Authors: Brighton Metz
Utah County Counter-Culture: Happy Valley Derby Darlins Bust Expectations 02.25
The game was set in a gutted Food-4-Less building, the yellow and black sign still looming above the storefront. Inside, the fluorescent supermarket lights were buzzing bright over the taped-off track, the smell of popcorn was in the air, and fans had already started setting up blankets and camping chairs on the edge of the line, ready for gametime. … read more
Shipping Up To Layton: Junction City’s Saint Patrick’s Day Brawl
As anybody in the derby world will tell you, roller derby is 75% sport, 10% perspiration, and 15% beer. It’s what we drink to celebrate victories, to mourn losses, to wash down our ibuprofen, and it always tastes better in the shower before a game. Unfortunately, the rest of the world usually frowns upon our healthy drinking habit, with one exception: St. Patrick’s Day, when derby folks can go hard as fuck and face absolutely no repercussions. … read more
Trial, Powerwolves, Cool Your Jets, Despite Despair and No Empire...
Finally, with anticipation mounting, Trial began setting up. The crowd filed back in early, leaving an ominous empty space in the middle of the room for the inevitable mosh pit … The band took a couple minutes to sound-check, and then immediately blasted into “Reflection,” quickly finding out that microphones were totally unnecessary. The crowd shouted every single word, some guys climbing up onto the stage and holding singer Greg Bennick by the shoulders, screaming into his face before jumping down. The energy spread throughout the room, even affecting those of us opting to stay on the backside of the ever-expanding mosh pit. Bennick noted at one point that, “Salt Lake City is the only place you see people actually stretching during the fast parts, getting ready for the breakdown.” … read more
Bombing On The Banked Track: Salt City Makes Their Debut...
When the Salt City Derby Girls announced last year that they would be making the transition to the banked track, I’ll admit that I had my doubts. After all, SCDG began as a flat track league in 2005. It’s likely that most of the league had never even set skate on a banked track before. Rumors started flying, but Salt City kept quiet. Finally, the track made its debut on May 5, to a home team beatdown between the Death Dealers and the Bomber Babes. … read more
All Systems Fail, Gnawing Suspicion @ Earth Jam at Liberty...
As surreal as it was to watch All Systems Fail shred in the park on a sunny day, in the midst Earth Jam, a pro-environment and pro-paisley festival, I could still pound my foot against the grass and get into the pure political spite of those years long past. All Systems Fail takes all the best things from the DIY ethic … With short, fast songs, it’s easy to bob your head along with the beat, take a swig of ginger ale, and keep on bobbing. … read more
HVDD’s Molly Morbids Host Junction City B-Train 06.16
Junction City built a strong defense from the start, relying on starting jammer Pickle’s speed and agility to get through the pack unassisted, and letting blockers focus on HVDD’s Cookie. Suddenly, I was hungry. … read more
No Mercy: SCDG’s Sisters Face Off Against the Bomber Babes...
Saturday, the Salt City Derby Girls hosted their second banked track game of the season, pitting two of my dear friends against each other on opposite home teams, the Bomber Babes and the Sisters of No Mercy. … read more
America, Fuck Yeah! Team USA vs. Team Australia 07.25
Every year since 2004, RollerCon has been the destination for skaters all across America. Comparable to Comic Con but with 200-percent more drunken hookups, the four-day convention is packed with events from 9 a.m. to midnight, not including the late-night karaoke and nonstop party throughout the halls of the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas. … read more
Let’s Talk Strategy: What RollerCon 2012 Means For Your Upcoming...
Any time leagues from all over the world come together, new strategies explode across the map, gaining prevalence until one movement comes up and defines the year. Last year, it was the no-start. This year, it’s the no-block. … read more
Halfway Through the Convention and Straight On Till August: Reflections
Three days into RollerCon and everything starts to blur together in a Hunter S. Thompson sort of haze, technicolored neon lights and heat waves a given. Everyone in their basic black scrimmage shirt, names and numbers printed on the back in all similar fonts and sizes, the difference between one derby diva and another is diminished, and we blend into a sea of sweating faces and leg tattoos. … read more