Stacy Peralta’s new documentary Bones Brigade: An Autobiography—detailing the rise of what is widely considered to be one of the most talented and influential skate team in the history of the sport—will premiere at the Art Theatre tonight.
Bones Brigade was the infamous 80s skateboarding team that rode under the Powell Peralta (and later Powell) banner. In addition to being a sort-of all star team with skaters signed from around the country, the team’s signature art style and well-produced skate videos also set them apart from every other team at the time.
After the Zephyr skate team defined a new style for board usage in the 70s, Bones Brigade’s dedication to the sport helped push it even further, ushering in new tricks and the era of modern skateboarding as we know it.
After earning five standing ovations and an Official Selection title at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, the movie is now on a self-funded tour of the country, doing premieres in major metropolitan areas in advance of a more widespread November 9 release.
Of all the places in Southern California, Long Beach might seem like a curious place to hold such an anticipated movie premiere. However, Long Beach, while not as heralded as being entrenched in skate-lore as Venice or San Diego, has a rich skateboarding history of its own.
This is something that Peralta and his film company refused to overlook when selecting cities to debut his film. A city that embraces art, diversity and pushing the envelope fell into a lockstep with the values from which Tony Hawk, Rodney Mullen and the rest of the Bones Brigade team members erected a skateboarding empire.
And, with so many professional and amateur skaters still calling the city home—or at least making the pilgrimage to the world-renowned Cherry Park to shred the same rails and bowls where the greats cut their teeth—Long Beach turned out to be a no-brainer premiere host.
When local skate shop Long Beach Skate was contacted to help facilitate the screening at the Art Theatre, it wasn’t for its sway in the city but because of it’s involvement in the community and its dedication to building and maintaining a healthy and supportive skate culture here. Echoing this effort to sustain a skate culture in the city, Hawk and his foundation helped open a new skate part near Poly High School this February.
So, when the lights go out and the screen lights up tonight, Long Beach will showcase what promises to be another polished, thoughtful and resonating story by a legendary skater and now feature filmmaker, Peralta. But, it will also tip its cap to it’s role played in the grassroots movement started by the Brigade in the 80s to make skateboarding cool again and to keep the sport alive.
Bones Brigade: An Autobiography will screen tonight, October 22 at 7PM at the Art Theatre Long Beach. Buy tickets at BonesBrigade.com or at Long Beach Skate, 3142 E. 7th St., (562) 434-5527.