Nuclear Cowboyz, the future of FMX?
Freestyle motocross is great to watch. As an ordinary mortal you can only admire FMX players. The craziest tricks that no one ever dared to dream of in the past are now reality!
The boundaries are being pushed every month and lazy riders who think they can easily make money by jumping are disappointed. We also have to work hard in showbiz! Just ask Travis Pastrana. The director of the Nitro Circus continues to innovate and kept everyone on the edge of their seats on New Year's Eve Red Bull No Limits stunt.
From Superjump to total spectacle
What Pastrana is achieving these days has little to do with FMX as a sport. Except for his participation in the X-games. More and more, FMX demos are turning into a full-fledged show in itself. In Belgium, Jimmy Verburgh's FMX4ever team performed a great feat a few years ago with Rock 'n Ride. The freestyle show was divided into tricks, a brief history of the sport and the presence of the spirited Fuel Girls did the rest. Another example is the Crusty Demons shows or the FMX Gladiator Games decorated with Roman ornaments, extras, pyrotechnics, quad and snowmobile freestylers…
The best FMX riders in the US
The brand new Nuclear Cowboyz tour that started yesterday, January 2, in the US (Pittsburg) takes it even further. Nuclear Boyz, which is set up by the promoter of the AMA Supercross championship Feld Entertainment, can safely be called a milestone in the sport. For the first time, Freestyle motocross is presented as a total spectacle with dramatic elements. The riders, music, pyrotechnics (visual effects with fire), dancers, light, choreography and a story should take Nuclear Cowboy to another level. Yet all these elements are not a distraction to disguise the level of the drivers. On the contrary, if you bring together Nate Adams, Jeremy Stenberg, Ronnie Faisst, Mike Mason, Geoff Aaron, Todd Potter and almost the entire American FMX top, you can safely call it a top cast!
When Freestyle becomes a show
With Nuclear Coboyz, Feld is not ready for a test piece when it comes to performances for a large audience. Because the events group has, among others, Disney on Ice and Disney Live! on their assets. Todd Jendro, one of the managers of Feld Motor sports, about the story behind this production: “We really wanted to bring something different. Presenting freestyle motocross in a different way. That's why I asked myself; how can we literally transform an arena into a different world.”
It is indeed noticeable that a lot of effort was put into building a special set for Nuclear Cowboyz. We are not talking about some decorations here, but what they call production design in film terms: burned bridges, roads, buildings and cars. After all, the story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. Two tribes of survivors (Metal Mulischa Vs. Soldiers of Havoc) face off for supremacy over this new world. Many weeks of preparation preceded the show and the first races are therefore positive.
Also in Europe?
FMX star Nate Adams, one of the main actors: “This is completely different from what we normally do. During competitions we are competitors for a whole year, now we can have fun together. I can just ride with friends. Of course there is still a bit of competition to outdo each other. Now it's all in a friendly way.”
Describing Nuclear Cowboyz in a few words is not easy. It's a cross between the X-games, mixed with 'Mad Max' and a pinch of 'Cirque du soleil'? Now it remains to be seen how this 15-city Tour will work in the US. If all goes well, we might be in Europe for this show later (this fall?). At Feld they certainly believe in the concept. Ken Feld, the big boss of Feld entertainment: “Of course we want to go global with this! You don't need to know a language to understand this story!” You can count on these types of concepts to be followed elsewhere in 2010. To be continued.
More about Nuclear Cowboyz here.
Photos credit: Gerald Geronimo, courtesy of Supercross.com
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