Style is king in skateboarding. Yes, it is 2017, and every skater with access to Wi-Fi can put out his or her own barrage of never-been-done or seen tricks and triumphs, but nothing beats the tried and true energy and execution of good, seasoned ripping even in the most seemingly Plain Jane of spots. Now, Bristol’s Lloyds amphitheater isn’t really a lackluster spot, in fact it’s quite the dynamic and skate-friendly of locales. Think EMB but on the English side of things. Then take a glimpse of British ripper Mike Arnold pulling out all stops and absolutely pulling anything and everything out of his creative arsenal of tricks, flicks, and twists. It’s absolute magic!
Mike’s new part, appropriately titled “Lloyds,” features the skater handling the amphitheater/pier as if it was a decade-old squishy toy, and he was an overgrown rottweiler. The dude completely obliterates the thing and shuts it down on an approach and performance level. No nook or cranny is spared in this onslaught of wallies, grinds, super-tech flip tricks, and insanely fast and fancy footwork.
Edited to perfection and filmed at a stabilized and consistent low angle that garners a battlefield shootout attitude, “Lloyds” is a real gem of a focused part in the hyper-saturated skateboard world of constant new kids and tricks. It is proof positive that one can do a whole lot with a little; it’s just about how you decide to flair and funk it up, even if it’s shot at just one, albeit magical, spot.
808 State’s euro-house “In Yer Face” keeps the edit dynamic and fast-paced, acting as the sonic icing on the badass slice of cake. You’ll want to indulge in this treat more than once, and we don’t care how much you try and avoid sweets, because this one is just way too delicious to skip out on.
