Words: Miljan Milekić
If you want to host a part premiere in your town, and considering you’re not in NYC or somewhere in California, there’s hardly a better place than Oslo, a night before the X Games. Norwegian skater and pro for Creature, Emerica, and Monster Energy, Kevin Bækkel did just that. But make no mistakes, this night wasn’t about tomorrow’s event, it was all about Kevin. Godthåb, a pretty interesting bar near the Oslo city center was screaming his name from every corner.
There were Kevin‘s Emerica colorway shoes on display in one corner, his Creature boards hanging from the walls between posters of the new part and the event itself, Monster Energy claw on the stage, as well as massive Emerica banner at the DJ booth. And most importantly, the place was packed. The bar was not only full, but quite a few people were left outside, waiting and hoping to somehow sneak in. Apart from who’s who of the Norwegian skate scene, quite a few international guests checked in, including Jamie Foy and Ishod Wair, to name a few.
The premiere itself was the main event of the evening, but Kevin provided quite a few treats for everyone who came. The night was hosted by DJ Brox, who was blasting some Cro-Mags and The Clash as we were coming in, combining it with A LOT of metal, but it was two bands who made the night even more special. Both SvartePeeng and DØNK blasted some raw, energetic, and powerful blend of punk and hardcore, wreaking havoc in the crowd. Obviously, Bækkel was a friend and a fan of both, joining them on stage on a few occasions, and taking the mic over, getting the pit to the boiling point. To be honest, I didn’t understand a shit they were singing, as they sing in Norwegian, but the energy was so high, that it didn’t even matter.
Oh, yeah! The part. It will be available on the Thrasher website on Monday, September 9th, and that’s all I’ll say. OK, one more hint: it’s nothing like ‘Lisbon to Porto.’
