The Skateboard Mag

SxSW (South by South West)

Text Todd Bratrud—March 24, 2008

jumped in the van the other day, hella last minute style and drove to Austin TX with my buddies (Mike Aho and Steve Stratton of (((SOUNDER))) and our friend Elvis) to go to the South x South West music deal. Crashed at the Sieben House (thanks you guys!), skated a bit, ate a LOT of mexican food, swam a little, rocked out (to say the least), saw some heavy duty partying go down... the list goes on. it was a dope trip, a lot of driving, but well worth it in my eyes, here are photos...

Aho. Rocking on some gas stop junk in the middle of nowhere.

this "park" was pretty fresh, it was just like a little race track with some sketchy metal ramps thrown in the mix, we killed it, i got no photos, but trust me... we KILLED it.

one of the few times we didnt eat Mexican, i guess this place is a "MUST EAT" when in TX, we put food inside us, it was good.

said good bye to some old friends at the BBQ spot.

went by OK Mountain Gallery (Sieben is one of the people running the show over there). there is a weird manhole in the middle of the gallery, talked Sieben into prying it open real quick...

its always rad to find treasure, i used the solid gold phones to pay for more mexican food!

was gonna bring this bad boi home for George, but i decided against it for some reason.

napkin art? i wouldnt call it that really...

an old friend if mine from the Santa Cruz days was in town with her band "the Happy Hollows" and they played a few shows, i may have mentioned them before in some other blog, they kill it... KILL it.

this would get you killed in the bay area.

this band played before (((SOUNDER))) at OK Mountain, i forget the name but it was goooooood

this spider was lampin' checkin' out the music as well, i spent a good chunk of time with this lil guy...

(((SOUNDER))) at OK Mountain.

whats that? you dont keep your dental records on you at all times? thats weird. Katy.

OK Mountain

more mexican food, this time with music.

this is a long story that nobody really knows the full details, i guess i should tell it, but im not going to. wallet... achieved.

(((SOUNDER)))

your new favorite band "Death Hell Battle Tank". homeboy kept his distance from the rest of the band, even tryed to sing from the port-o-potty, he crushed it, super dope.

Aho stepped it up and got boots, hes thrilled about it, really he was.

this whole trip was fueled on Red Bull, well that and mexican food...

went to this ill pool! its natural spring fed and has like normal "pool" looking walls and all that but the underwater part is fully natural rocks and weeds and shit, eels and fish and turtles, dream location, right in the city.

graffitti, im positive i didnt do it, we just found it at some BBQ joint, totally weird.

AKRON/FAMILY took the entire show out into the street, pretty amazing.

you could pretty much just point and click your camera in any direction durring SxSW and get a weird good photo...

went to this house party where some bands were playing "unplugged" style, you've seen this kinda thing on Mtv im sure...

Hello Lovers, this was some gooooood music, im not sure how you hear it aside from being there but i suggest doing a google search, guess i could do that for you and post a link, but im not gonna. sorry.

Josie.

Nathan.

whats that? you wanna know how to look amazing wherever you go? ok, two words "Hot Pink" make sure most of your gear is hot pink and your set...

Stratton first try on the skill crane... new trip mascot!!

picked up and dropped off tweak bird, a whirl wind trip, so many good times, memories. ahhhhhh...

gas station love letter.

Aho is from TX, on our way back to the OC he took us to a ditch from his youth, pretty killer, everyone KILLED it as per usual, and i GOT killed...

Aho. Front Rock.

Stratton. hitting that lip with athority!

Elvis. Boneless.

Me. Hipper, the colors on this photo make it look worse than it was. maybe i should have taken the Humphires route on the hipper photo? ehhh, the leg might be better than ass.

the sun setting on a 22 hour drive back.

thanks again everyone for everything, TX (or what we saw of it) was rad.