Depressed Midwest Issue 8

#8

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Cover: Half CabHere: Ollie

Brett weinstein

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editor/directoralec ozawa

graphic designalec ozawa

photographyalec ozawa

\amanda hart

thank youyou know who you areMom, Dad, Sarah, Zenita, Grant Hindsley, Rado, Amanda Hart, Jon Schmoldt, Jon Sharrat, Steffen Watts, Laban Pheidias, Bing Liu, Marfa Capodanno, Smitty, Kyle Jakubowicz, Greg Harbour, Kevin Penczak, Jereme Sneath, Eric Guzman, Brett Weinstein, Mark Dunning, Matt Gamalinda, Takakuni Ikuma, Alex Kruser, Gary Rzeszutko, Sara Rado, Sam Long, Sean Burek, Pete Grannis, Taylor Caruso, Aaron Goure, Ari Shiffrin, Peter Vlad, Bone Daddy, Bonestock, Son of a Gun Boys, FA Skates, Yeah! Boardshop, Peasant’s Plot Farm, Todd and Julia McDonald, LoFi Supply, Dickhead Dekker, Aric Sparticus, Fauser, Rob Walker, The Ridgelands, Street Canoe, Zack Dowdy, Typical Culture, Giant Spiders, NeckBeard, Kyle Seidler, Eddy Liddy, Jake Wickersham. Thank you, everyone.

Depressed Midwest© 2014, Alec Ozawa

depressedmidwest@gmail.comalecozawa.com

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Lien DisasterJereme Sneath

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lowdown hoedowncamping in the corn fields

kingswell los felizlos angeles, ca

FRIENDS SECTIONfor when we grow old

contributing photogamanda hart

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Hurricane FakieJereme Sneath

Frontside Feebleeric guzman

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Frontside 5-0jon sharrat

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Frontside Noseslidetaylor caruso

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Curb Cut Over Planter OllieBrett weinstein

Back LipBrett weinstein

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Nollie Flipsteffen watts

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Fakie Backside Nosegrindsteffen watts

Fakie Switch Front Wallridesteffen watts

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Walliemark dunning

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Rock to Fakietakakuni ikuma

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Smith GrindMatt gamalinda

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Slide Bombaaron goure

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Tailslide into Hillbombkyle jakubowicz

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I could write about how this place is pushing skateboarding art culture...or redefining skate retail...or tackling multiple business venues in one store front...or using dot-tv instead of dot-com...but you can go on their website and read their bio at Kingswell.tv. They better explain what they do.

Instead I am sharing a few pictures from this past January, when I lurked at Kingswell for a few days and got a tattoo from Mike Burns.

Photography and words by Alec Ozawa

Nuge’s motorcycle on display for a Baker Skateboards raffle.

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Kingswell inhabits the space that was once Walt Disney’s first studio.

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Mike Burns (pictured) and Roger Seliner are resident tattoo artists at the shop. Both these guys are amazing at what they do. Appointment only, so don’t show up unannounced and without a clue.

39Patrick Melcher

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lowdown hoedown

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camping in the corn fieldsPhotography and words by Alec Ozawa

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Far removed from the glow and frenzy of the city, the urban culture of skateboarding and lo-fi music is pinned against a rural backdrop.

Eleven years ago, Todd and Julia McDonald opened their 20 acre organic farm in Manteno IL for a junction of skateboarding, punk rock, camping, and community. Hosted annually by the humble owners of Peasant’s Plot farm, located an hour south of Chicago, The Low Down Hoe Down is a characteristically Illinois event. Each year since its birth, city-folk; burb-dwellers; rural-farmers; and participants from various parts of the region flock to the farm in congregation of an offbeat tradition that transcends their differences of proximity and backgrounds.

On Labor Day weekend of 2013, I packed up the car with my skateboard, sleeping bag, camera, and best friend, as we headed South from Chicago for our first Low Down Hoe Down experience.

Accommodated with an ample amount of space to set up camp in a cleared cornfield, all attendees are invited to stay overnight on the property… and highly encouraged to if consuming alcohol. Most pitch tents, however some prefer the primordial route of throwing down a sleeping bag and dreaming under the stars. It is first come, first serve, so the benefit is with those who get there early to claim a patch of ground.

Not far from the encampment, one of the largest barns on the farm roars with perpetual excitement. Half the barn houses a behemoth mini ramp while the remaining space is crammed with attendees enjoying live music and the rampant spectacle of skateboarding hysteria. The scene is filled with commotion and borderline lunacy. Partially fueled by alcohol and music, the crowd gleefully dances, screams, hollers, and moshes. This in turn fuels the band. They play faster, more passionately, and louder.

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lowdown hoedown

Everyone let’s loose and the fun is contagious.

Consequently, loud fast music stokes an enthusiastic mini ramp session. Eventually the mellow and sweet-tempered demeanor of the ramp escalate into complete absurdity of daring airs, hand plants, doubles, and all sorts of skateboarding madness.

The ecstasy of the moment continues and recycles as the audience watches, listens, and reacts.

It’s pure celebration.

Outside the fervor of the barn, attendants can take a reprieve from the chaos and enjoy the slower pace of a large potluck dinner (open for all, but please contribute if you partake), a massive bonfire, live acoustic acts, and mingling with friendly faces around the camp grounds.

Despite the differences of all in attendance, there is something for everyone to enjoy, and plenty of new friends to be made. Even if napping is your kind of thing, you can always call it an early night and retire to your camping spot at your leisure.

Given this was my first hoedown adventure, I will impart a few lessons learned from my experience: Always be kind, Make friends, bring your own beer, bring bug spray, do not litter, clean up your campground, bring food, bring friends, do not forget your skateboard, ear plugs hinder deafness, check for ticks, follow the sound of the mini ramp if you get lost in the cornfield, hold on tight to your camera while running through the cornfield, make sure you have enough room in your tent, bring extra toilet paper just in case, do not skate the mini ramp if you are too drunk to climb onto the deck, mosh pits are fun but overly aggressive personalities are not, drink water, do not urinate on the campgrounds (it is farmland after all), hang out at the bonfire, do not stand too close to the bonfire, bring a flashlight, have fun.

Thank you, Todd and Julia, for the experience! x

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lowdown hoedown

Jack Munroe airs a stalefish over a front slasher by Brendan Venturelli.

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lowdown hoedown

LURKDIGGLER

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photo contributoramanda hart

Send images, illustrations, writing, and other submissions to depressedmidwest@gmail.com.

Amanda, or known otherwise by the internet as Lurkdiggler, is a good friend of mine and I am stoked to welcome her as a contributor to the project. Shooting predominately 35mm color film, her pictures are honest and personal. Picking up a camera in recent years, Amanda’s pictures often exhibit testimonials of adventures with friends, Lizzy the dog, and subjects she cares about. For this issue, I asked her to send me a few photos and I received these great snapshots from several trips to Los Angeles. Thanks for sharing Amanda!

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Crook to Fakietakakuni ikuma

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Back Disasteralec ozawa

amanda hart

photo contributor

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Frontside Airjesse hotchkiss

amanda hart

photo contributor

Kickflipjesse hotchkiss

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amanda hart

photo contributor

Front Board Popoutsteffen watts