Idyllic it was not, but it was the sort of fun that defined one's youth. The risk seemed more than worth it at the time, but the mere idea of a public celebration of our legally tenuous hobby felt like a pipe dream.
Until it was suddenly a reality.
Flash forward a few decades, and SkaterCon taps into a youth spent dodging cops and grinding the lips of empty pools. Already at its 10th edition, SkaterCon has become something of a "high school reunion" for skateboarders and their friends from the West Coast and beyond. If you enjoy seeing great skateboarding, as well as hearing excellent skate rock tunes alongside the sport's biggest legends, SkaterCon is a highlight of the February events calendar.
The first SkaterCon poster from 2016.
Adam Richards
"I used to go to Comic-Con in San Diego every year," says Richards. "Going there and seeing the magnitude of the event with regards to pop culture, that got me thinking."
Richards knew very quickly that it would be called SkaterCon, and music would play a huge role in the event.
The first SkaterCon was held in downtown Phoenix in 2016 at The Pressroom and featured skate rock legends Drunk Injuns, McRad and Chuck Treece. Powerflex 5 (skateboarding legend Steve Alba’s own band) also appeared alongside local Phoenix skate punks The Earlygrabs. Richards laid the foundation for great lineups of skate and punk rock luminaries from day one.
Still, that first SkaterCon was not without its important lessons. Richards realized that the event had to be at a skate park and not at a music venue. Another major issue was how to keep alcohol out of the mix, as the drummer of Drunk Injuns had a little too much fun in the backstage bar area at The Pressroom and nearly fell off the stage. Luckily, Treece is a great drummer, and he filled in with gusto.
Subsequent musical performances have gone off swimmingly, and the lineup at each SkaterCon has been good enough to attract non-skateboarding music fans every year. Valley skate punk pioneers JFA appeared at SkaterCon 2 in 2017, and Richards has included important local bands with every subsequent gathering.
Prior to Goodyear Skate Park, the past several Phoenix-based editions of SkaterCon took place at the Paradise Valley Skate Park. For Richards, the move is a step toward offering different kinds of skating activities.
"Having it at Goodyear is a real step up for the skating this year," says Richards. "Goodyear has the best bowl in town, and people will be stoked on the contests. We are going to take advantage of the sticker slap opportunities in the capsule, too, and have a big cash prize for that, so people are going to really be stoked."
(A "sticker slap" contest awards the person who can put a sticker at the highest point in the capsule, which is a half-shell bowl that extends past the point of the cement being completely vertical.)
This year’s crop of bands includes a well-deserved 11 a.m. opening set from Mesa punk rockers Corky’s Leather Jacket. The four-piece band of longtime Phoenix-area veterans have improved with each new hard-fought set.
“Corky’s Leather Jacket are some really great locals who I caught opening a show at the Rebel Lounge a few years back," says Richards. "I love (lead singer) Juan (Enriquez) so much. He’s such a sweet dude and a great dude. You feel good when you’re hanging out with Juan. This is the second time they've played SkaterCon."
Cottonwood's The Skavelinas will perform right after Corky’s Leather Jacket. The band plays a ska-core style, and Richards says he is excited to add some sonic diversity to the lineup.
While each new lineup always feel fresh, Southern California's Since We Were Kids have been a constant presence at SkaterCon. The trio have almost become the SkaterCon house band, and their sets get stronger every year.
"They are kind of like the Hatebreed [East Coast hardcore band] of skatecore," says Richards. "The first ‘skate pit’ that SkaterCon ever had was with Since We Were Kids on stage."
(A skate pit is similar to a mosh pit, but with a circle of skateboarders instead. It is a sight to behold, and is a true staple during SkaterCon performances. However, this skating vet recommends only accomplished riders enter the pit.)
As our breakfast conversation continues, it's refreshing to see how Richards lights up when talking about the bands at SkaterCon. He readily admits that the artists are often one of the major reasons that people come out to the event. While Richards has never claimed to be a music promoter, he clearly works hard to bring new sounds each year, and he's introduced a variety of bands to skateboarders attending SkaterCon.
The latest such introduction is Denver, Colorado’s Clusterfux. This is their first time at SkaterCon, and they could move beyond the northern Colorado skate and hardcore community with an energetic set from Goodyear.
"They are coming a long way to do what they do and they do it so well," says Richards. "Their record has just been slaying…Decibel Music said ["Defy"] was the best crossover hardcore record to come out last year. Josh [Lent, singer] has been out as a vendor before. Beer City Records is going to be out and have a booth this year, too, so we’re excited."
Another great score for the SkaterCon 10 lineup is the ultra-catchy Go Betty Go from Los Angeles. Having played early Warped Tours, their skate-friendly music should be a proper palate cleanser leading up to the event's headliners, Luicidal.
"I love Go Betty Go," says Richards. "I saw them at the Mason Jar when they opened for Voodoo Glow Skulls, like, 20 years, so I’m really excited to bring them out here. Again, diversity in the lineup, and I can’t wait to see them perform."
(Go Betty Go guitarist Betty Cisneros will not be with the band as she is battling stage four cancer. However, her bandmates will still perform at SkaterCon.)
The aforementioned Luicidal make for an apt headliner. Not only because they headlined the Lake Forest, California-based SkaterCon in 2023, but there's real star power attached to Luicidal. The band features four former members of Suicidal Tendencies: bassist Louiche Mayorga, drummer R.J. Herrera and guitarists Mike Clark and Rocky George.
"If anything says skateboarding, it's the first three Suicidal Tendencies record," says Richards. "These are the guys who were on these records. They play all the Suicidal Tendencies you want to hear. They play all the songs you grew up with, and they are great dudes. I look forward to having them and the crew out here."
For many skaters who grew up in the '80s and '90s, Suicidal Tendencies was highly influential. Their classic video for 1987's "Possessed to Skate" probably sold as many skateboards as any other advertising or movie of the time.
“I remember the first time I heard Suicidal Tendencies," says Richards. "I was growing up in Mesa, and I was out in front of the house skateboarding. This older kid from the neighborhood comes up jamming Suicidal Tendencies and I was like, ‘Man, what is this?’ That whole first album, from beginning to end, was so incredible. It might have been the first time punk rock caught my ear. That first album holds a special place in my heart, and I think it's a real treat to bring them to SkaterCon 10."
In addition to the bands, SkaterCon 10 will also feature a host of professional skateboarders, including legends Lance Mountain, Monty Nolder, Anita Tessensohn, Steve Alba, Jeff Kendall and Andy Roy. Fans of skateboard legend and former Valley resident Kevin Staab can also purchase a special flannel from Dixxon Flannel Company. The piece will likely feature a tribute to Staab's classic "Mad Scientist" deck art from the late '80s.
Aside from the legendary talent involved, SkaterCon 10 is sponsored by Grimaldi’s Pizza and Filiberto’s (who will have food available alongside other vendors) as well as Vans. Vendor booths from Sidewalk Surfer, Santa Cruz Skateboards, Toybox Monster, ROGO, Cowtown Skateboards and Jarritos, among several others, will sell a variety of goods and art.
As you may have guessed already, it takes an army of volunteers to put on SkaterCon. While he has a special shout-out this year for Jocilin Moreno (who Richards met at Cowtown's annual Phoenix AM contest), SkaterCon runs through the love and commitment of many in the "shared universe" of skating and punk.
"She really stepped up and has proven herself to be a huge benefit to SkaterCo," says Richards of Moreno. "She hooked me up with Joey (Julien, the general manager) of Grimaldi’s. They became a title sponsor of the event this year, and so I’m really blessed to have Jocilin in my life. I couldn’t have pulled this off without her. I’ve always said it takes a village, you know, to bring SkaterCon to life, and I’m just the idiot."
But being the idiot has meant promoting great punk rock and awesome skateboarding. So, bring the kids, your deck and a good attitude — just please don't kiss anybody's significant other.
SkaterCon 10 takes place at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22 at the Goodyear Skate Park, 3151 N. Litchfield Park Road, Goodyear. Parking will be available at Estrella Mountain Community College (3000 N. Dysart Rd, Avondale), with shuttles running from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $27.25; grab yours via TicketLeap.
