…it’s the re-premiere of ‘Realise’ TONIGHT – 7.30 onwards, Buffalo.
Should be good this time as Conor has four back-up DVDs, a copy on a laptop, and in case of emergency a selection of skateboarding poems and stories relating to his time growing up as a young buck on the streets of Penarth.
If you can’t wait until tonight for your fix of Cardiff based skateboarding check this edit from Josh Ellis and friends filmed over the course of the Summer.
That’s it for now, there’s nothing else to tell you about the world of skateboarding this week so I’ll sign off. No…wait…what’s this? My Chimpo McDoodle senses are tingling…this can mean only one thing…Welshcakes news! Let me check Facebook in case I’ve missed an update…
How could I forget. Chimpo Ring of Fire at Ferndale.
So it’s that time of year again…the time when Cardiff is plunged into gridlock and chaos by the arrival of ten thousand students. For most of them, skateboarding will be forgotten until the student loan has been completely rinsed. In a state of parentally liberated delirium, the lure of cheap alcohol and the lustful urges of youth will compel them to habitually abuse their bodies in a carnal cycle of despair. Months later, alone, poor and dejected…they will turn their attentions to the discarded skateboard in the corner and, with a nostalgic yearning for the simpler days of their recently abandoned youth, they will roll themselves out of the stinking cess-pit they call home and into the big wide world.
So take note of this web-page dear student skateboarder, and return to it when you are ready. Here is your ultimate guide to skateboarding in Cardiff.
Where to shop?
This is easy. City Surf is the only skater owned and run skate shop in Cardiff. It’s in Castle Arcade off the top end of St Mary Street.
They stock a good range of stuff…and if you say you’re a student they might even give you a discount! They’re going to be moving to new premises soon and it looks like it’s going to be AMAZING…so head down to the store now so you can say you knew them when they were old school.
What to buy?
Local brands that are worth spending your hard-earned other people’s taxes on include:
Worth keeping an eye out for stuff from the little guys too. Bakery and us here at CSC put out occasional things…
If I missed your brand or company…SORRY! Post it in the comments below.
Where to drink
There are loads of options…Cardiff is pretty much the UK’s drunkenness capital. Buffalo Bar and Ten Feet Tall are skater friendly venues that are often the scene of video premieres and parties. You can get some great deals at both venues by signing up for an Eats, Beats and Treats card. Underneath Buffalo is Undertone, which is a rad basement club with great nights.
If you want to go mental and rave it up hard. The best option these days is probably Backroom, located in a bank vault in Cardiff Bay.
Regular pub fan? Can’t beat a bit of Dempsey’s for that old man vibe or The Pen and Wig for the only decent beer garden in town and cheap prices on food and booze.
Cardiff Arts Institute used to be pretty mental on the weekends and you could easily save yourself the entrance fee by jumping over the fence at the back…but apparently those days are over and it’s going to be shit from now on because the suits at Brains brewery HQ have taken it over and are gonna fuck it up.
Where to skate?
There’s one real big meeting spot these days, and that’s the Cardiff Bay skate plaza. It’s a really sick park even though at weekends it’s plagued by little fuckers on scooters. You have to get down there.
…but if you’re in town and you get this…pop into Buffalo. There’s a ‘sneaker’ (trainers to you and I) exhibition on that’s part sponsored by City Surf. Well worth a look.
If you miss this, then there’s also a t-shirt show on tomorrow. The CSC exhibit is posted below for your enjoyment…not strictly speaking a t-shirt, and also possibly the stupidest waste of time in the history of the world…but check it out and maybe take it for a spin at Buffalo tomorrow evening. There will also be exhibits from Godmachine, The Cult of Original Sin and various other Cardiff art masters. See you there!
Please spread the word, this year Cardiff’s Go Skateboarding Day is dedicated to a special cause. CSC’s famous mascot, Boxman was at a BBQ at Pirate Man’s house and he ate a burger that had been left outside for a week and had some weird mushrooms growing on it. THEY SENT HIM INSANE! He flipped out and grabbed Pirate Man and ran into the night, only stopping to grab Pirate Man’s secret treasure stash on his way.
WE NEED YOU TO FIND PIRATE MAN AND TO FREE HIM FROM BOXMAN’S CLUTCHES!
Pirate Man has left a series of clues around Cardiff. This is too much for any one person to handle, so you’ll have to form teams and track them down using your QR code enabled mobile phone, your street skating skills and your unholy intelligence. If you meet at Welsh Offices at 12 on Sunday, Jim O will tell you everything he knows to get you started. City Surf, Buffalo/Beatbox bars, Godmachine and Crayon skateboards will also be trying to help.
WE’RE ALL REALLY WORRIED ABOUT PIRATE MAN!
Whichever team finds him and frees him from Boxman will win Pirate Man’s treasure! There will be an extra prize for the team that makes the best edit of the day…so bring a filmer! Mobile phone footage is fine.
SPREAD THE WORD WE NEED ALL THE HELP WE CAN GET!
P.S. There will also be other, more traditional, Go Skateboarding Day events happening once we’ve found Pirate Man.
Al from Full Fat Flyer Pack turned up at War at the Welsh a couple of weeks ago and dished out freebies to all the hungry skate goons. He’s promised to do more of the same at future events and is now an official sponsor of War at the Welsh which means there’ll be music related treats in store for the finalists.
Yet another Buffalo hosted skate premiere…this time it’s Hologram supremo Nick’s masterpiece that will be the focus of the evening. Look out for CSC guest appearances both in the vid and on the night.
Secret Xmas giveaway!
If you wear a CSC shirt and whisper the magic phrase ‘I want to wear you like a glove puppet’ to Dan Gambarini, you’ll get a free pint.
Al Power put me on a last minute (i.e. drunk) free pass for Buffalo tonight. Now I can’t see straight and it feels like I’ve got five hands. Just remember kids, a penny spent in Buffalo or Ten Feet Tall is a penny spent on ensuring Cardiff skateboard culture permeates the mainstream. Shout out to Al Power for putting on every skate flick premier in the last few years and establishing the nearest thing Cardiff has to a skate bar.
