Thrasher Magazine

This past Saturday night in Austin, TX, we (Roger skateboards, OJ Wheels and No Comply skateshop) hosted a party to turn two of our homies pro: Max Taylor and Ryan Thompson. Staying on trend, we surprised them by throwing up some smoke-screen tactics, luring them to the shop by throwing a best-trick contest at House Park (which sits directly behind the shop) and then hosting a fake art show for me. Did it work? Were they genuinely caught off guard? Scroll on, playas. –Michael Sieben

Photos by Calvin Millar, Drew Pickles and Eric Palozzolo

Nobody thought to take a photo of the exterior of the shop, so I grabbed one from the last No Comply blog I wrote and expertly added some Photoshop magic to it

Despite the art show being a ruse, I did my best to make it look legit

Even made a super fancy price list. Anybody need a hug?

Got to sign a board, which is always a crazy feeling. You want me to ruin your brand-new skateboard? Uh... okay

Mom's Bong, probably for Mom

The real action was in the parking lot, though

We're gearing up for what they call getting down

Ice, ice, babies

Bentley, rackin' 'em and crackin' 'em

Do kids still listen to the Beastie Boys?

Max Taylor with Arta and Sartoru the cat

Hungry Ams! Brian O'Dwyer, Joe Milazzo, Dakota Overbaugh and Reese Barton

¡Órale! Dahveed and Brennan reppin' the set

Guru Khalsa, Drew Pickles, Ian Kenzo and Austin Amelio, nuthin’ but love

What you know about them Texas boys? Also, Zac Martin is one of my favorite skateboarders

Reese and Stevie, cool as cucumbers

Two old heads and one young pug

OJs represent! Chris Varcadipane, Eric Pallozolo, Alex Foy and Max Taylor

Meanwhile, back inside the shop, Elias Bingham and Andrew Torralvo were making sure the champagne was chilling

We got Max and Ryan up in front of the crowd by telling them they needed to hand out prizes to the best-trick contest winners from earlier in the day. Peep Quentin Riley's first-place maneuver if you wanna scratch your head for a bit. Just how?

Along with the prize bags, Max and Ryan's debut pro models were handed down to them

Cue the champagne waterfall

Things got literally and metaphorically blurry from there

The stoke levels were off the charts

Pure joy

Slow down, Max, the night is still young!

Mad love from the homies

After the excitement died down a bit we premiered a new video featuring Max and Ryan (hopefully coming to Thrasher soon if we can get the music rights cleared)

It was met with great enthusiasm

Oh yeah! Max was also surprised with a pro wheel for OJs. I like that his palm matches the ink on the wheel. Next level

The party then took to the streets

Palozzolo trying to keep the kids from getting run over…

…by the GD Hummer limo OJs rented to take the crew to the afterparty. Talk about classy (and ridiculous)

Get in, pro dudes!

Yes, this is over the top, but you have to pose for at least one photo

There it is! Congrats, Max and Ryan, for turning pro for the best skateboard company in Central Texas that is run out of the back room of the local skateshop! And thanks to OJs, No Comply, Austin Pizza, Guayakí Yerba Mate and all the kids and old folks who showed up to celebrate these ripping dudes in our community of ‘boarding. This really was an emotional and beautiful night and I hope I get to draw many more graphics for these two friends. Roger that!