Tuesday, December 8, 2009

The Eastern Boarder Video 2008 Review


The Eastern Boarder Video 2008

reviewed by Lauren Traub Teton
for SnowboardSecrets.com

When it all comes down to it, why do we watch snowboard videos? My answer is to watch people have fun on the snow when we’re not on it ourself, and to see something new. EB’s Eastern Boarder Video for 2008 provides for these needs, in spades.

We love Scott Stevens stalling on a log rail then doing a forward somersault in the air off. We love seeing Colleen Quigley and all our other homegrown shreds doing their gnarly thing. And we love the price of this disc in this day of shrinking buying power, ‘cuz it’s FREE for the asking at your local Easter Boarder. Online too, here!

It’s the opposite of some of the slick vids you’ve seen, it has a feeling of being one step ahead of the cops and anarchy, and those antics are what we most love in a snowboard flick – just watching kids having fun while their adrenaline flows. Riding stuff they shouldn’t. Like brick walls and roofs and hey, is that a dam they’re sliding? Not every part is credited, we’d like to see the names of each entertaining perp who performs. We like seeing the always-stylish Niko Cioffi who besides his cool riding gets the most fashionable jacket award in this flick.

New Englanders are gnarly and not afraid to show their mistakes on film. Brandon Reis goes huge, clips a pine tree, and then lands upside down in it’s tree well in his first shot, with a cracked board. Chris Beresford shreds a SKATE park on his board. Yale Cousino gets best pants award.

For some vids, you know the crew sat and waited in their hotel rooms for days until bluebird skies appeared and avalanche danger passed. In this vid, it’s more like they said “Tonight’s the night” and the crew got together whenever and wherever for some ninja style filming. This film is like watching The Monkees with snowboards (ask your parents.) And we love it.

See the video now FREE here!

From EB's Site

This is the Eastern Boarder Movie. It is amazing that this is the first EasternBoarder Snowboard Movie with past riders including Eric Kovall, Alexi Garick, Doug Byrnes, Shane Flood, Nicke Franke, Jamie Mcleod and more. Its about time we did this, The video and EB team would not happen without the amazing riders and filmers that represent EB. Most of all we would like to thank the huge Eastern Boarder Family.

This is the changing of the guard, the talent has never been hungrier. Last season (08) was record breaking, tons of snow, tons of fun, tons of coverage. It might go down as the best season ever. This Movie features the riding talents of Tanner Pendleton, Teddy Lavoie, Colleen Quigley, Brandon Reis, Sam Hulbert, Chris Carr, Yale Cousino & Shane Fortier. Appearances by friends like Kade Madsden, Chris Beresford & Niko Coiffi & More. Chris Carr wraps up the video with some tricky tricks that need to be watched three times minimum.

This video was filmed by Tanner Pendleton, Matt Roberge and random others, If a person is in it they probably filmed a bit. Edited by Tanner Pendleton. Thanks to Tanner for his hard work making this movie happen, and thanks to Everyone for your support. Thanks to the sponsors, Watervile Valley, K2 Snowboarding, Red Bull, Oakley, Ride, & Forum.

Thursday, October 15, 2009

The B. Burton Movie Premiere NYC 9.14.09

by Lauren Traub Teton

Tonight was the first big movie premiere of the NY snowboard party season in NYC. Hundreds of people lined up in front of the Tribeca Cinemas on Varick Street downtown to see Burton's new 40 minute film. They showed the film in 2 theaters simultaneously, and then had a quickly scheduled second showing to accommodate the crowd. See the vid here. Seeing the film in a theater instead of at a party gives you the chance to look at the film a lot more closely, hear the soundtrack, and enjoy it all comfortably. Burton is taking a page from the Warren Miller juggernaut in this regard.

The NY Snowboarding Meetup kicks ASS by the way, with 1660 members as of today, and over 100 attending tonight. Thanks Keith and Agatha for arranging the movie meetup! And so did The B. This movie, unlike most snowboard films actually kind of has a plot. Well, a theme is more like it. The "B" has a role in the film, as a 100 foot long playground at Northstar, Tahoe, for the riders to do tricks over and off of. Fun idea and photogenic too! See what the B looks like and what this evening was like in our video here.

Standout parts in the film went to Shaun White with the leadoff, riding his private halfpipe and dressed in a black catsuit. We actually see Shaun fall, and as we well know about Shaun White, that just makes him try super harder to succeed. (More Shaun White here.)

Nicolas Mueller uses the Alps like his own giant natural terrain park and his riding reminds us why he was twice crowned snowboarder of the year. His buddy and business partner Fredi Kalbermatten has a part. Best part was Jeremy Jones (rail rider) from Salt Lake, looking lean and mean. He also astounds with his no hands motorcycle riding, and then, well, I won't tell you what else he does on the bike. You'll have to see it to believe it, but don't try it, please.

There's fun rail riding with great beats in the beginning. Snowboarding in an icy skate bowl was new to me, and then the little trick at the end where the 2 riders jump off their sleds and swap is cute, like something your parents might have seen on "The Monkees" tv show.

Shaun White himself made a quick late-night run through the premiere after-party (at Bar 169) where he appeard from midnight to 12:30, then took off in a cab, with cheers from his fans. This party actually had fancy hors d'ouevres served by wait staff on trays upstairs.

Here's a photo from last year's bowling party in Boston, with Nico Mueller lower right, Fredi Kalbermatten center, Liam Griffin upper left, and Yale Cousino upper right. Read our brand new interview with Yale Cousino here. And read about that Burton Boston party 2008 here.











Flexmeter Wrist Guards. Designed by a doctor. For snowboard, skate, Trikke, roller derby, football, tennis, horseback riding, ice skating, and probably more. www.Flexmeters.com

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Louie Vito on Dancing with the Stars

Lauren Traub Teton
Editor SnowboardSecrets.com

Wanna see something cool? Check out the videos of Louie Vito on "Dancing with the Stars" from September 21, 2009. Louie is a 2 time Grand Prix winner and 21-year old pro-snowboarder going for the 2010 Olympic Team. He's from Bellefontaine, OH with a stop at the Stratton Mountain School along the way. I never noticed what a fabulously charming smile he has, and certainly never saw his buffed up arms when he was swaddled in snowboard gear at the US Open. See the 4 min. video with Louie's buff arms here.
See the official ABC 2 min. vid here.

Surprisingly, dancing is new to him. I thought snowboarding and dancing went together like boards and stickers. At least that is my observation from the many cool dancers I've encountered at snowboard parties, but perhaps they are a self-selected group. But Louie gamely ventures (way!) outside his comfort zone to learn the foxtrot and allegedly salsa too, though I haven't seen that vid yet.



Louie Vito and Lauren at the 2006 US Open (he was just 18!)

It can only help his future snowboard performance to learn the good straight posture and shoulders down relaxed strides he works on for the dances. There is a lot of cross-over between dancing and snowboarding. He says he doesn't need straight posture to ride, and has to stay "hunched over" but I say that knowing how to use the body in a versatile way is all good! And training the mind to keep learning new things is a life skill that always serves us well.

More pix of the 2006 US Open including up-close photos with Shaun White, Mason Aguirre, Hana Beaman, Freddie Kalbermatten, Sketchy D, Danny Davis, Elena Hight and more!

If you're interested to know why Belly Dancers are Natural Snowboarders, check out my article and pictures here.

Article sponsored by Flexmeter Snowboard Wrist Guards. Designed by a Doctor and Proven to reduce snowboard wrist injuries. For skateboard, Trikke, and other sports too.
Flexmeters.com

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 3 Sunday

Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 3 Sunday
by Lauren Traub Teton

"
This was truly the best Gathering of the Vibes I have been to in the 4 that I have attended."

The perfect festival weather roll we've been on since late Saturday night continued for the daytime GOV shows on Sunday. What a treat to hear Buddy Guy do a song with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals. He sat in on their last song, and the show seemed to segue seemlessly into the Buddy Guy performance. Again, they keep you busy and there was astonishingly little downtime between acts at this year's Gathering of the Vibes.

Buddy Guy is a master of the blues and the audience boogied and loved it. "One leg to the East, one leg to the west, and Buddy was in the middle tryin' to do his best!" This 5 Grammy Award Winner learned at the elbow of Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf. Buddy Guy is continuing the tradition with a gifted amazing blond kid who plays in Buddy's band. Did someone say he was 12 years old? We couldn't hear his name but we know we'll be hearing from this next Stevie Ray Vaughn. We were doubly blessed when Grace Potter joined Buddy Guy on his stage for a song.

Crosby, Still and Nash played the final set of the Gathering of the Vibes Festival, that had been running since Thursday. On the first several numbers they sounded like they had drunk a 5-hour Energy Drink about 7 hours earlier. The set changed up the pace with a cover of the Stones "Ruby Tuesday." Storm clouds were quickly gathering, and having experienced a flash storm at this festival Friday night, it was just time to go. I planned to listen to the rest of the show in my car on WPKN who had been graciously broadcasting the music all weekend. But alas, CSN did not give permission for their show to be broadcast. I slipped away from Seaside Park and the crowd as the raindrops started to pelt, about 10 minutes before the end of the act.

In all, only about an hour of music was pre-empted by rain on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. Amazing considering the history of rain that follows this (and every NY/New England summer music festival I have ever attended.) We're sorry half of the moe show was lost in the evacuation Friday night. This GOV 2009 ran with military precision and here's a shout-out to all the people who made it happen and sacrificed sleep when needed. We hear planning of the next GOV starts 3 days after the last one finishes!

This was truly the best Gathering of the Vibes I have been to in the 4 that I have attended. The two years I went to the shows in Mariaville, upstate NY were magic. The first year back in Seaside Park ('07) was the settling down year. Now the magic is back. It wasn't just the music, it was the high vibration of the crowd. It is great to be with music lovers who are dancing and enjoying themselves. Magic happens in a loose flowing environment like this, and it did!

A couple of tips for GOV goers:

Ferry
*If you're coming from eastern Long Island, consider the Port Jefferson to Bridgeport ferry. I took it over this year and it was so pleasant. Make a reservation before. The cost was $51 for a car and driver. The ferry runs with precision. It takes an hour plus to get across, and drops you about a mile from the festival and you'll see signs to get you there.

If you're a Twifty
(Twifties are people who are in their late 40s and up and FUN!! And there were lots of them at Gathering of the Vibes!) consider buying VIP tickets. This year the VIP area had 2 spacious shady tents where the show could be seen. One tent had snacks, drinks, beer for sale, and a dance floor. The other one was furnished with cushy sofas. The VIP area is a refuge from the harsh realities of weather and a great place to chill. Of course you can go into the main concert area too from there.
VIP tickets usually sell out, plan early! VIP ticket holders get 2 catered lunches, close parking, a special camping area, and more.

Rain
It's no fun to sleep in water if you're not a fish. Bring an air mattress to raise your sleeping bag above water that will seep into your tent. Expect it!


Sunday, July 26, 2009

Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 2

Gathering of the Vibes 2009 part 2
by Lauren Traub Teton

Saturday night at GOV was possibly the best Saturday night EVER!!! It was the best In my 4 years of going based on music, weather, audience, and general VIBE! Friday night's noodly improve performances on the main stage were replaced by the Levon Helm Band's drum-tight performance where every note was in place, but many old Band favorites were freshly arranged and sounding superb. This perfomance reminds me it is time to watch one of the greatest music concert movies of all time again - "The Last Waltz."

Bob Weir and Ratdog totally surprised me. I have seen them many times and if last night turned out to be a show that didn't inspire me or the weather turned nasty, I was planning to slip out of the concert early and make for my bed and some needed catch-up sleep. Well, it was getting LIGHT when I finally got home, so I think that proves that this was one of the best Ratdog shows I ever experienced. The set kicked ass from start to finish, with the proper blend of dancin' tunes and spacey ones. The show finished up with "One More Saturday Night" and the crowd went wild. Light stick fireworks "went off." It's pretty to see huge handfuls of light sticks fly through the air, and you'll see it in the video. Just explain to me me how that fits into the heavy ecolgoy and recycling vibe of this show?

The weather was PERFECT in the 70s all night as we made our way to the 1:30 a.m. late show of Perpetual Groove on the Green Vibes Stage. It's the same venue where the Lettuce show was last night. You had to have a "Camping" ticket to go to the Green Vibes stage in the campground. Security runs like a well-oiled machine at this year's event and wristbands were checked at the gate to the campground. I had never heard Perpetual Groove, but being a dancer, how could I resist seeing a group with a name like that? I was not dispappointed as the dance scene raved and raged inside and outside the big white tent.

People slowly meandered back to their campsites at the end of this EPIC Saturday night at Gathering of the Vibes 2009.
More to come, and VIDEO whenI I have time to edit. Now going back to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals at 2:30,

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Gathering of the Vibes 2009

Gathering of the Vibes 2009
by Lauren Traub Teton

Bridgeport,CT. July 25. Gathering of the Vibes summer music festival has returned to rock out Seaside Park in Bridgeport, CT.
See the vid here.
Heavy rain Thursday gave way to a perfect day on Friday. Campers were packed into the 370 acre park, and hay had been thoughtfully placed over a lot of the muddy areas for easy walking. Twifties - the FUN people in their late 40s, 50s, 60s, and UP were out in full force enjoying the fest. George Clinton and P-Funk got the crowd crazy with "We Want the Funk." Musical experimentation is what the Gathering of the Vibes stages were made for, and George and his band let it fly. A female singer changed up the pace and tone, and kept dancers on their feet for the changes in direction that the music took.

Deep Banana Blackout once again reveled in being the home team on their hometown stage. Jen Durkin, lead singer and glue of DBB looked glam and svelte in her black dress and glorious thick blonde dreds. Their were hints that they might reprise their famous Zeppelin set of GOV 2006 where Jen Durkin channeled Robert Plant on the two delicious Zeppelin covers, including "Whole Lotta Love" from the Red Sky set 10 years ago. (read about the 2006 Gathering of the Vibes and see pix here.)

But since DBB always keeps it all fresh, we were treated to a Santana song from Woodstock (the first one, that is) and the crowd danced their feet off! And Jen had her sister, and her "soul sister from another mother" join her on a tribute to Merle Saunders (of the Saunders/Garcia Band and much more.) UFOs of candle-powered globes with laser lights floated over the crowd. One has to wonder what happens if one lands on a tent.

Time between bands was short. Unbelievably short, not even 5 minutes to hit the portolet or get a beer. I never thought I'd ever say "there should be more downtime between bands." moe started their set on time at 10:30 but then a serious lightning storm whipped up and the audience was told "go back to your cars" 'til it blows over."

After about 90 minutes the storm passed, and the party was back outdoors with Lettuce playing some of the best funk of the night at an intimate venue under a tent, by the seaside. This was a reunion of the band started by high schoolers in 1992 in Boston. The weather was crisp and the humidity had dropped, the dancing was intense, great party weather once again.
See the vid here.

More to come...after it happens!

Friday, May 22, 2009

"Twifties" suddenly taking the world by Storm

The new word and concept "Twifties" is suddenly taking the world by storm. How do we know? Because the word was uttered on Saturday Night Live on April 11, 2009.

It's in the Zac Efron Monologue at the opening of the show. You can see the skit on Hulu here.

Watch from 2 min. 34 seconds to 2 minutes 40 seconds if you don't have 3 minutes and 17 seconds, but it's cute and maybe you'll just want to watch the whole seg!

Twifties are people around their 50s (and UP!) who act like they're in their 20s. Like Lauren Traub Teton, the creator of SnowboardSecrets.com and this blog, who is also (coincidentally) the creator of the new word and concept "Twifties." Check out www.Twifties.com.

Lauren is also the host and provocateur on a new TV show. If you don't live in Northern Westchester County, you'll have to check out entertaining excerpts online on Youtube at Twifties TV soon.

By the way, Lauren will be working with a hot/cool snowboard clothing line this season, modeling snowboard gear for Twifties. You can see her swaggering in her Burton Zebra stripe matching hoody and snow pants in winter 2008/09 all over SnowboardSecretsTV and specifically at the discovery of Snow Cleavage in VT here.
Which snowboard gear line will she be modeling? We're not saying yet. Just know you'll want to wear it too when you see how good it looks!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Snow Parks and Terrain Parks of Austria and France

The Snow Parks and Terrain Parks of Austria and France

by Annelies Van de Velde, for SnowboardSecrets.com

New! Be sure to check out SnowboardSecrets.TV for the World's First and Only
hosted Snowboard Interview Show on the Internet. Hosted by Lauren Traub Teton

Snow Park Heaven

Whether you’re a rubber-bodied gnarly kicker-god or a trembling-at-the-knees snow park rookie with a keen spirit; if you’re planning a ski holiday in Austria or fancy a bit of snowboarding in France and are looking to hurl yourself off silly obstacles, we’ve highlighted a couple of snow park gems to meet all your freestyle needs.

Mayrhofen - Austria’s best playground in the snow

Voted by snowparks.com as one of Europe’s best snow parks, the Vans Penken Park in Mayrhofen is simply sublime and is regularly home to Austrian and international pros who like to strut their stuff on its huge amount of obstacles. Newly opened in 2008, the park is now bigger, better and still fresh from new ideas and improvements. This includes the newly named Funjet lift which runs the whole length of the park and is the ideal place to sit back and watch all the fun. See what they did there?

Four separate lines neatly divide the boys from the men, so everyone can go their own pace. The easiest Fun line contains some cute mini-kickers, wall rides, boxes and banks, while the Public line steps it up a notch adding longer rails and bigger kickers. The Pro line does what it says on the tin, boasting some big air opportunities in the form of tables a quarter pipe and massive jumps including a 19m biggie.

With a half pipe and a Jib line containing a 12m rainbow box and 7m wall ride as the cherries on top of this snowy cake, the Vans Penken Park is a freestylers dream!

Website: www.vans-penken-park.com

Snow Park Event: Snowbombing, 29th March – 4th April 2009

Avoriaz - A French freestyle bonanza!

World renowned for being the first French resort to embrace snowboarding, Avoriaz is a haven for those looking to shred some snow and widely known as the French hub of freestyle. No less than four snow parks plus a competition-worthy half pipe nestle amongst its snowy banks, with more freestyle fun on offer in the surrounding Portes Du Soleil area.

Newest addition to this already inspired playground is The Stash: Europe’s first ecological snow park designed by Jake Burton. This park makes use of the natural terrain to create a mixture of freestyle and freeride, with a great mix of log jibs, road gaps and hidden powder slashes in un-groomed snow, with something to please all levels.

Another new area suited to the more advanced rider is Biotop. This jib-tastic space is home to the 30m long jib-monster that is the Golden Gate and the whole area has been designed with the environment in mind using only snow and wood.

For those who really want to step up the adrenaline, the ever changing Arare is Avoriaz’ advanced park with 800x80 meters of rails, kickers and corner jumps. You’ll often find quarters, step-ups or spines there too, as well as the daily maintained, super smooth Superpipe half pipe. Its huge vertical walls stretch 120m long and 5.6 wide and have serviced many pro riders in some awesome competitions.

And finally, if you’re feeling a bit knock-kneed after reading all this, La Chapelle is the perfect place to gently easy you into the bigger jumps, with forgiving jumps rails and boxes for the budding freestyler.

Website: www.snowzone.fr/index_2.htm

Snow Park Event: Burton AM, 21st-22nd March


Annelies adds:

Has this got you itching to shred some snow? Crystal Ski provides some great package deals to Avoriaz and Mayrhofen, so you don’t need to worry about food shopping and can get on with the more important things like shredding! Let’s hope it just carries on dumping till the end of the season …