pheno but I think it looks true to form. It's dense like a gold ball and hits like a sledge hammer. Silverback makes me lean to an indica and from the eyes, ears, and head - it seems to be the truth. The brain or "Snoop OG' might be involved...which would be from Muggs out of Cypress [the DJ for Cypress Hill]. They were known to be around the same cliques in that time frame too. But I would love to get my hands on more of this for skiing. The definition in the flowers is well cured and the smoke is tasty. Tip of the hat on this one...."

Smell - Taste - Effect - Cough
8/10     8/10     9/10       Yes

Tiablo & the Herijuana/Hells Angel shatter testing kit....
Tiablo
Tahoe OG is a staple in the kush world. Diablo OG is infamous in the world of heavy hitting indicas. The true cut of these strains are hard to find in the world of "renamed trees." This flower has the smell, the taste, and the effect of the two franchise genes. After the testing, which consisted of our 3 patients enjoying 1 - .5gram joint, we were able to see the effect of the OG genetic. Tiablo is a great relaxation, pain supression, and appetite stimulant. It also lends itself to the edible, tincture, and ingestion aspects because of these attributes. We see Tahoe and Diablo often in the mountain towns for use as an active ingredient in the diet of the elderly. "It helps in more ways that one," said one patient at our testing. Another stated, "I would consider this for my evenings and my travel stress." You can get your taste of Tiablo at either location for Native Roots (Lakewood & Downtown).

Smell - Taste - Effect - Cough
9/10     8/10     9/10       Yes



"Shatta Pancake" by Hunt

Herijuana x Hells Angels OG
Dabs are dropping all over Denver this week with the new year. This flavor is for the professionals. It's heavy, hard, and will sit you down. We had four patients that enjoyed the shatter. They each had 2 dabs - .3 gram per dab. The patients all spoke about the flavor, the effect, and the longevity. 2 patients decided they were "more than perfect" after the first dab. The most notable points on this hash was the fact of the heavy taste, heavy effect, and heavy smell. "It's not everyday you get something that looks heavy, hits heavy, and lasts a long time. This is what I felt like the first couple times that I tasted shatter," said one patient. "My back doesn't hurt at all. I had a hard time driving here since I was out of medicine. After those two, I'm much more comfortable," said another. 



Sunday, December 23, 2012

New Years 2013 - Where to party....


NEW YEAR'S EVE 2012
"THE GATSBY PARTIES"


The Great Gatsby Movie drops on NYE across the US

Aspen - Dec. 27th - 12th Planet w/ Ecto Cooler
Aspen - Dec. 29th & 30th - Thievery Corp.
Aspen - Dec. 31st - Cee Lo Green & The Goodie Mob
 
Vail - Dec. 31st - Thievery Corp.

Denver - Dec. 28th - Nobody Beats the Drum
Denver - Dec. 28th - 12th Planet
Denver - Dec. 29th & 30th - String Cheese
Denver - Dec. 29th - Zomboy
Denver - Dec 30th - Tipper & Random Rab
Denver - Dec. 31st - Decadence
Denver - Dec. 31st - Sound Tribe Sector 9

New York - Dec. 31st - Pretty Lights
New York - Dec. 3st - Phish

Lake Tahoe - Dec. 29th-31st - Snow Globe

Detroit - Dec. 31st - Skrillex

Soulacybin - Interview

Soulacybin

At a recent event by Elevated Arts and Entertainment in Denver, Grimey Gatsby got the chance to sit down with electronic music producer Soulacybin, or John LaBoone, a recent transplant from Kentucky. We asked John about his story in the music world, the importance of intentional gatherings in fostering community, and the significance of art in these uncertain times.

Soulacybin at Casselman's


How long have you been playing music?
I've only been playing live with this project  for about 10 months,  and it's only been about a year that I've been serious about doing this. My growth rate with production has been so rapid that 6 months to me is like a lifetime….Out of the womb no, ten months into it.

…And has that grown exponentially since getting to Colorado?
Oh yea, for sure got out here and got super inspired. The audiences out here, people are just so ravenous for music. They want bluegrass and then some heavy dub step and  then it's all over the board. As a musician I can connect even better, to people who aren't too genre-based or specific.

Is this your first digital music project?
Yes, it is.  The last eleven years of my life I played in bands.  Grew up playing guitar, switched over to drums couple years ago and I've been drumming with this group. We toured the Southeast and last year we played Camp Bisco, it was the biggest thing we'd done…and that kinda fell apart, and then right away my energy's got to go toward something else. 

And you get to do it all yourself that way too?
 Yea  if you do all the booking and you have to load the van anyway, when you only have to worry about yourself it's really easy.  It was a nice change. It's nice not to have to travel with a bunch of gear. I can go on a plane with my APC and my midi controller in a case and my laptop in a backpack and just take that.

So did you ever have gatherings like this (a collaborative evening of art, music, dance and flow artistry) in Kentucky?
No. There are small pockets of people who are down with electronic music, but the intentional gathering doesn't happen, I think.  And it will, and it is. It's growing, for sure. People are catching on to the fact that those events are really fun and are more beneficial to everyone of all kinds of interest.   It's the same benefit, that will go beyond just the fun of the night. Building  community and really building community within ourselves. There's not a whole lot of that going on there so it's nice to be out here.

Could you elaborate on the benefits of intentional gatherings? What you get out of them as a performer, or what you think the benefit is for the creative community?
Yea, I think  one of the main things is that it's kind of a call to action. It brings to light that no one is passive in the making of this reality. We're all actively doing it. So let's be conscious about it.  So if you can go home and think about that and retain that.  We had the opening ceremony tonight where we were asked to connect with our breath and our heart, and that's beautiful. And some people might not have the opportunity to do that before coming to an event like this.  And if they do that, they might feel something they've never felt before. And if you can go home with that, let that carry out in your actions and words, and the way you treat others. And it's also really encouraging everyone to let their artist out.  We're all artists, I believe.  Some of us just don't know what we're supposed to do yet. Things like medicine, that's art. Anything that a person could be good at, that's their art. The word gift. We talk about people having gifts, what do you do with a gift? Give it. It couldn't be any more true of that work.  So  I think it encourages people to find their gifts and then share their gifts. Having that community allows you the space here where you can just be yourself and be open.   In turn, you're open to receiving these new experiences, new feelings, new energies.  It's really how people  make spaces like these.  It's good for us to walk that kind of path always, not just at the gathering but realizing that we can take what we experience here and walk down the street with that .  Smile at the people you meet.  Not everyone's gonna treat you like you're treated here, but you can treat people how you would. 

You do a strong sense of co-creation when you're in a space like this, but it's all about taking that with you…
Yea, it's a great responsibility to carry love and to spread love. Fundamental…I think that's the bottom line.

Do you feel like that's especially a part of your purpose as an artist?
Definitely. It's the sole purpose. To share, inspire, instill anything positive in anybody. That's what I take from it. I've been so touched before by music. Breaking down in tears at a powerful moment at a concert or something. It's such a powerful force. So yea, I definitely use it intentionally. When I'm creating music, I'm really 'intentful' about the thoughts and my vibrations I'm holding.  Understanding that that's gonna be in the piece and that's gonna come across, even though people won't realize it.  And I've had affirming conversations with people, where they've picked up ion the one thought, the one dominant theme that I was meditating on whine I wrote that track.  

I do some things where I meditate with crystals and hold one intention real intensely focused and then maybe record the crystals rubbing against each other, while still holding that same intent. and incorporate that in my music, on a level that no one would notice by ear, but instead vibrationally and energetically. It's just on a whole different level and that intent, if people feel it, great.

How I said before, we're all actively creating this, and we should be doing it conscious rather than unconsciously. The same thing with my music, I intentionally create it to uplift. I like to say "throw down and uplift"

We recognize that this time we're in is pretty significant.  Do you feel an extra impetus to be creating or to be connecting with people? What opportunities do you think this provides for us and what would you like to see?
I think this is the time where we should really be loving ourselves. Self-love is so important.  You can't love anybody  else if you don't love yourself. I think  especially in this times, It's  really really really important that we let go of all these old things, thoughts, behavior patterns that we don't need and that no longer serve our greatest good.  And just to focus on being good to ourselves, being good to those around us. Creating what we can create. It's really important right now. In the past month I've had four new tunes pop out in a matter of days. So I think it's important to just be paying attention to what we're going right now, don't go on auto-pilot. Recognizing what's useful and what's not and being discerning about what we'd like to keep in our existence.

Soulacybin's SoundCloud

Decadence NYE - Denver - Sub.Mission

Decadence NYE

If you're looking to dance away the end of the legendary year that was 2012, Decadence  is the way to do it.  This impressive event boasts  2 arenas within the Denver Convention Center, bringing together a wide range of big name acts in a massive throw down of epic proportions. Get out your flashiest neon, your rager shades and your stamina because this is gonna be one night that is sure to keep you moving all the way into 2013, all in an over-the-top atmosphere.


On one side of the Convention Center will be the Global Dance Arena,  hosted by Triad Dragons. You can look for such EDM favorites as atb, Chicago phenoms Krewella, and house heavy hitter Wolfgang Gartner. Also on this stage you'll find ecotek, Rudee, Joman  and Jontron. When you want trance and house, look no further than the Global Dance Arena. Triad Dragons are known for pushing the limits of the Colorado music scene with their clubnights and mostly their large-scale productions, so you can look forward to an unparalleled spectacular from these veterans of the game. 



The GG Fam is holding down solid at this event, with the Global Dub Arena hosted by Sub.Mission Dubstep.  This arena plays host to such massive acts as trap maestros FlosstradamusMimosaZeds Dead, and Colorado native  Paul Basic. Plus Fury + MC Dino, Supreme and  Dodger. If you've been to Sub.Mission events like Bassic Fridays or Electronic Tuesdays (see GG's Photos) you know Sub.Mission knows how to party, and Sub.Mission knows that Denver goes hard!  With these big names and thousands of people ready to give their all, you know this night's gonna be one for the books! Make sure you look for GG's cameras, in the mix all night, capturing the grime.





With two epic promoters like these teaming up for this massive night, you know you won't be disappointed when it comes to decor and costumes,  lighting and cutting-edge production.  This is an 18+ event and guests are encouraged to "dress to impress". 

Saturday, December 22, 2012

End of the World - Sub.Mission - Denver, CO

12.21.12
End of the World
Denver, CO

Friday descended upon Denver like any other closure to the week, except this was suppose to be the last Friday on Earth. It was.....the END OF THE WORLD. In Denver we do many things well but we take our parties, events, and community gatherings to the next level. Sub.Mission contacted us about this party months ago. It was going to be something special for the people of Denver, dubstep, hip hop, and music lovers everywhere. Sub.Mission was bringing Deltron & Madlib to town with The Widdler & Joe Nice!!!!!!


Last night was something for the history books...

The Sub.Mission stage in launch mode....
Sub.Mission had people packed wall to wall, swaying with hip hop, and raging to dubstep. Cervantes has two rooms of sound and Sub.Mission filled them with music, beats, and positivity for the night. They had Caustik, Subliminal, The Widdler, and Joe Nice take over The Other Side and Bukue One, Shigeto, Del, and Madlib took over the Ballroom. We had the pleasure of bouncing around filming the event. It was great to see both rooms moving to their rhythm. Seeing Joe Nice move a crowd is an exercise to say the least...he never stops moving. He was jumping and screaming in front of the decks; partying just as hard as the crowd to the dub plates. The Ballroom was seduced by Shigeto as he took the audience through a travel of breaks, drums, and sound. His unique noise never disappoints. He moves through his music on stage and you can see in the video how he brings it PROPAH! 

Joe Nice working the decks & crowd
Ace One, Souls of Mischief, was featured with Del and he spoke true to the message of 2013, "It's about positivity. It's not about the end of the world that we are standing on. It's about the end of the world that we live in. We have a new beginning that starts today...with all of us." It's the message we need to spread to the rest of the world and there's no better vehicle than music.

Del rocking the stage..
Vendors stacked the walls and people were flocking all over to see the fashion, the glass, the art, and the wares. Our personal favorite was the "Hiero" by Ewok Glass (see pic below). He put some time and skill into this piece and it's nothing short of spectacular. 

Follow @ewokglass on Instagram for more....

"Getting to see a legend like Del is a dream. I haven't been able to check that off my list yet. Today is the day and I get to see Madlib take the decks. Sub.Mission has stepped correct on this party. I'm really happy to see this happen for Denver. Madlib is a person that has been on the music bucketlist since I heard his first track back in the day. He is truly Gatsby. That vest, shirt, and total control of the audience was intense. He doesn't need to speak...he orchestrates." Hunt...president of Grimey Gatsby about being at the event.

Madlib & Del in the green room after the show - Photo cred: Del
(Del is wearing the Grassroots California x Hemp Hoodlamb Hat & Jacket)

We take our hats off to Sub.Mission for all of the talent, the production team, and Cervantes staff. This party was what we imaged it could be. We saw legends taking the stage, people talking about 2013, music reigning down positive vibes, an ocean of dancing, and experiences that will last a life time. Del came on after Shigeto to a huge ovation. He proved that his lyrical genius is perfectly intact with a 3 minute free style over a bass line.....coupled with some of the greatest hip hop breaks of all time. He introduced Mr. Bob Dobalina and then took people on a futuristic trip with Deltron 3030. We haven't seen a live performing that can stop a crowd on a dime and bring them to screams with peace signs like Del.

Meanwhile at The Other Side, Caustik started off the night with the heavy bass that he is known to throw all over the Denver area. He and Subliminal tagged a set for a bit before Subliminal took over and started it deeper into the dub sound. He brings a branded sound of hard hitting bass coupled with some beautiful lyrics and reggae over tones. Before you know you it, you've already lost your face by the time he turned it over. Denver was more than warmed up for The Widdler and Joe Nice to take on the crowd.  The Widdler can mean mug a bear to a whimper.  He had people thrashing around the dance floor and raging like natives....Colorado natives that is. Joe Nice can bring the noise with his talented tones and synergetic sound. Energy, motion, and roots are what we would call Joe Nice. Hard hitting dub plates that make your cell phone over heat......He was a class act and also delivered a great set. He closed out the evening like a champion. 


As Del finished his last song in the Ballroom....the lights took to a slight dim. People started to scamper to the restrooms and flock to the bar. This was the music they had been waiting for.......Madlib. Jaylib & Madvillian are two of the most infamous albums of Hip Hop. J Dilla, to this day, is know as one of the Fathers of the movement. MF DOOM is arguably the largest Villian in the game....Madlib is the meastro behind the mayhem, the writer of the crypt, and the wizard of which they call OZ. 

His signature vest and perfectly formed tones are known around the world. Hand over his brow to block the light, He looked at the audience and smiled. He was about to start the show!!!

The set was unique as only Madlib can make it. Funk, Soul, hip hop, rock, classic Madlib, joyous Madvillian, and that lovely Jaylib sound all came together in Denver for the beginning of the world. At least that's what we are going to say happened. People puffing clouds, dancing together, enjoying the motion of the music at Cervantes didn't notice the collapse of the negativity from the End of the World.....They were focused on the rebirth of Love through the power of sound....not hype.

Remember this time of year to embrace the love and spread the cheer.
It's all we got left now that the World is over.......

Madlib

Sour Kush - The Dandelion - Strain Review



The Dandelion's Sour Kush
Boulder, CO

We were in Boulder this week for some meetings and were alerted to this great dispensary, The Dandelion. We decided to stop in and talk with Josh and the girls about their day to day, the new flowers, and what's happening in the Boulder scene. We can't tell you all the info yet, but we have something that The Dandelion wanted you to see....Sour Kush. They submitted their lovely little flower for a Strain Review. We took it upon ourselves to bring you the 411 on the KUSH. We had Hunt blaze through the sample and elaborate on the "kush taste." Three joints in 20 minutes was his thought......You can see what unfolded next.


From their website and their vault.......ATTACK OF THE TRICHROMES!!!!!!!


"I sparked the first boom draw [joint] when I took a seat at the computer. Couple things about kush, It must have the predestined smell (terps) and the dense solidification of the flower. Strong, short, stocky, and impactful are my usual adjectives for Kush. This sour though, had that ting of terpenoid that helps the noise distinguish. I was three or four puffs into the boom draw and it hit. The subtle release of tension, the enlightened frontal lobe, and I started to stared out the window with one brow raised. 'This IS sour kush.' Genetics take time to stabilize, select, and cull. This gene had a fantastic flavor, impactful high, and kept my back pain at bay. The sour diesel in this pheno is true to the roots. You can feel the height with the Sour D and the impact of the Kush OG. By the time I got the the third boom draw, I took a second to reflect on the first 13 minutes. It went by pretty slow......sparked the third and kept my relaxation station rolling for an hour or so."

Smell    Taste   Effect   Cough
9/10     8/10     8/10      Yes


Stop by the Dandelion and tell the crew we said, "HIGH"

Thursday, December 20, 2012

We've had a busy winter so far...

Grimey Gatsby's nightlife....

We have a great time in Denver. We also get to cover the grime in Boulder, Aspen, Miami, Los Angeles, St. Louis, New York, and plenty of other spots on the globe. Here's some of the fun we've had recently from the streets.....enjoy the view with the Gatsby.


EA's Heal the Nation - Hash Bash ft. Task Rok





The Denver Dunk Xchange






Life on a MidWest farm..





Had a run in with Ewok Glass




Chestplate Tour hit Denver this Winter



Papadosio dropped it on Denver









Wednesday, December 19, 2012

GG hits the Dew Tour!!!!

Winter Dew Tour

One snowy weekend each December, the little town of Breckenridge fills up with elite athletes, avid fans, and a slew of spectators and partiers.  It's Winter Dew Tour, and it's  marks the real beginning of Breck's season.  This year the tour slimmed down from three winter dates to only the Breckenridge stop--the iON Mountain Championships, making the weekend of December 13-16th even more significant on the competition schedule. With a bigger and better vendor village, more activities and music, and the brand-new Big Air event there was plenty of fresh excitement (and  free Mountain Dew) to hype up the crowds....and apparently enough to encourage Ullr (the norse god of snow) to bless Breck with some serious white stuff in the days following the comp!

Grimey Gatsby was busy behind the scenes at this year's Dew Tour, assisting with the production side of the concerts on mountain and in town.  So sadly we didn't get to watch too much of the action on the hill in person.  We've always got an ear to the ground though (even when the ground is snowy!) so we're happy to share some highlights from the weekend....

In the men's snowboarding side of things Mark McMorris was the main attraction.  Hot on the heels of Shaun White, this youngin took home a cool 50 Gs with his wins in Slopestyle and Big Air. White maintained his dominance in Pipe,  but McMorris confidently took the other two events. His impressive performance in the Big Air was a solid welcome of this new discipline to the tour. 

In an effort to ease the pressure of the linked line and really push athletes to throw their biggest and best, the Dew Tour added Big Air this winter. In it's first year it only included male athletes, though we hope to see it expand in years to come.  Always an impressive event, the Dew Tour's Big Air took a simple format:  twelve snowboarders broken into two heats of six riding in an organized jam format for eight minute periods or  five runs (whichever came first) were completed. The top two riders from each heat automatically advanced into the final round. In addition to those four riders, the next highest score from both heats also advanced making for a five-man final.  McMorris, Sage Kotsenburg, Staale Sandbech and Sebastien Toutant made the finals, but McMorris walked with gold after nailing a Backside triple cork 1440 in finals.


                                                                                photo credit: Christopher D Thompson
Sage Kotsenburg on the slope style course

Women's snowboarding had plenty of excitement as well.  After a full day of fresh snow, the Breck super pipe was at less than peak conditions when the ladies hit it for the finals on Saturday afternoon. Nonetheless these shredder chicks managed an impressive display and the event delivered an exciting upset.  Dew Tour veteran Kelly Clark has taken home 5 victories in three years in this discipline (as well as three Dew Cups).  Kaitlyn Farrington came in hot with a solid first run though, which put pressure on Clark as she took a back seat once on her first run.  Farrington brought the heat on her second run, which included a backside 900, a frontside 900, a backside 540, an alley-oop 540, a straight air and a frontside 720.  The ladies of slopestyle lucked out with some better weather for their finals, which Jaime Anderson ran away with after a spotless final run.  


Women's Superpipe Podium



Castel Queralt in the Womens Superpipe Finals

For those on two planks, there was loads of excitement as well.  The men's slopestyle event featured an epic course and less than epic conditions for the finals, both of which pushed athletes to adapt and excel. Aussie Russ Henshaw overtook Semi-Final leader James Woods with his impressive 84.5 mark in the first run of finals. Kai Mahler took the inaugural Freeski Big Air event with a  switch left double misty 1440 double Japan grab, while Justin Dorey soared to victory in the pipe, giving plenty of sweet stuff to the snazzy new camera rigged down the middle of the pipe....a never before used angle that gave spectators an unparalleled view of every run!


Justin Dorey



Women's skiing saw the upset of Breckenridge local Emilia Wint in the slopestyle event.  Wint, the top qualifier going into the final (her qualifying score was an entire five points higher than the rest of the field), lost her favored status after taking a spill on the snowy course during her first run. Canadian Kaya Turski took advantage and swooped in with a stellar first run: switch on front swap on the rainbow box, lipslide to fakie on the next rail, to switch unnatural 360 over the first jump, to switch 540 over the next jump, 270 onto the next rainbow box, and a finale  of a 540 then a switch 720 over the last wo jumps.  Wint ended up in fourth place. In the pipe, Cali native Brita Sigourney carried her high score from the semis into the elite field of six skiers in the finals and came out on top.  

Women's Skiing Slopestyle Podium

Check out a gallery of Skiing Photos from our buddy Christopher D Thompson 


Other excitement on mountain came from the goodies, games and contests over in the vendor village. Plenty of swag and silliness to be had.  There was also a  DJ set from Denver group Two Fresh, live from the base of the Big Air jump!  And on Thursday night the inaugural  "Dew Tour Recognize: Industry Film Awards" was held, shining the spotlight on some of the behind the scenes stars of the snowsports industry.  You can check out all the entries Here.  Saturday night also saw Breckenridge's Riverwalk Center sold out for the Macklemore and Ryan Lewis concert that capped the weekend with funky tunes and outrageous costumes, stage diving and more!  The Snowboard Streetstyle Rail Jam  was another big hit. This urban course was designed on one of Breck's downtown streets to look like the town might after a colossal blizzard. A dumpster, jersey barriers and parked car were  some of the elements riders hit in this fast-paced jam. Eric Beauchemin  beat out 12 competitors with tricks  like a half cab 360 onto the down barrier and a bunch of steezy grinds across the dumpster.


                                                                                             photo credit: KBS Photography
A competitor flipping over the dumpster in the Snowboard Streetstyle event




ATA - Can you hang with the GG Team?

We have a team of athletes that slaughter the snow, rails, and cliffs. Bill and Sunny (Charlie & Sam) dropped this video our way to let us know how they are rocking in Aspen. "This is just a little teaser from the fun times," said Sam. "We gonna bring the funk all season and you know that when the pow comes it's on with the ATA and GG team," shouted Charlie. 

Enjoy some winter grime from A Town........


Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Blue Bird Apparel - A tip from Coco Gatsby....

Blue Bird Apparel

For the discerning lady looking for understated glamour and stunning silhouettes, Blue Bird Apparel has all the answers. These handmade pieces are made with love in the USA.  Designer Anna Friss creates collections of flirty and wearable apparel that are meant for "the free spirited girl with an edge. She is sexy not vulgar and never takes herself too seriously".  We love the cut outs and clever shapes.  Blue Bird's re-imagined blazer, the Flutter Fly Blazer (pictured below) is just one example of how the brand brings whimsy and edge to classic pieces.

Badaboom Bustier and Skirt

 Back Breeze Hoody

Flutter Fly Blazer

Cold-Shoulder Dress


Blue Bird Apparel believes in  "having fun, loving what you do and conscience consumption". If their designs and philosophy are your style, be sure to snap up a few pieces  by shopping online or by calling 1 877 FOXY FIT (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm CST)

Follow Blue Bird Apparel:


VS' "Somewhere.Overthere" - Debut Album

Vibration Sequence


We met Tom Moore and Cole Hopfenspirger  when they were EVS (Eternal Vibration Sequence), spending an evening at their studio in Wazee Union and marveling at their impressive array of instruments, recording equipment and inspiration.  We listened to  the Drink More Tea EP on repeat on SoundCloud for an entire week after first meeting these talented musicians…hooked.    When the fellas announced a new name and a new album we knew it was something to anticipate. The duo have dropped the "E" from their name, switching to the more sleek VS.  Their sound has similarly been streamlined on their debut album Somewhere.Overthere. All of the elements we loved on the EP are still there, but the sound is  tighter and notably more mature.  The album is a diverse offering, which the Westword's Tom Murphy called "fascinatingly eclectic". From the ephemeral to the primal and tribal to the downright funky glitched out dance party, VS has just the vibration sequence you need. 

The last time we saw VS live,  a conversation with another local musician brought to light a key part of the group's appeal.  As we remarked "There's something special about their music, it's like when you're listening….", John jumped in to finish the sentence: "you're remembering something!" There are strong elements of ancient rhythms in VS' tunes.   The opening track of the album, "Dreama", is an excellent display of these elements.  This jungle soundscape is lush with dreamy synths and whirs and trills. It reminds us of the Deep Forest ambient collections that our hippie parents played around the house….and of something much much deeper.  This kind of song "reminds" us of our true essence and of our connection to nature.

"Somewhere.Overthere", the title track of the album, is the most reminiscent of what we've heard from VS in the past, a solid fusion of EDM and jam rock styles with an impressive range.  Many elements from the  Drink More Tea EP are present, but this track sounds deeper, more layered.  We could groove all night on that cosmic boogie feel that VS  does so well.  The guitar on the track is a simple but profound balance to the synth elements, providing a digital experience that doesn't lose touch with the simplicity of live instruments.  

"Saxual Healing" is a dose of funkiness like  we've heard before from the boys, again with tighter production. These days most  electronic groups with a sax draw some  comparison to Big Gigantic.  We'll just say this…this is how Dom used to sound in sweaty little clubs before Big G veered towards spectacle over soul. The sound is smooth and jazzy, with  passionate blowing and a funky underlying groove. We love that elastic moon boot bounce sound.

For that funky glitch dance party, turn to tracks like  "To The Unknown" and "Come Over (Party Yeah)". These'll 
get you tribal stepping. On the former, VS announces "We'd like to capture your minds right now, take ya a little bit higher....". VS has a capacity to elevate the dance party and bring you to a higher vibration.  They certainly capture minds with tracks like "COMPLX", which sounds almost like a hymn. VS succeeds in creating a spiritual sonic space infused with psychedelic rock. The bubbles are a tad distracting and could stand to be scaled back, but the overall feel is uplifting and dynamic.  The album closes with a bang with "TSTFTM".  With its whooping vocals and haunting, captivating melodies, this track is begging for a slot on your powder day or chill-out playlists.

VS held their album release party this weekend at Larimer Lounge, playing the new album in its entirety as an introduction for listeners.  In anticipation of the release Tom Moore remarked that 
"We're as ready as we're gonna be.  That's the thing about art, you know, there's always something more you want to do".  We cannot wait to see what more is in store from VS as they grow.   If you missed the album release, don't fret,  you can catch them live again this month!  VS will be part of the Tipper and Random Rab dual venue show this December 30th at Cervantes.  

Listen to and Download the Album on SoundCloud