Synopsis:

Calling the most futuristic ride! The total color spectrum ride! The most supped up ride with sinister appeal! Ride out with us in choreographed heats and parade for the prize. We want horses and tall bikes, hydraulics, and homemades!

Project Description:

Rally Under the Bridge, an Airlift originated project, brought together an unprecedented mix of people and their rides to try out never before seen formations. Car clubs, bikes clubs, horse clubs, quads, baton twirlers, color guard, and an array of utterly unique individuals brought their creativity and their culture to the parading grounds along with their curiosity.

Held under the Seeber Bridge, judges like legendary rap producer Mannie Fresh and MC Jacques Mizrahi, of NYC’s Vogue scene, presided over the scene from an apocalyptic looking stage. Highlights of the day were Richie Kay’s taking to the field with friends on the backs of 16 of his ingenious mutant bikes, The 504 Boyz wearing multicolor dashikis and dancing atop their galloping horses, and the baton twirling routine by Katey Red and the Terror Squad as they emerged from Tropical Fantasy, a custom car built by The Reader for this event. The Prancing Elites an all male, all gay color guard from Mobile, Alabama took it to the next level with their half-time show.

On their down time, urban cowboys took turns riding punk kid’s tall bikes and vice versa. Gay and straight, young and old, white and black came together that day. An Airlift fostered collaboration between freak bike builder Juanki and Twine, of The Lousiana Whipz car club, resulted in the prettiest tall bike with the most banging sound system anyone’s ever seen.  Judge of the day’s event’s, Mannie Fresh, just about summed it up when he surveyed the parade grounds and proudly told the crowd “only in New Orleans.”

Press: Okay Player, NOLA.com and make sure to check out the video here.

Synopsis:

Airlift’s eponymous project brought a dozen new orleans performers and the work of even more visual artists to Berlin for three weeks of festivals, nightclub engagements, an art exhibition and a fair bit of mayhem.

Project Description:

Named after the Berlin Airlift of WWII, New Orleans Airlift to Berlin was founders Jay Pennington and Delaney Martin’s vision for a showcase of New Orleans artists. Imagined as a one-time project way back in late 2007, the idea was to help artists returning to New Orleans post-katrina find new audiences to support them as they rebuilt their lives in the city. Martin and Pennington saw Berlin as a sister city that would give their artist friends a warm reception (not to mention couches to sleep on).

Partnerships were formed with Berlin Lacht, a street festival promoter, the Bereznitzky Gallery and a handful of Berlin nightclub owners that Pennington and Martin knew. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the duo were helping their artists fill out grant applications - many for the very first time. Eventually the show got on the road, bringing 14 performers and the work of another 18 visual artists overseas for three weeks of engagements. Fun fun fun, some chaos, more fun. It was Airlift’s first big project and we really didn’t know what we were doing!