Converse CONS x Spotify Benchmark Festival 2024 – The Broad Experience

Introduction by Guy Jones

Words by Heywood Ward + Guy Jones

Photography by Reece Leung

Polaroid Photos by Heywood Ward

Videography by Andrea Dupré

Join us on our recent recap of Benchmark Festival 2024 hosted by Converse CONS x Spotify x Nozbone held in Paris, which also coincided with the launch of the first ‘The Broad Experience’ (Series 2, Episode 2) starring Heywood Ward as Matt Broadley.

Skate stunts happened, music occurred and we were there to document it all for your pleasure. Master lensmen Reece Leung and Andrea Dupré captured the visuals, whilst Heywood Ward and myself were the men on the metaphysical front line words wise. We hope you enjoy. Oh and thanks to Converse CONS, Spotify, Nozbone, the folks of Benchmark Festival and everyone who we saw for a fun weekend, especially those generous in gifts and conversation. Lots of love to all our old friends and new. You know who you are.

Guy Jones:

There I was, exiting the EuroStar in Paris on my way to be a part of the first ever second season of ‘The Broad Experience with Matt Broadley’. It’s not because I drank my dad’s last bottle of Ricard and the French capital seemed the most authentic destination to replace it. What a stupid theory.

As anyone worth their salt knows the most important thing to a first episode is preparation. That’s why I had a double sided A5 piece of paper adorned with directions to meet my Broad comrades and a 12 pack of Kronenbourg. I for one am not getting accused of xenophobia, so I ditched the Carling for the blue & silver bullets. Enjoying this freedom, the 1 hour stroll soon became 3 and whenever I passed a member of the public, or indeed a familiar face, for directions they would admire my hand-scrawled street names. I pitied them really, whenever I did humour them they were super quick to whip out their smartphones and show off their 5G. Pathetic, do they not know there’s more to life than the Black Mirror? Anyhow, after letting them ‘direct’ me (as mentioned before I was merely humouring them and easily would have found my way) I finally met the rest of the cast and crew for The Broad Experience with Matt Broadley Series 2 Episode 2, featuring Heywood Ward as Matt Broadley.

Heywood Ward:

Experience 1/3

Was Niels Bennett a spy sent by the producers (adidas) of Season 1, Episode 1 to see how Matt was getting along?

Approaching Matt, who was hanging back at the Gare de Lyon experience in order to take in as broad a view as possible, Niels asked if Matt knew what was going on. He did. Niels then asked if Matt worked for Converse. He didn’t.

This seemed to confuse Niels; how did Matt know so much about what was going on? Could it be that Matt’s broad view of what he was experiencing had led to his own horizons being broadened to the point of omnipotence? No, that would be silly. Matt was simply aware because he was there as a guest of Converse.

Niels seemed to calm down. He asked for directions and explained he was looking for Converse and some of their riders. Seeing that Niels was visibly parched and had cycled over to him in far too straight a line, Matt offered him a thirst quencher in the shape of a Kronenbourg from Guy Jones’ hand luggage and two back issues of Vague.

Niels, finally finding a use for his bike rack, stuck the magazines on the back of it and cycled off into the distance, never to be seen again. Guy Jones took it upon himself to become an amateur sleuth, Googling this apparition on one of the many internet platforms and comparing the back of his head from videos to the back of his own head and mind (memories).

There was some debate that weekend as to whether it really was Niels or just another one of Matt’s imaginary scenarios that he tends to embellish for his fictional show. Yes, the character Niels had Adidas shoes on, yes, he rode a bike a little too well, yes, he liked skateboards and magazines about skateboards. But you’d be hard-pressed to find me a Niels that doesn’t like all those things.

The jury was still out, and it was never concluded; just another broad experience.

Guy Jones:

Being part of an independent magazine and fictional docuseries is arguably the most lucrative career path one can choose. This did not stop me proceeding to drink my body weight in beer and demand weed from anyone with a face. Also Niels, if that was you I’ll have that beer back anytime, it’s not like we sat next to each other in Silk Road in Camberwell that time and talked about sending a Girl board into space. Correction, we did, but I’m not one to hold a grudge… for long.

Guy Jones:

“Wow! You were drunk last night! Hahahaha!” This was the most common greeting I received the next day. Well I’m not sure what it’s like in France, but if you drink your body weight in free beer that’s generally the result dickheads! Anyway I didn’t have time for small talk, there was a The Broad Experience episode to focus on. Something I’ve learnt from years in retail is to restrict accessibility in order to increase sales. That’s a given. We sold a t-shirt to POP don Peter Kolks then proceeded to deny every Tom, Dick & Bellend who wanted one, after all it was also Paris fashion week. Drag icon Ru-Paul, deceased designer Alexander McQueen and even fictional archaeological heartthrob Indiana Jones were just a handful of unlucky would-be customers who were denied sales of Vague merch. Sorry Indie, let’s hope the next snake pit you fall into is combined with a landfill and then maybe you can finally get a soiled skate mag tee. Otherwise keep dreaming son!

Heywood Ward: 

Experience 2/3

For the second day in Paris, and the first, last, and only Saturday of the trip, the producers had set about providing Matt with the broad experience of what it would be like to be running a trade show booth whilst simultaneously moonlighting as a glass collector.

Imagine Flashdance and you’re halfway there. The way I, Matt, would have to use my years of tap aerobics at that steelworks in Pittsburgh to sashay around the crowd from glass to cup and then back to the bar, back to the booth—all whilst avoiding skaters and the actual staff (who were becoming suspicious of episode 2)—was like nothing I imagined I’d be doing.

Those years in Pittsburgh sure did pay off, and the producers were astounded to learn of these hidden abilities. Much like I’m sure the real Matt would be to learn about his childhood in a Pittsburgh ballet school/steelworks.

Guy Jones:

Something about filming a potentially award winning docu series with a friend pretending to be another friend is that schmoozing is imperative. The Converse CONS x Spotify event was perfect for such social integration. However it seemed people at Converse had put more effort in than I had initially realised, and everytime I tried to talk to James Cruickshank about his favourite cereal or his favourite sticker-based imagery of Craig Charles or the decline of working lamp posts in his native Stoke-on-Trent he had to immediately leave and grab a coffee. The poor fucker must have had 27 that day between our conversations alone. Say what you like about people who work for big brands but they work their caffeine-stained fingers to the bone. I can obviously relate, I too was on my 27th beverage and fuck me is it hard sneaking Carling into a place like that, let alone trying to score free weed! It’s like it was illegal or something.

Another credit where credit’s due is the sincere professionalism of the extras. Louie Lopez didn’t look at the camera once. Well, neither did I as I couldn’t locate the fucker, but he also avoided eye contact with me. This took some doing as one of my most vivid memories is when we brushed shoulders at a previous Converse event in Berlin 2014. Hats off to the young star, he’ll definitely be getting a call back for further extra work in The Broad Experience with Matt Broadley.

Guy Jones:

It was nice hanging out with everyone at the event and the merge of Gorillaz and Motorhead really gave the enigmatic chilled vibe so many of us seek. A pair in particular were Kyle and Kieron from Garden Skateboards Ltd. Here at The Broad Experience we admire anyone who puts a load of effort into anything; metaphors, references, time. Which is why we didn’t really gel with them, and instead turned our admiration to the youth of today who dress like 2006 moshers merged with 2008 men from ‘Don’t Tell The Bride’. Were they dressing ironically? Was it to style themselves so badly that anything they were after by comparison looks like gold dust? Not even they know. All I can say is that they are all Kings amongst men. 

In a non-pisstake way the POP video was beautiful and the premiere amazing. Arguably one of the most poignant aspects of the premiere (after the canine accusation of Pascal being Pascal and Rob being Rob) was when Yeleen Moens’ part was about to be played and the word ‘Antwerp’ appeared on screen. In an act of spontaneity comparable to Dustin Hoffman’s “I’m walking here” scene in a ‘Midnight Cowboy’, Issue 38 cover star Maité Steenhoudt grabbed a chair and lofted it above her head. The fluid motion of it being lifted up and down reminded me of the ocean at night under a full moon and the beauty hit a chord with the audience. “Chair it up!” shouted Matt as played by Heywood and this completed the beautiful setting. Needless to say, there was not a dry eye in the house. Remember, if you’re trying to win back an ex, or are finding the right thing to express passion to a loved one, simply say these three simple words: “Chair” “It” “Up” and vigorously shake a fold up chair above your head until you get the desired result. You’re welcome!

Heywood Ward:

Experience 3/3

After a full day of moonlighting as a glass collector and inevitably doing the job so well that there were no more glasses to collect (the bars had also all stopped accepting any returns, realising we were doing too good a job and clearly threatened, but that’s beside the point), it was time to pack up the stall and head to the next experience.

This time, it was possibly the most ambient skateboard cinematic experience possible, from the Netherlands’ very own POP Trading Company. Matt noticed something while watching the opening part; the skater on screen had emerged and was suddenly standing next to him. Not being one to miss an opportunity to make an audible note of this, Matt turned to Pascal and stated, in much the same way someone holding a dog up to a mirror would, “It’s you.” Unfortunately Pascal’s reaction was not that of a bemused dog, however, as he knew it was him and simply shrugged.

When Guy tried this same trick on Rob, it had the complete opposite effect. Was Rob just more in tune with his canine spirit? Did Rob have a canine spirit? And, most importantly, what is a canine spirit?

A heartfelt thank you to Converse and Spotify for hosting us and providing such a rich tapestry of experiences, along with POP and everyone else we met and hung out with. Your hospitality and the events organised made this weekend a truly remarkable Season 2 of The Broad Experience.

Guy Jones:

Not one to let an evening simply end, the cast and crew attended the POP after party, or if you work for Converse CONS or Spotify, your event, which was amazing and we thank you for inviting us. It was here where an NTS breakfast show deal was discussed and in an act of patriotism we started continuously knocking a bin over. Fortunately it was fashion week after all, so after the third time we got some nuttahs dressed as baseball players to accuse some folk in leather vests and bandannas. I’m not entirely sure what happened but it evolved into some sort of race back to Coney Island. I don’t fully understand the fashion world, but for one weekend we certainly lived it. Or some shite, invoice attached.

View the Converse CONS x Spotify Benchmark Festival

2024 – Day 2 video recap by clicking here or below!