Review: Jaymes Jackson
Photos: Dan Maynard
Some of you may know him from the world-renowned Jackass movies, while others know him from further back during the original CKY days. But no matter how you know him, the legendary skateboarder himself, Bam Margera, remains a household name to this day.
Despite having some trouble getting into the country due to Bam being, well… Bam, the original prankster made the 30-hour journey, eventually landing in Brisbane, Australia, for his first knowledge report.
Taking place at the Brisbane Powerhouse, you definitely knew you were in the right place, with signed skateboards and posters making their way through the halls of the venue. The event took place in the Underground Theatre and, if you haven’t been there before, it offers an extremely cosy and personal experience. Many of us grew up with Bam, and you could feel the anticipation throughout the crowd as everyone waited to see him in the flesh.
The night kicked off at 7 o’clock on the dot, with Joe Frantz taking the stage. If you don’t know Joe, he’s an absolute legend in his own right. Having produced and directed many of the works we’re all familiar with, including CKY and Viva La Bam, as well as directing numerous influential music videos for bands such as HIM, Frantz has an impressive and highly respected résumé of his own.
He mentioned that the night was particularly special and would include never-before-seen CKY footage, along with discussions about the origins of how it all came to be the worldwide phenomenon we know today. With all that said, it was time to meet the man himself.
Sporting his new signature shoes and the world’s most fantastic, bedazzled jacket, Bam emerged from behind the red curtain, and the room erupted in applause. The genius behind all the pranks, skate videos and adventures we know, and love took a seat and began describing the monumental journey he’d just endured getting to Brisbane, including four layovers, each lasting multiple hours.
Bam mentioned that upon landing, he was asked if he wanted to take some time to skate around, to which he replied, “Hell no, look what I’m wearing!” in that unmistakable voice. Of course, that massive, sparkly jacket had no place on a skateboard, especially not after almost a day and a half of travelling.
With Joe Frantz leading the discussion, the questions began, starting with the origins of CKY and how it all came to be. Bam explained that it started with a desire to make skate videos, but he was also highly amused by his childhood friends who weren’t quite as talented on a skateboard.
Wanting to create something different that would reach a larger audience than just the skateboarding community, Bam set out to combine skateboarding footage with his friends’ crazy antics, all in one package. This became the crux of the CKY videos.
He mentioned that all they were trying to do was make something they would enjoy watching, and that he still couldn’t believe it went on to sell over one million copies through word of mouth alone. Some of the footage from those very videos has, to this day, never been seen. The lucky crowd that night got to experience some of these incredibly hilarious clips, which had the entire audience laughing out loud, just as we’ve been doing for decades.
But the footage wasn’t all about skating and pranks. Frantz went on to mention how incredibly supportive Bam’s parents, April and Phil Margera, were throughout his childhood. No matter what he was doing, they supported his every move. Whether it was Phil working his job as a baker all night before coming home and driving Bam and his brother, Jesse Margera, around all day, or April cleaning up after something crazy had happened, they were always there.
Phil had a massive influence on Bam and Jesse getting involved in front of the camera, always being there to film something new or capture another skate trick. Of course, all of this contributed to the creative genius that eventually came from those early years.
Frantz mentioned that he remembered Bam once saying he’d “hit the jackpot” when it came to his parents, to which Bam wholeheartedly agreed. As someone who grew up watching his family and knowing that things haven’t always been sunshine and rainbows, it was an amazing feeling to see the connection they all share and how strong it remains to this very day.
There were some amazing crowd interactions throughout the night, too. Questions written by the audience before the event were drawn from a hat and answered intermittently between videos being shown on the big screen behind the stars of the evening. The floor was also opened up for questions directly from the audience, and the connection between the crowd and Bam grew stronger with every answer.
At one point, Joe Frantz asked the crowd if anyone knew all the words to the legendary song “Heman Beastman” by Gnarkill, featuring one of CKY’s most hilarious members, Brandon DiCamillo. A lucky member of the front row was selected, handed Joe’s microphone and absolutely nailed every single word, with Bam singing along in unison from the stage. What a dream come true for a long-time fan of everything CKY!
Towards the end of the night, Bam mentioned that he had something very special he wanted to share: a very little-known, if not entirely unseen, video featuring one of the greatest of all time, Ryan Dunn, aka Random Hero.
Those who have already seen this clip know exactly why it’s not widely known. It features Ryan claiming he’d have no problem going over a waterfall in a barrel in Iceland. Of course, when faced with the waterfall itself, he instantly backed down from the stunt, and the entire journey seemed to have been for nothing.
Bam spent some time convincing Ryan that it would be over quickly and, unbelievably, Ryan eventually climbed back into the barrel and went down the waterfall. They immediately pulled him out of the water and got him out of the barrel. To this day, it remains one of the craziest clips from that era.
Ending the night with such an incredible memory of Bam’s best friend felt fitting. The room was filled with smiles throughout, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed the hour and a half of crazy stories, memories and old footage.
Though I was never much of a skater (I did try), Bam was a massive influence on me throughout my teenage years. So, seeing him happy, healthy and skating around the world again fills me with an incredible amount of happiness. Pulling tricks he hadn’t even managed in his younger years, it’s easy to see that Bam’s passion for skateboarding is back and stronger than ever.
The night with Joe Frantz and Bam Margera was filled with laughs, intimate stories and special, never-before-seen footage that any fan of Viva La Bam or CKY would cherish forever.
We certainly hope to have Bam back again soon!
WEDNESDAY 4 NOVEMBER | FACTORY THEATRE, SYDNEY
THURSDAY 5 NOVEMBER | THORNBURY THEATRE, MELBOURNE
18+ Adult themes, strong language and discussion of drug use and addiction
