A Full Fledged Wig-Out, Or Last Night In Rockaway Beach

Yesterday morning in Williamsburg, New York, the surfers, Duct Tape employees, and media folk all woke up late. The competition ended the day prior, so many spent their last day in New York exploring the city. Some took a walk through Central Park, others visited the MET, but everyone was happy to wash away the previous night with something a little more productive. At 7 PM, we’d be on our way to Al Knost’s closing party, where he’d grab the microphone, introduce his new film, and to a packed house, play it.

An applause of hoots and hollers met the rolling credits and the first band took the stage. 

By the time the first band plugged, the dance floor took the form of a homecoming dance; many sitting on the outskirts waiting for the first people to get in and bring friction to the concrete floor. 

By the time Surfbort—a thrashy punk band fronted by a badass female singer—came on, a mosh pit became the flavor of the party. In a haze of banging heads and sweat, everyone from Ryan Burch to Karina and Tanner Rozunko, Al Knost, Tosh Tudor, Jimmy Wilson, Justine Mauvin, Lola Mignot, and more pushed, shoved and laughed. 

The night started cooking, and by the time we boarded the charter bus to return to Williamsburg, a dance party continued. It was rowdy, someone lit a cigarette and the bus driver had to grab the microphone and tell us to put it out, saying, “I’m already letting you guys drink on here, put out the smoke and stop skateboarding down the aisle.” The smoke went out. The skateboards stopped, for a moment. 

After attending the past few Duct Tapes we’ve learned one thing: never underestimate longboarders’ ability to have a good time.