On Sunday, November 13th, 2022, the Black Mass Skate event took place in Birmingham. It was the first event of its kind hosted by Sabbath Wheels and supported by Ideal Birmingham,VansEurope, Red Bull Skate, and Heathens Skateboards. The location was Fastlands, a well-known street spot in Birmingham. The last major Skate event there was the Beyond Skateboarding Fastlands Jam organized by the no comply network.
It was great to see the entire Skate community come together, from professional riders like Marcus Palmer to young new generation skaters such as Rory Buckley and Corey Roper. Skaters from across the UK traveled to Birmingham to skate the iconic spot, coming from cities like Bristol, Derby, Manchester, and London. Several different Skate collectives were present, including the Rollersnakes team,Bagheadcrew, wolftownthe SkateHut team, and a few riders from Fifty Fifty and Magic Toast Shop.
HeathensSkateboards crafted a euro gap specifically for the event, positioning it on the 9 stairs throughout the afternoon for skaters to enjoy. Beth Howels and Tiny Harry performed doubles on it late in the afternoon. It's still at Fastlands, so go skate it before it gets removed or damaged.
Slap Rampsalso created some obstacles and ramps especially for the event, which many skaters enjoyed throughout the afternoon, including skaters like Ben Plumb, Nick Binnington, and Alex Ramsell.
When participating in a street Skate event, caution is advised. TheSkate Rampssteps and rails are quite challenging, even for spectators, so be careful when watching the event as boards can fly around and skateboarders zip in various directions. Be sure not to get in the way.
What is street Skating?
Street Skateboarding originatesSkateboardingfrom public roads and sidewalks. It is sometimes called "street Skating" or "sidewalk surfing." Street Skateboarding tricks are generally performed on handrails, stairs, benches, and other street elements, as well as on flat ground. This form of Skateboarding is one of the most popular and is often considered the purest form of the sport. The street Skating scene is also known for its strong sense of community. Street Skating often demands more precision and technical skill than park Skating since the obstacles are usually less forgiving.
Our sponsored riderCorey Roperattended the event and was excelling with the wall ride, the 7 steps, and the euro gap.
We had the opportunity to speak with him after the event.
What was your favorite moment of the event?
“Marcus Palmers kickflip down the double set. It was so inspiring to watch, and he was so close to landing it and riding away.”
Favorite trick you landed at the event?
“Nose grab down the monolith euro gap down the 9set.”
What setup were you using?
“Zero Deck (8.25) with Independent Trucks, Bronson Bearings and Bones wheels (54mm.)”
Was Fastlands challenging to skate?
“It was a bit, as it was busy and chaotic with people all over the place, but that added to the incredible atmosphere of the day, so much excitement for people doing what they love.”
Overall, how was the Black Mass event?
“Amazing, I had such a wonderful day, and the talent on display was incredible. I love watching others and getting inspired. Back in 2019, I attended my first Skateboarding event at Fastlands. I was only 8 years old and could barely ollie, but I remember taking on the bank, and the excitement was intense. That’s when I truly fell in love with Skateboarding, and I haven’t looked back, so it was fantastic to return 3 years later with more tricks to show.”
