Bowl & Rock JÄm 2016

The day started off  with a kids jam session, with almost 20 kids in attendance. Wolle Nyvelt, Oli Gordon, Steve Gruber and other dedicated riders were there to offer their advice and provide the kids with invaluable coaching. The commitment was evident with the determination of the kids in the bowl, but it was outmatched by the grins on the faces of the coaches as they skated alongside the groms. Kids provide happiness, that's for sure, and these future rippers and coaches had the time of their lives. ''It's awesome for these kids who grow up doing this and have the opportunity to learn these skills/, and to utilise them in their future'' Brian Wolfe, a proud father who was in amongst the coaches and kids teaching his daughter how to push and pump.

A tombola raffle stand was new to the jam this year with the Aesthetikers once again, thinking about and doing things for others by raising money for the kids' workshops. Providing the future generations with the skills, experience and opportunity to be involved and to live amongst the boardsport lifestyle.

Things were done a little differently this year, leading straight to the contest with 21 riders competing in total. Several heats with 3 riders per heat that lasted a strenuous four minutes. Each skater was given an introduction run to showcase their skills and give the crowd a teaser. The quality of the riders and the tricks including the runs that they were pulling made it a  tough job for the judges, therefore they were forced to pick 9 riders and then sift it down to 6 finalists. With the tricks for cash session included, it was almost too much to handle. Boards were banging, riders were pounding concrete with bail after bail from going big in attempt to land that one trick, it was a zoo in the bowl and it was more than fantastic. Michi Nadler coming in first place. Followed by Lorenz  Schneider second, Joscha Aicher third and 3 riders Oliver Gordan, Roman Astleiner and Gregor Senfter sharing fourth place. Roman Astleitner claimed the Best Trick with his buzzer beater transfer from low end into deep end.       

After the award ceremony at the Waldfestplatz, the Ästhetiker Bowl & Rock Jam continued with its musical component. The BlackBones were the opening act of the rock night, on a stage where big names such as Prodigy or Kasabian have performed in the past. The guys from the Innsbruck area, now living in Vienna, got the crowd fired up immediately with their psychedelic rock. The diverse show featuring technical highlights certainly drew several new fans to the band centered  around the lead singer Moritz Kristmann. We expect to see more of the BlackBones in the future! This was followed by punk rock at its best: The Mugwumps, well-established in the Punk scene since 2002, showed how powerful good Punk is and always will     be. No pussyfooting around: one-twothree, one smashing Rock’n’Roll song after the other was   played, and the audience honored it with some bold dance interludes. Last but not least, Sempre Caoz from Zillertal hit the stage as headliner. There aren’t many bands in Tyrol that throw out such energy and life in live performances as the local heroes from Zillertal. Their shows are like a volcanic eruption of Rock’n’Roll, emitting lava composed of Blues Rock, with Alternative and Punk influences. The music is timeless and at the same time contemporary, and one wonders why this band is not better known beyond the valley and province borders. In any case, the Rock Night at the Waldfestplatz was an incredibly successful event organized by the traditional Ästhetiker Bowl Jams. Let’s hope that this event will take place again next year.     

Bowl n’ Rock Jam 2016 Sponsors include: Dickies  Life, Scotland Yard Pub, Mountain Sports Zillertal, RedBull,  Sportclinic Zillertal, Mayrhofen-Hippach im Zillertal, GreenRoom.at, Sparkasse Schwaz AG,       Simpl Life Company, Stock  Resort,  Vans, Billabong, Dakine, MUCKEFUCK skateboards, K2 Snowboarding, Motion  Sports,  Eisenbacher,  Sporer,  Zillertal  Bier and Zillertal  Sennerei.                                      

Here's a  quote from Michi Nadler “Bowl & Rock JÄm Winner 2016”                        

Ästhetiker events are always a special happening for me because no other skate event  gives you this layed back atmosphere and at the same time doesn´t lack of professionality. Maybe its the fresh high mountain air in the valley, the  fresh water they have in their one and only "Zillertal Bier" or just the         super layed back and friendly people..... I don´t know? I guess its all together, that gives you the         special feeling and hypes me personally every year to come back and rock the bowl till I cant walk anymore! The "Aftershow Rock party" with dope local live bands was a great add on and should be   retaining on the future events!             

It  was real FUN and brings people from all kinds of  flavors together! What  more can I say? Big shout     out to all the long time Ä-crew  members still making all this happening, all these years!!!           

Never stop your passion!!!

Text: Chelsea van der Merwe & Peter Sandner

Bowl & Rock Jam 2016 Impressions