The Bricks & SPoT Ybor 4 Year Anniversary Party Article at Skatepark of Tampa

The Bricks & SPoT Ybor 4 Year Anniversary Party

Posted on Tuesday, September 16, 2014 by Chris

Words and photos by Aaron Austin
Video by Jean-Luc Vida
Aaron
For the Bricks and SPot Ybor 4 Year Anniversary, we blocked off 14th Street in Ybor City and had a huge block party on Saturday. We hope you didn't miss the mini-ramp jams, booze, food and music, headlined by Surfer Blood, but if you did, you can still experience some of it through these photos. Enjoy.
Sound check: Monarch, a band fronted by one of our Bricks employees, is up first.
Mikah
Mikah had to test the water guns at the SPoT marketing tent. Hope you got to soak your friends.
Jack
Tampa Police were on hand to keep you all feeling safe, or quite the opposite if you're a skateboarder. These two watched SPoT employee Jack Loktu really closely as he boosted this boneless to tail on the mini ramp.
Around 5 o'clock, Monarch took the stage to kick off the live music. Critter, their frontman, works for us at the Bricks. You're a mad man up there, Critter! Thanks Monarch for bringing the energy level up to 11 right out of the gate.
Monarch was juiced.
Eric
We had $600 to give away throughout two mini-ramp jams. During the first jam, SPoT employee and team rider Eric McKenney collected some coin for his ultra-stylish nosepick yank-in off the brick wall that backed our ramp.
Frank
Former SPoT lensman Frank Branca showed up and went straight to ripping. Here's Frank locked into a backside nosepick.
The crowd started really filling in by 6PM, just as Florida Night Heat took the stage.
It was warm Saturday evening, but the psych-stoner trio Florida Night Heat cooled us down with their melodies. Bassist Andre Jones looked as cool as a polar bear's toenail while he sweated out his riffs.
Chad
I caught Chad and Suzie Cardoza, Mr. and Mrs. Kickstart My Art, being wrist-banded at the entrance of the party. If you haven't checked out Kickstart My Art, give it a look. They're great people.
Brittany pouring out whiskey under the Sierra Nevada tent. As the sun started to recede behind the buildings in Ybor, the liquor started to flow fast and strong.
These two ladies were enjoying the PBR cornhole.
Vans sponsored our block party, and Frank Mare from House of Vans in New York came all the way down to Tampa just to hand you a free T-shirt, shades and wallet. Thanks for being here, Frank , and thank you Vans for the support.
Jack
At about 7PM, twilight started falling on the mini-ramp as Mikah pulled out the cash for the second mini-ramp jam of the day before Gwan Massive took the stage.
Uncle Sam
SPoT team rider and employee Uncle Sam Bellipanni launched out of the ramp, over the brick wall and into the parking lot about 8 feet below. It was epic, but he had something else up his sleeve. Read on and find out what it was.
Schaefer decided to offer up $40 to a "first time drop-in." This young lady decided to give it a shot. This is what the first few attempts looked like. She took a bit of a beating, but eventually made it. Everyone was stoked, especially the shirtless carny lurking just behind the little lady. He was offering up a free sleeve of Oreo's for a frontside ollie. And they were already opened.
Paris
This man-child is Paris. He's got lien tails already and is going to be a force on a skateboard one day.
Eric
Eric McKenney was just warming up during the first jam. Eric blasted this frontside flip into the stratosphere and picked up a few extra bucks for his effort.
Uncle Sam
Sam Bellipanni is next level, no bullshit. I didn't even know how to shoot this trick. Sam ollied out of the quarter to backtail on the brick wall, then kickflipped out and back into the tranny. Please, do yourself a favor and watch the edit Jean-Luc made to see this insane maneuver.
Gwan Massive took the stage as the sun ducked behind the Earth around 7:30PM. I'd like to point out that this guy is wearing the Cigar City Nike Dunk, with matching T-shirt. Way to rep Tampa and the park.
Michael
When Gwan Massive exited the stage, I walked back over to the mini-ramp expecting it to be shrouded in darkness, but found SPoT shop employee Michael Andruzzi going full-force with the help of a couple floodlights. Here's Mr. Andruzzi balancing a beanplant.
Surfer Blood hit the stage well after dark, but illuminated the faces in the crowd with smiles and cheers. Surfer Blood is, from bottom left hand corner to right: Tyler Schwarz, drums; Kevin Williams, bass; John Paul Pitts, lead vocals, guitar; Thomas Fekete, vocals, guitar.
Surfer Blood drummer, Tyler Schwarz, doing what he does on his kit, while Kevin Williams thumbs his bass in the background.
Thomas Fekete, guitarist and vocalist of Surfer Blood, employed some crazy playing styles including plucking this guitar solo with his teeth. So rad.
Three drops of Surfer Blood, as seen from just to the right of the drummer.
Brian
I guess Schaefer felt musical after the Surfer Blood set and thought he'd give the wax a scratch. Best leave that to the pros, like DJ Blenda who's standing behind you, Brian.
Brian
Surfer Blood and Schaefer. Happy.
The party goers on 14th street made their way into the Bricks for more booze and music being laid down by DJ Qeys. I was diggin' his neon vinyl.
We hope you enjoyed the Bricks and SPoT Ybor 4 Year Anniversary party. These dancin' fools sure did. Thank you Vans, Cigar City Brewing, PBR, J.J. Taylor, Fernet Branca, Camus, Absolut Vodka, Sierra Nevada, 44 North, Papa's Pilar, Angel's Envy Whiskey, William Grant & Sons, Red Bull, The Bricks, Monarch, Florida Night Heat, Gwan Massive and Surfer Blood for a great time.

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