Raquel Welch tears up the track in 1972. Then the Brandywine Roller Girls tear it up again in 2011. But you have to get tickets ahead of time!
Good God: Raquel Welch in the roller-derby epic "Kansas City Bomber", followed by a short exhibition scrimmage by Chester County's brand-new roller derby league, the Brandywine Roller Girls, and then open skate with the derby girls until midnight.
This GDI event is a bit different than usual: since we'll be indoors and space is strictly limited, we're selling tickets for $10.00 ahead of time. Proceeds support the rink and the team. If you want to come, you should go buy your tickets right now. Tickets will not be available at the door.
Roller Derby and the Brandywine Roller Girls
Roller Derby started during the Great Depression as an endurance marathon, was morphed into a contact sport by Damon Runyon (yes, that Damon Runyon), and gradually devolved into choreographed-for-tv kitsch in the 1970s and 1980s.
In 2000, Roller Derby was re-invented as a grassroots sport, and it's become a juggernaut of local community DIY energy. Derby is now a fusion of wonderful ingredients: Hip checks! Black eyes! Fishnets! Fourth-wave feminist rockabilly attitude! Irreverence! Show-biz energy! And there's a real, strategic sport going on under the hood: with its combinations of jammers, pivots, and blockers, derby is the closest thing to actual Quidditch you'll find. I'm being completely serious. Also, despite the (admittedly fun) image, Derby is not a brawlers' sport. You'll see when you come out.
Since I stumbled into the Eastern regionals in 2009, I've loved modern roller derby's blend of ingredients. And now it's here in Chester County! The Brandywine Roller Girls league started just a few months ago, and they're bootstrapping themselves with practices three times a week and a kickass coach from Boston.
Come out and see your derby team start to roll, literally and figuratively. Learn what Roller Derby is all about, and what makes it so much fun as a spectator sport. Listen to my first gig as a derby announcer. Cheer on your friends and neighbors as they roll to victory!
Just remember — space is limited; you should go grab your tickets right now!
In an example of life imitating art, I am now an announcer for the league because of this picture Randy took at my birthday party.
Details and Times
"Kansas City Bomber" starts at 5:30. After it's over (around 7:00), we'll have an exhibition by skaters from the Brandywine Roller Girls league. Learn the basics of the rules, then cheer on your friends and family as they send the other pack's blockers to the boards. Then, it's open skate for everyone! We'll show "Dead of Nowhere" round about 10:30 PM or so.
- What To Bring: A blanket, cushions, or folding chairs to sit on.
- What you don't need to bring: skates or roller blades — rental skates are provided at the rink
- What you can't bring: Outside food or drink (including alcoholic drinks.) There is a snack bar at the rink, of the pizza-and-chicken-fingers variety.
- Kids: No kids under 13; I might get excited while announcing the exhibition bout and teach them some new words. (Jokes aside, it really is 13 or older, please)
- Wheelchair access: yes! Probably the wheelchair-friendliest showing we've ever had.
- Dogs: No dogs.
- Bathrooms: yes indeed (and a roof!) Very civilized.
The rapidly-growing Brandywine Roller Girls roller derby league.
Come and see them in their
first public exhibition!
But wait, there's EVEN MORE: East Coast Premiere Preview of Chris Young's 3D Short Dead of Nowhere
Local hero Chris Young (remember him from The Great Outdoors in 2009?) just finished editing his 3D horror-thriller Dead of Nowhere. The short film was made with Kickstarter funds that included your Guerilla Drive-In contributions. We're going to be showing an exclusive East Coast Premiere of the movie. In anaglyphic 3D: everybody in the audience gets paper 3D glasses!
Remember, you won't see Kansas City Bomber &151; you won't see the first-ever exhibition match of the Brandywine Roller Girls, you won't see the East Coast Premiere of Dead of Nowhere, and you won't get to skate your face off until midnight if you don't grab your tickets now!
Made with funds including
your contribution!
Caln Skating Center
- Caln Skating Center is at:
4533 West Lincoln Highway
Downingtown, PA 19335
- Website: calnskatingcenter.com/
- Google Maps directions: here
Once again, you must have a pre-purchased ticket to be admitted to this event. Tickets will not be available at the door. If you'd like to come to this evening, you should go buy your tickets right now!
Please let me know what I left off this page by emailing your questions to ! See you then!
A frame from the film "Kansas Cit-
no, wait, this is last week at Brandywine Roller Girl practice!
