Looking Sideways: 10 Things
This week: exclusive Burkard tickets, Yulex 2.0, a must-listen podcast, and a forthcoming London jam.
1. Tickets for my exclusive live Creative Exchange chat with Chris Burkard at this year’s Kendal Mountain Festival are officially going live next week. Very stoked to be bringing the format I’ve been working on with my pals at Db to the UK’s biggest outdoor stage.
AND! My pals at Kendal have agreed to offer Looking Sideways listeners a pre-release exclusive! Which means you can click here to order your tickets now and get in before everybody else!
We’ve booked out the Brewery Arts Theatre on Friday November 22nd. If you’ve watched any of our previous Creative Exchanges, you know the drill: I’ll be chatting to Chris about his life, career and legendary travels, and getting his take on what it means to live a successful creative life on your own terms.
It’s gonna be a good one, and I reckon tickets will go sharpish. So be quick!
2. Exciting new
project alert!Our clients Peak Performance asked us to do something special to mark the opening of their new London store. So we’re holding a rail jam - slap bang in the middle of Covent Garden piazza, in homage to the original Covent Garden snow event all those years ago. If ya know, ya know…
More to follow…
3. It feels as though the conversation around neoprene, and alternatives such as Yulex, is about to move on significantly this autumn.
With the release of The Big Sea imminent, my friends at Yulex have just announced the release of Yulex 2.0, a new material that is (they claim) ‘the result of years of R&D to develop an alternative to neoprene that provides a high degree of stretch’.
The material is endorsed by brands such as Project Blank (above) and, crucially, comes with a message for brands looking to make the change in the near future: “our new supply chains provide full access to our new YULEX2.0 foams”.
In other words - you won’t need to rely on the sharp practises of Sheico (THE key player in the business, and the company who has thus far basically controlled pricing of, and access to, neoprene and alternatives such as Yulex) to make the switch.
With Sheico’s own ‘green’ alternative to neoprene also now an option, and brands who’ve adopted the first iteration of Yulex presumably about to make the switch to 2.0, one thing is for sure: the days of neoprene as the preeminent wetsuit material appear to be numbered.
It is going to be really fascinating which brands have backed which material, and the state of the wetsuit market in general, once these particular chips land.
Use discount code LOOKINGSIDEWAYS for 10% off any Finisterre purchase, including their full Yulex range.
4. Some typically beautiful surfing from Mikey February, accompanied by a rumination on the relationship between surfing and jazz, and the usual exemplary soundtrack. What’s not to like?
5. Ted Barrow on Embarcadero is a must-read.
Fan of what I do, want to support, but don’t want to shell out for a lengthy paid subscription? Hit the button below…
6. I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this brilliant Empire podcast series on the Vietnam War and its origins.
7. My summer of novel reading in my role as one of the judges of this year’s Adventure Writing Prize has come to an end. It’s been a real privilege to take part, especially as the standard of this year’s entries (above) is so high.
We chose our winner at our final judge’s meeting this week, who will be announced at the award ceremony on Thursday September 19th.
8. On topic - I’m a huge fan of the brilliant Five Books, which does exactly what it says on the tin, and regularly recommends - well - five books on a wide range of topics.
Evidently put together with absolute passion and love, and just the right side of accessibly highbrow; if you’re a book geek like me, I can’t recommend this site highly enough.
9. Extremely sad news from the East Coast surf community. Rest in peace Andrew Blauschild.
10. This week’s paid Insights post is an in-depth look at the reality of how creative freelancers REALLY earn money, featuring broadcaster Ed Leigh, outdoor professional Gilly MacArthur, content creator and swim coach Sophie Hellyer, festival organiser and Big Sea producer Demi Taylor, and photographer and film-maker Owen Tozer.
It’s been going down a storm, so Insights subscribers - I would love to know what you thought of this one. Especially the big tranche of new paid subscribers who signed up this week - thanks!
Part 2 coming soon!
What did I miss? What did you think of this week’s list?
That Embarcadero article reminded me of that good This Old Edge video! Pretty sure you probably shared it but if not, here it is. Or was it in simply magic. https://www.thrashermagazine.com/articles/videos/this-old-ledge-embarcadero/#more-videos
I feel so conflicted in my emotions finding out about that new Mike February video but also yeah seeing that amazing Blauschild video again and knowing I will never have the chance to cross paths with him someday.
I guess it is life but yay to conflicting emotions!
Hey Matt
Well done for sorting early access to the Burkard chat!! Front row seat booked!!
Also some interesting stuff on this week’s 10 Things - well done!!