Homebase hosted the opening of our longtime friend, Brett Barto’s art show “It Goes On.” Before the crowds really gathered to see Brett’s collection of prints and photographs we had a little surprised for another longtime friend of Homebase, Billy Kurtz.  He’s probably reading this right now turning red in the face and complaining that I’m blogging about him but whatever- it’s my website.

Billy has been coming to the shop since he was 12 years old.  Out of his whole crew he was never the best skater but you could tell he loved everything about skateboarding just as much his friends- if not more.  At times his quest to know everything about which skater rode for what company instead of actually learning to kickflip was frustrating but he just grew on you.  Of course we had to bust his chops at times but he always took it with a smile and kept supporting the shop.

Last year Billy and his friend Brian got into a bad car accident.  Luckily both kids came out relatively fine but Billy suffered some injuries to his hand which he will never recover from 100%.  As long as I’ve known Billy he’s wanted to be an artist and looked up to the likes of Ed Templeton and the Gonz.  He’s been going to therapy for his hand and is now back in school and continuing his fine arts program.

I knew he was bummed after the accident so I wanted to do something that he’d be hyped on.  Billy has become somewhat of a mascot for the shop and like a little brother to a lot of us who work at Homebase.  So Billy, hope you like your surprise man.

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Soon after the surprise the crowds started pouring for Brett’s show.  Lots of familiar faces from previous L.V.A.N. shows- maybe it was the fact it felt like we were breaking out of Winter’s grip.  The temperature got up into the 50′s- hot damn.

With all the commotion I did not get a chance to take pics of the amazing print Brett and his brother Brian worked on.  The photos were a raw and honest depiction of various points of Brett’s life.  He took the time to produce a xeroxed ‘zine of the show’s photographs to compliment the show which was amazing on its own.  I highly suggest stopping by before the end of April to see his work.

The shop remained crowded with people coping Brett’s full color Homebase “610 Crew” t-shirt that we just got in that week and lots of old friends catching up.  Eventually we had to shut the lights off because we had one more surprise to handle that night.

Phil Chadbourn’s Surprise Birthday via Tijuana Taxi courtesy of his girlfriend Val.  Good job Val- I never thought I’d ever get on one of these but you made it happen.  Not sure if that’s a good thing. . .

Never saw it coming.

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Rascal’s might be the strangest place to be after 10pm.  It’s a mixture of families with young kids, teenagers and then drunk adults.  You can get a drink at the bar and then play skeeball, ride bumpers cars, play lazer tag or rock climb.

You can rock climb drunk- if you chose to.  Am I the only one who thinks that’s weird?