Saikou? What does it mean? I couldn’t tell you. I tripped over the name of their last DVD too. Not important anyway. There are four main parts to this DVD. The first is a Utah and Idaho tour dating back to 2005, the second is the late Fallen Wharehouse. The third is called Nuts and Bolts, and the last one is the Oregon Trifecta from 2004. More on that later.
The first section hits Park City Utah, and then Ketchum (Be prepared for more sweeper variations than you ever knew existed) Buhl, Hailey, It starts of kind of slow and that worried me. The problem was that it was a handful of the same guys. no matter how rad they are (and they are!) it gets old watching the same guys at the same spots. In any case, the guys in the DVD are fun to watch and a sense of humor is evident.
Fallen Wharehouse: You’ve probably seen pictures of it. Looked like a killer spot. A mini Skatopia vibe for sure, Lots more riders so there is more variety here. It’s still a bit of a strectch at times, but it’s easy to understand, what do you cut out? Everyone likes to see themselves in a video even if they are only in it for a couple of seconds. Wow, though, the spot looks killer, and the music goes well with the footage.
Nuts and Bolts: There’s a very noticeable change of pace at this point in the DVD, primarily because of the way it’s edited. Instead of sticking at one spot and then moving to another, various sequences from a handful of different spots are mixed together, meaning you see one spot then it runs through the others before it gets back to a different skater at the same spot. It works well. There are pools, parks, ramps, street, and ditches, which might also account for the high entertainment value.
Oregon Trifecta 2004: Oregon local and former Blockhead rider Jeff Taylor got robbed at the 2004 Trifecta in Aumsville. The opening sequence of this section of the DVD is ample proof. Jeff taylor ruled that show, and the judges kooked it big time. But wait, 2004? Don’t make me dig out my old footage. Hell, I’ve got some footage from the 90’s I could use while I’m at it. But seriously folks… The Trifecta from 2004 was probably the best of the Trifecta’s so far. This section of the DVD is not dated in any sense. It’s rad footage that is only marred by the fact that the video camera appears to have had Vaseline smeared all over the lens. If you didn’t know it was 2004 you wouldn’t care. This is another good section.
Credits, and then the extras, which could be called Nuts and Bolts part two. More fun in assorted locations from assorted geographies such as Carbondale and Denver Colorado, Brookings and Klamath Falls Oregon, plus a bail section. If you’re looking for something off the beaten path as far as videos go, Conspiracy’s Saikou is for you. It’s not a big name company with big name skaters and slick production. If you are into street skating and handrails or get bummed out by more than the occasional helmet and pads then this video isn’t for you. The soundtrack is all over the place, with music that approaches but doesn’t quite limit itself to specific genres like 90’s metal, thrash, death metal, surf inspired, and classic Skate Rock thanks to Frontside Five, who I slagged off in an earlier review but has since grown on me unexpectedly. Saikou clocks in around 37 minutes or so, and is sold from the Conspiracy web site as part of package with a mystery t-shirt for $25 post paid. Now that’s a good deal. Support a company that isn’t just a marketing brand under the umbrella of a larger corporation.
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