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SHANGHAI SHENANIGANS…

A week of DAS DAYS in the People's Republic

    Written by
  • Sean Holland
    Photography by
  • Dave Chami

FLYING FARDELL


Give or take a few cheeky million, the city of Shanghai is home to the same number of humans as Australia in it’s entirety. 

So when Adidas decided to throw a week of DAS DAYS festivities here, they were one: almost certainly guaranteed an audience and two: the invited team riders and guests from around the world would be treated to one of the most skate-terrain laden landscapes on the planet.

Things kicked off with the Showcase art show which featured work from local Chinese artists and product from skate brands across the Asia/Pacific region. The main event of the evening was the premiere of a full Brian Peacock part filmed exclusively in Shanghai, with guest appearances from Rodrigo TX, Lucas Puig and Mariah Duran.



The next morning saw no time for jet-lag or hangovers – there were double decker buses to jump on and the CITY COPA event to attend to. The location was at a classic Shanghai spot – Penguin Plaza. The locals and visitors alike hooked in to the ledges and assorted obstacles from the second they arrived – and the frenzy intensified as handfuls of cash were dished out in exchange for cunning stunts.

Paul Shier spread two launch ramps at an almost comical distance and subsequently started a knee buckling long ollie contest – As the assembled masses held their breath and risked their ankles, it was Jack Fardell who took the honours of making it across the temporary chasm without losing a limb. Not unlike a fire at a circus, it was intense… [IN TENTS!!!  – that one’s for Gabbers who was fuelled the entire journey by dad jokes]



After the demo madness had died down, traffic was sat in and fine Chinese cuisine was inhaled it was time to party. The venue was Club Yuyintang where local acts Daliah Rosea, Gao Jiafeng, Yehaiyahan and Dirty Fingers were on the bill. Any notion of a conservative little shin dig after what had been a big day went out the window the second we set foot in the door – the drinks were flowing, the music was blasting and the entire crowd was wildin’! After jostling for a position where I could even see a glimpse of the stage – a blow up doll, kitted out in a pink tracksuit drifted towards me – it was both a perfect summation of where the night was headed and what an amazing week Shanghai and all the crew from adidas skateboarding had turned on for us!



THANK YOU SHANGHAI!