Vibe Video Magazine is to Video Magazines what 'Zines are to Magazines. It's not a polished masterpiece. There is some bad news and some good news.
Bad news: Stephan Clark, Ben Dubois and Cory Stratychuk are featured but not interviewed, leaving you wanting a bit more; the Mike MacPhaden bike check drags on a bit and is hard to hear because of an echo in the building; special effects are used way to much and often in bad taste; pacing - this vid doesn't 'flow' - it just feels like it was thrown together instead of put pieced together; the music is not very parent friendly. - if you don't want your parents to hear a bunch of cussing and carrying on in the music, I would recommend watching this one with your own soundtrack - if you live on your own and like hip-hop, then you'll love the soundtrack.
Good News: The Level Vibes coverage - Wow! that's all I can say - heck, I'll say it again - WOW!!!; The riding - Almost all of the riding in this video is up to the minute for style and difficulty - Cory and Mike both drop bombs you won't see anywhere else and the Level Vibes riding level - wow!; the soundtrack - it's mostly hip hop and in my eyes it's all good. Jeff's a soldier in the hip-hop army and he put some great tracks in this vid and at the end there are some insane lines on Dave Mirra BMXer during the credits.
If you're looking for a video mag that has a lot of polish, informs you about the riders and that you can show to your parents, look someplace else. If you like hip-hop and want to see some amazing riding and can look past some weak editing and effects, you will most likely enjoy Vibe. Vibe is like a 'zine, it doesn't have the polish of many of today's videos, but there is a hell of a lot of good content and riding. If you like 'zines, you'll like Vibe.
And keep in mind they are not associated with the newsstand magazine 'Vibe' in any way.
Riding - 9
Production Quality- 5
Music - 6
Overall - 6.5
James White on the cover.
Jeff Desroche has made some videos in the past but this is his first real effort at a professional level. The editing is just ok but the riding he has in it is great. The video starts out with a couple of unknown but rad Canadians riding flat in skatepark. From there the video moves on to a Cory Stratychuk section with the names of his tricks and links flowing across the bottom of the screen. Cory is so smooth and flows so good that he is always one of my favorite people to watch ride. After Cory's section is a bike check with Mike MacPhaden. He explains a little about some unique things on his bike, has a little echo filled interview and does some riding. Mike is all about the new school brakeless thing and hard rolling tricks. The final part of the video is coverage of the Level Vibes contest/jam last November in England. This is not your normal contest footage. It's a low key contest with no real money at stake so the pros really pull out their bombs rather than their contest tricks. Besides footage of the jam itself you also get to see the complete runs of the top 5 pros: Martti Kuoppa, Alex Jumelin, James White, Phil Dolan and Jimmy Petite. They don't hold back at this comp and because of this I really enjoyed the video.
For a video "magazine" it is a bit light on content but it is winter so that is to be expected. For a first effort I think Jeff D hit a home run with this and I am sure future issues will only continue to get better.
Patrick Schoolen, www.theflatlander.com: Jeff D comes at us again with a fast paced hard hitting video. In true magazine format this video brings you 4 separate parts. First there is the coverage from the Primo Toronto contest. Besides some great amateurs you also see Royji Yamamoto, Nathan Penonzek and York Uno. From there you move onto an interview with Canadian Amateur Chris Pergintile. Chris is a young up and coming am with bomb tricks and a great attitude. From there you move on to Jeff's one liner he put in the video-an incredible combo of hang five flipped to Steamroller on the pedal in circles jumped to wheelchair glide. You will rewind this section for sure. Lastly there is coverage of the New Jersey IFL comp. With great riding from Gabe Kadmiri, Mike MacPhaden and Jeff D's entire winning run it is almost like you were at the comp.
Although issue one of Vibe was really good, this one is even better. Jeff's skills as an editor are definitely developing and he brings you a fresh style with his videos. On top of that he is an incredible rider. Check Vibe out now.
This issue starts out with a little section of Stephan Clark from Quebec. He is a rad Canadian local that you probably have never saw ride before but will want to see him again after watching this. From there the video moves on to the Woodward CFB coverage. Most of the footage from this comp is from practice so you get to see everyone at their best instead of their toned down contest runs. Aaron Frost and Viki Gomez are definitely the highlight of the CFB coverage.
The video then moves on to what is becoming a Vibe mainstay-the Mike MacPhaden section. That's ok though because Mike rocks with his own unique style and is never boring to watch. The video then moves on to cover the IFL comp in Whitby, Ontario. Supposedly this event was an organizational nightmare but somehow the riders never noticed. Going off at this comp were Gabe Kadmiri and the Wright Brothers from Canada. Vibe then winds down with a small feature on Steven Bergeron, another great Canadian from Quebec and then a section on the Hamilton, Ontario locals. The Pergentile brothers and friends never disappoint. These are a bunch of young guys progressing at a super fast pace and are the future of flatland. Lastly, the video finishes up with Jeff Desroche's editors note which is one impossible link. This link by Jeff is reason enough to buy this video.
Jeff Desroche once again delivers an excellent video. Vibe gets better with every issue and this one definitely delivers.
It begins with Jersey to California transplant Ed Nussbaum. Ed's been riding for a while now and it shows. With his smooth brakeless halfpackers and Hang-5 variations, it only proves what I already knew... He's damn good!
Alex Jumelin - Two words to describe this guy, super fast and tech. His spastic Over Taker on the pedal switched into an upside down backwards wheelie is just the tip of the iceberg. Nothing super new but definitely worth seeing nevertheless.
Then from France we jump over to England with Lee Musselwhite! By Lee's style it looks like he rides in a low parking garage. If you are yet to see this guy ride then expect crazy fast spinning backwards halfpackers and other such goodies. You just can't describe his tricks. Seriously, all his stuff is just nuts!
- Next up Andrew Faris makes a rare but brief appearance. His part mainly revolves around his badass tailwhip stuff, It's short but sweet!
- Martti Kuoppa graces us with his appearance. He kick flips and rolls into his second showing in a Vibe production and hopefully it won't be his last.
- From there it moves onto the brakeless ripper from Windsor Canada named Brandon Fenton. This guy has lot more to offer than meets the eye. The link that stands out the most is his no handed karl kruzer to backwards half packer and then kickflip, all without letting his hands touch the bars... That's only one of his combos!
- Now this has to be one of my favorite parts. Jamie McIntosh hasn't been in a video in quite a while. Here he shows us, with all his fast front wheel spinning and backwards deathtrucks, that he's still holding his own as one of the top flatland riders in North America.
- The Artzone clothing Co. interview kind of turned into a flashy slide show, showcasing all of the latest goodies from these guys. It kind of drags on a bit, but we do get to have a good look at how much time and effort goes into such a dedicated company.
Alex Jumelin on the cover.
Au programme: Aaron Frost section, contest à Toronto La Revolution, Brandon Fenton section, reportage sur la Scène du Wisconsin, Random Section, contest CFB de Floride et bien d'autres choses comme le FRONT WHEEL TIME MACHINE de Jeff.
Durée: 45 minutes.
Featuring: Jeff DesRoche, Lachlan Cameron,King of Quebec 1, Metro Jam 2004, Braun Flatground,Chad Johnston, Australia Scene Report
Featuring: Over an 8 minute section of Jeff DesRoche pluse Lachlan Cameron Chase Gouin, Brandon Fenton, a Scarborough Ontario section, Metro Jam "Best of" section, and over 18 more riders!
