Social Round Up: First Hits at DarkFest

 I fat fingered the dislike button and I can't undo it. That one dislike should be a like, sorry mate!

 @kcy4130: totally disagree with you there. I love the smartphone videos. Gives me a better sense of scale and makes it all feel a lot more real, as opposed to polished videos that are a lot harder to relate to and make everything look way smoother/easier/smaller than it really is.

And im sure there will be a highlights video you can watch after the event, like there always is after the fest events, so what exactly are you complaining about?

 @kcy4130: You can have both. All the insta/dad cam content is just a teaser for the final highlight edit. I don't go back and watch all the insta clips, but I'll throw on the FEST highlight playlist on repeat in the garage while I'm working on the bikes. One compliments the other.

 Can someone enlighten me about all these references to too much media coverage and getting blacklisted? I must have missed something.

 @Canuker: m.pinkbike.com/news/the-fest-series-parts-ways-with-darkfest.html

 Too much expo$$$ure.

 @chriskneeland: That's a good point. I wonder if the real issue fest had with Sam was money related. Sam puts great footage of all the riders on his youtube, views generate revenue for Sam. If all the revenue generated stays in Sam's pocket, I could see that causing some resentment. Now Sam is putting in work to get/edit footage and he should make money of course, but if he's making all the money, and the other rider's are only getting "exposure" for doing huge moves and taking risks... Idk if that's the situation, it's just that fest's explanation doesn't seem to add up.

 @kcy4130: But there's nothing stopping the other hosts from doing the same thing. Or, if revenue sharing is the issue, at least communicating it up front if that's what Fest's collective goal is. And events like Darkfest are the only thing keeping the series alive at this point, ensuring future revenue opportunities for other hosts and riders. To me, this press release just put the nail in the coffin.

 @chriskneeland: I mean if revenue sharing was the issue, I'm sure they would have discussed it, but perhaps not put it in the press release to avoid a public shit show. Or maybe it's just some crusty freeriders who don't like having a camera in their face every second? I know I'd hate that.

 @mi-bike: Thanks for the link!
Having read both statements, I'm kinda proud of Sam.

 @PatMAE: always wondered why it's a thing that you cannot undo your likes/dislikes when you fatfinger them

 I really miss the personalities in these Insta clips.

 like how am I supposed to show the realness of riding to the future generations with all this gosh darn coverage? This really sucks, I was preparing my kids to be visited by the Angel of Stoke on their 12th birthday as is the traditional rites and sacraments of freeride but now they're going to find this content and be tainted. They might even end up eventually going to a bike park and riding amongst people who didn't do their time carving lines onto the sacred slopes of Bralorne. I am sick, just sick - guess it's time to get my vasectomy reversed and raise the next ones as feral rippers so they can remain pure and clean from this scourge of clicky likely content.

 I don't think that they are interested in all of the reposting and cross-linking though, isn't that one of the things they were trying to communicate? I do think the whole beef is ridiculous and that press release was petty, but I don't understand all these people saying "Darkfest is the only fest I know about". That's half the point right? That the Fest guys don't care if you like their series, or whether there is content available or not.

That's also why I didn't understand the public press release. Just tell Sam privately that you want it to just be his own event now and you're going to go do your own thing in the woods with no one watching. Why tell everyone about it?

 @thepwnstar39: Okay dude, but they WHY HAVE THE FEST SERIES AT ALL? They have a website, YT channel, sponsors, blah blah blah. If they don't want anyone to know their name then why have a name at all. Call themselves the Fest Club and make membership similar to frat. Time for them to just dissapear because they basically have anyways.

Also Vink is a rampage judge which I find super funny. So much art and realness protected by robbing Norbs.

 @johncee: and don't forget about Fairclough

 @johncee: Fest seems to be in a weird spot where they want to just be a club with nobody watching but flying around the world and putting on events is crazy expensive so they have to give something to the sponsors as that's the only way to make money as a freeride athlete, there is no prize money. They almost seem to resent the way they have chosen to make their living. Would they be better off getting normal jobs and riding in their own time at this point?

 @Patrick9-32: welp, if you were a sponsor would you continue paying these guys? They'll be working normal jobs soon. Sponsors will go to the people who are willing to put in the work that they pay them for.

 Hella Fast. The run in to that step up looks like it would leave the tires smoking.

 Can't wait to see what Sir Layos does on a big bike. Truly one of the most stylish riders ever

 Fantastic to see. After so long locked down and so many events cancelled it is amazing to see such an event go ahead and then to see talent coming in from BMX just makes it even more exciting. Good times ahead.

 @emptybe-er: son it sounds like you just have a grudge

 Try reloading the page. Sometimes the Pinkbike system is finicky and just doesn't load something when it doesn't feel like it, as far as I can understand. All of them are embedded so they should play fine on here as long as the page doesn't hit a glitch while loading.

 Yeah Instagram posts don't load for me on PB either.

 I can see them, but Instagram is also cracking down on non users accessing Instagram content.

 @ratedgg13: same cuz insta is blocked on school laptops........................even though thats where the lunch menus are

 Try a different browser. Works on Chrome for me but not Firefox...

 I can watch it once and then it says to view again on Instagram. I'm running Chrome.

 @alicialeggett: Lately it feels like if you don't have insta you don't get articles. Every single embedded post is blank and links me to IG homepage where I'm told I need an account to view.

 @ratedgg13: yeah instagram is the fest series of social media

 My browser (firefox) wont load any facebook/insta content embedded - it's deliberate because I installed 'Facebook Container' so that they can't track the rest of my browsing. Maybe you've installed it too.

 When using firefox it will disable activity trackers by default. They are needed for the embedded instagram content. You can disable that at the very left of the address bar.

 Doesn't work on Firefox and does work on Safari.

 it used to be called Pure Darkness before fest series, not sure on the dark reference though, now i'm curious.

 My guess is it has to do with being in Africa and the nickname "The Dark Continent". It could also be for Sam Reynolds infatuation with Dark Chocolate confectionaries.

 I think Pure Darkness came from where the OG site was....

 @browntown40: yeah. Icky, and if not: icky that they’re sticking with it.

I half-hoped this was the the reason the fest guys kicked him out of their treehouse, but then I remembered they’re knuckleheads

 He split his foreskin in a freak accident and couldn't make the event.

 @murfio: holy split is that true?

 @murfio: his foreskin, AKA Ben Deaken

 @Trudeez: 5skin now.

 @murfio: Were Ebikes involved?

 Hanging around with my mates one night
We got in a little fight
Geezer comes with a knife in his fist
I got cut along with the rest said

"A.C.A.B." 4-Skins, 1982

 And vincent turpin?

 Someone needs to spell check

 Theo Erlangsen and Ike Klaasen are from South Africa. But yeah, no American, Oceanian or Asian riders. Though I'm sure covid travel restrictions plays a part, too.