Ventura, Ca - Chopper Fest tribute to artist David Mann...

OFF THE WIRE
By Anne Kallas
vcstar.com
Police briefly called to event in Ventura
The Ventura County Fairgrounds were overrun with motorcycles and their leather-clad riders during the David Mann Chopper Fest on Sunday.
About 5,000 people crowded into Seaside Park to enjoy the event, which featured a custom bike show, vendors, music, food, some impromptu roller skating demonstrations and the art of David Mann.
Chopper Fest began seven years ago as a tribute to artist Mann, who died in 2003 from emphysema, according to event organizer David Hansen.
“What the show does is allow all the people in the custom scene to get together on one afternoon to celebrate David’s life and have an art show,” Hansen said. A portion of the proceeds go to his widow, Jacqui Mann, who lives in Kansas City.
There were a few tense moments in the afternoon when two groups started verbally sparring and Ventura police were called, responding with at least seven vehicles.
“We had two groups verbally challenging each other. Officers were called,” Cmdr. Al Davis said. “When we got down there, our presence ended up mitigating the problem and nothing happened.”
Zack Richardson of Ventura, who was wearing a jacket featuring the Bravados insignia, said his club had been challenged by event organizers because they were wearing their “colors” or banners embroidered with the club’s name on a vest or jacket.
“At first they had trouble with our club, but they were cool when they met us,” Richardson said, adding, “The conflict was between two other clubs. We weren’t part of it.”
Mann’s drawings and paintings were displayed alongside the art of Alex Atman of Tarzana, who was selling his textured metal artwork.
“I’m showing here because I’m not a pretentious artist. I appreciate the art, not the pedigree,” Atman said, explaining that he creates his unique pictures using metal-working tools on aluminum or stainless steel to create different textures as parts of street scenes or portraits.
Putting on an impromptu roller skating demonstration was Coach Blade, aka Brian Gallagher of Simi Valley, who was the inspiration for Coach Razor in the movie “Whip It,” according to Ron Matzke of Oxnard, who is training under Gallagher to become a coach. Gallagher said he was using Chopper Fest to promote his new Oxnard-based roller derby team, the Oxnard Sugartown Roller Girls.
Gallagher easily jumped over seven team members, including Matzke, who were lying side by side on the ground, before being asked to stop by event organizers.
“We’ve been training for three months and the team has been around for a year,” Gallagher said. “I just want to let everyone know Sugartown is here.”
Members of the American Legion Riders were operating a booth to reach out to veterans about joining the group.
“It’s been a great crowd,” American Legion Chapter 48 President Christopher Coleman said. “We’ve been able to sign quite a few people up for the American Legion and the auxiliary.”
Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/dec/12/chopper-fest-tribute-to-artist-david-mann/#ixzz183ZQVVEN