In every Bleeders video, there’s an inevitable shot of Angelo grabbing the microphone, showing off the Straight Edge X’s on the back of his hands, which reminds me that straight edge is still a thing. Guys, if you’re feeling kinda glum, just think about straight edge and all your troubles will disappear.
We find sXe pinup Angelo and his bandmates mooching around the Bob Hill Reserve skate park in New Lynn, in the days before the council cleaned all the graffiti off. This is not allowed to be a fun community youth recreation facility; it’s all urban and gritty, ok.
When the band aren’t at the skate bowl, they’re performing in a studio with footage of the skate park projected behind them, just in case the studio wasn’t urban or gritty enough.
Back in the skate bowl, with the Pagani outlet store in the background, the lads are hunched in a circle, playing craps. There’s a shot of the money that had been laid down – two $20 notes and a six $1 and $2 coins, less than $50, all up. And the weird scenario where two people have put in $20 each, but the others have just plonked down whatever loose change they’ve had in their pockets. I can’t help feel that someone is getting ripped off.
The video ends with footage of the Bleeders hanging out with their mates. Everyone seems to be enjoying themselves – and it works a lot more successfully than the attempt at street craps.
Best bit: footage of Angelo at the skate park flawlessly switches to the studio backdrop.
Director: Andrew Morton
Nga Taonga Sound & Vision
Next… the fall girl.