To keep up to tabs with all the happenings, check out the Urban Affairs website.

Thanks to ekosystem for the pics.

So instead of holding back on the good bits we’ve just posted features from Issue 008 and Issue 009 in their full, unedited glory.

Issue 008:
Bam Margera lets us hang out in West Chester
21st Century Rasta gets to grips with Boboshanti culture
Brandon Boyd shares some of his many talents
Mick Fanning sparks off a new world order
Glen E. Friedman reveals the truth behind the lens

Issue 009:
Jack Johnson lets us into his mellow green world
Bruce Gold looks back on his life as South Africa’s last true hippie
Tipi Valley, the UK’s most hardcore eco community lets us sleepover
Spacejunk treats us to a little live painting
Thayne Mahler explains how he became a one-legged legend

So there you have it. All those wondrous words, just sitting there waiting to be devoured.

Don’t stand on ceremony people. Get stuck in.

Following the main judging catagories of Skate, Music and Art, the inaugral competition is hoping to promote a whole new generation of skaters, filmmakers, musicians and artists from across the globe.

The deadline for entries is 1st September, so ditch the happy slapping and get creative!

Thanks to its roots in yuppie boat culture - the rebellious little brother to the eternally uncool water skiing - and as a rich kid alternative to surfing (when there were no waves) and snowboarding (no snow), you’d be right to drop a dose of cynicism on wakeboarding.

But as the world’s fastest growing action sport, things have changed. And it’s thanks in no small part to fun events like Wakestock (July 4 - 6, in Abersoch, North Wales, and last weekend at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire), which is just as much about music (The Futureheads, Happy Mondays, Mark Ronson, Pendulum) as the sports on the lake. By being unashamed of crossover it’s stoking out a whole new generation on this latest way to slide sideways – without flying out to the coast or alps.

I spent the weekend at the first ever Blenheim Palace stop of the festival. With the wakeboard competition held on Blenheim’s beautfiul lake - via permission from the Duke himself - the setting was stunning, and a perfect reminder of wakeboarding past and future.

As riders circled the lake behind a boat, the similarities to snowboarding were obvious. The lake was dotted with rails, and ’sliders’ for competitors to freestyle on. But without the restraints of gravity, combined with the fuel guzzling speed of the boat, wakeboard tricks are more explosive - with rider’s throwing flip tricks and inverted aerials one after the other in their run.

Winner for the day was Dan Nott who took first prize and two and half thousand pounds, but Ben Hitch grabbed a lot of attention too; his aggressive riding and huge aerials straight off the starting line could’ve nabbed him the gold - if he hadn’t stacked with just a few minutes to go.

But the biggest impression of the weekend was made at the Vans Rococo Rail tour. Set up like a snowboard rail jam, three carefully constructed wood covered sliders - a huge up to gap to flat-down, flat down and straight bar - located over two pools, were given a battering by wakeboarders first, then wakeskaters.

Pulled along by a wench, the tricks attempted made your average snow rail session look a bit pansy (even if these guys had their speed covered automatically with the wench). With front boards, backside boardslides and nose slides as basics, riders stepped up with massive airs on to the sliders, transfers from one rail to another coming as standard and 900 spins off. Then there were the riders who could spin in one direction, stop, then spin the other way. It was one impressive spectacle.

I can’t say many of those watching will be trying such ballsy tricks soon, but I’m certain they’ll be inspired to hit the water. As Steph Caldwell, a South London-based, super techy snowboarder turned Animal-sponsored wakeboarder told me: “Wakeboarding is something I can do at home, a few times a week and really progress - I can enjoy the summer and don’t have to jump on a plane to France every time I want my fix.” Hear hear to that. I’m hooked.

Check out more pics from Wakestock at Flickr.

Peruse the venues to find your local party stop:

10 July Biarritz - Newquay / B-Pink
18 July Anglet - Le Mojito / Ibiza 

25 July Hossegor Seignosse - Seaside / Le Safari

7 August Moliets - L’Open / Bellini

14 August Vieux Boucau - Le Mojito / L’Asiana
21 August Biscarosse - Le Boobooz
27 August St Jean de Luz - Le Duke / Le Mata Hari

Keen to get stuck in and help green this fair planet of ours, Element have teamed up with Krabo to create a limited collection of some fine looking handcrafted bicycles.

And to prove their commitment to ‘doing real good’, they’ll be auctioning off these hand-made specimens to benefit environmental non-profits approved by 1% For The Planet.

So there you have it. Pedal power is the new push…

The exhibition entitled Dirty Cash begins on 3rd July and runs until the 31st.

To get a taster of the crazy things Insa comes out with, check out Insaland!

You’ll need to register with your team name, teammates and all email addresses. This part of the deal needs to be done by July 10 shake a leg and step on it. As if fun alone isn’t enough of a reason to get involved, Brooks are sponsoring the event and as well as supplying a stack of prizes, each registered player will be given a saddle for them to compete with on the day.

We have a copy of their new album ‘When Life Gives You a Lemon You Paint That Shit Gold’ signed by Slug himself to give away in our competition.

If you are unfortunate enough not to have heard them, check out the video to Shoulda Known below.

‘When Life Gives You a Lemon You Paint That Shit Gold‘ is out today on Rhymesayers Entertainment