I first noticed sideshow skidmarks during Covid, when I traveled to the Bay Area and saw their spoor all over the city. These events happen when souped-up cars spin donuts around and around, usually in public intersections (but sometimes in parking lots, cul-de-sacs, or even bridges) while crowds watch and cheer. East Oakland, CA is the home of sideshows, which started to gather attention in the late 1980s. As a symbol of street culture and pride, but also lawlessness, the police and sideshow participants have been at odds for years. It’s technically illegal, and police departments have spent millions of dollars trying to stay ahead of sideshows. I’ve seen marks of sideshows all over the USA and even internationally, in places as far-flung as South Africa and Georgia. The marks on the ground are mesmerizing, with interesting abstract patterns that occasionally coalesce into whirls and circles. Occasionally the drone will capture a slice of life as well, like a flock of pigeons in mid-flight, a sex worker soliciting customers in the middle of the day, or delivery trucks making their way through the city.
East Oakland
Detroit, New Orleans, Flint, San Francisco, New York City, Tbilisi, Miami
