Free Air Festival

Freestyle Motorcross Music (GoBig!/4Leaf)
by Scott Hefflon

Comps based on extreme sports seem to be all the rage these days, and here’s one of the better ones. While I have stacks of snowboarding, skateboarding, pro-wrestling, and fly-fishing comps, this is the first one I’ve seen based on motorcross. Two flashbacks keep me from thinking this is the balls: The Perverted Adventures of SuperDave (a porno by Zane Entertainment), and the scene in the Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas (more the book than the movie) where H.S. Thompson tries to cover a motorcross race but thinks it’s too crazy. And I have no idea why chill hip-hop would be good to listen to while jumping around on a bike, but perhaps if you rev real loud you can drown it out. Perhaps I’m in the minority that finds the music dull and the “lyrics” really, really inane (Twisted Sister’s were less laughable), but I just can’t see what this low-riding, baggy-pants-wearing style has to do with fast-paced, neck-risking sports. Punk, metal, and maybe even high-octane ska (if you must), but pointing at various homies with three fingers, thumping yer chest, and wearing all sorts of big rings doesn’t seem to have much to do with riding bikes, now does it? Do any of the guys in the bands skate or ride? No, they ride in limos and Beemers – you’re buying into someone else’s culture, kids, and it’s got nothing to do with you. There ain’t half-pipes in the hood, only in your suburban housing developments. Bands to get your adrenaline racing: Limp Bizkit (x2, including their cover of George Michaels’ “Faith”), Monster Magnet, Sevendust, Kid Rock, The X-ecutioners, The Suicide Machines, Snapcase, Anthrax, Psycore, Static-X, Soulfly, Zeke, Dropkick Murphys, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, The Pietasters, and Freestylers.
(www.freeairfestival.com)