Unless you’ve been living under a rock for your skateboarding life, you’ll have heard of Fifty Fifty, Bristols premiere skateboarding supplies store. Ran with military precision by the legendary duo Danny Wainwright & Justin Sydenham, Fifty has been supporting the UK skate community for many a year.
So many years infact, it’s a cause for celebration. A bloody BIG celebration because Fifty Fifty have been going 10 years strong and It’s this occasion that saw hundreds of people descend on the CentreSpace gallery in the heart of Bristol for an all-out show / party / knee’s up.
The gallery played host to a 10 year timeline of photographs, covers and articles, taking up an entire wall spanning from 1997 right up to 2007. As if that wasn’t enough for your eyeballs, on the opposite wall was the launch of the new ’10 Year Strong’ product pack which featured the most awesome 5050 x Vans Half Cab shoe, 5050 x New Era hat, 4 new boards, new wheels and a big bunch of limited clothing to polish it all off!
Packed in between all that was Danny’s Ollie world record board, Halfcabs and article, board graphics past & present and a GIANT hand-painted Vans custom shoe from local artist Richt!
Mix all the above together with 600 bottles of (free!) beer, 24 litres of wine, Jon Kennedy on the decks and a tonne of peanuts, you get a damn good time!
After all the booze was consumed and eyeballs worn out from looking at things, everyone formed into an orderly mob and hit up the Red Rooms by the harbourside for the after party, where the alcohol flowed quickly and the people swayed unsteadily.
All in all, THE best night. Ever.
Massive props to Danny, Syd and all the people involved with the show, HAPPY BIRTHDAY FIFTY, here’s to the next 10 years!!
Gavin Strange
Photos courtesy of Gav and Lil’ Pete