If you hadn’t heard, the City of Greenfield is in the process of rebuilding the former Turf Skatepark, located in its original location just off of Loomis Road. While the city and Grindline Skateparks are currently digging up the concrete bowls that once were a safe haven for skaters all over southeastern Wisconsin, they’ll also bring a host of skate-adjacent bands to Konkel Park in Greenfield on Saturday, June 15th. The fundraiser is free and open to the public, with donations to the ongoing restoration project greatly encouraged.
Headlining the event is a band that knows a thing or two about skateboarding; punk legends Agent Orange will be featured in a nine-act, mixed-genre bill. Also featured on the event are The Crosses, featuring Dan Kubinski of seminal Milwaukee punk band Die Kreuzen, as well as hip hop standouts the Rusty Pelicans and Wave Chapelle. Music is set to run from 1-10 p.m. at Konkel Park's band shell.
Full Lineup:
1 p.m. - Fastplants
1:55 p.m. - The Exotics
2:50 p.m. - Rusty Pelicans and Dana Coppa present Art of 3
3:45 p.m. - Wave Chapelle
4:40 p.m. - Bug Moment
5:35 p.m. - Scam Likely
6:30 p.m. - Convert
7:30 p.m. - The Crosses
8:45 p.m. - Agent Orange
In addition to the stacked multi-generational lineup on stage, there will also be a skate jam with the “goat ramp” portable mini ramp making an appearance, as well as several other obstacles open to the public to skate as well. More information can be found on The Turf’s website.
The Turf, which opened as Surfin’ Turf skatepark in 1979, remained a staple of Milwaukee skateboarding until popularity shifted from skateparks to street skating in the ‘90s. In that time, the park hosted numerous pro skate demos that included the likes of Tony Hawk, Lance Mountain, Steve Alva and many more. It was also immortalized in Santa Cruz Skateboards’ 1989 video “Streets On Fire.”
On the music side, it wasn’t uncommon for bands to play the skatepark. Die Kreuzen and fellow local punks Oil Tasters were among the bands that once loaded equipment in and around the ramps. Agent Orange had not played The Turf at any point, but they know how to navigate the terrain, as famously depicted in Vision Street Wear’s 1984 “Skatevisions” video:
The process of uncovering and reopening The Turf began to gain steam in 2019, and on June 15th, it’ll take a giant push forward.
