AMERICA DIARIES: BEHIND THE SCENES OF SHOT SHOW 2018!

Hey everyone!

So once a year, the firearms community makes their way to the firearms Mecca that is SHOT Show, and through social media you guys get to see what the show has to offer the community, but what you don't see is behind the scenes of SHOT Show and what happens after show hours. There is SO much going on throughout the week and despite my best efforts I learned very quickly, it is absolutely impossible to squeeze every event in, but here's a small insight on what the industry gets up to after dark.

Las Vegas Strip

High Roller, Las Vegas
Salient Arms International Nacho Libre Party

This year, Salient Arms hosted their annual SHOT Show after party in their warehouse in central Las Vegas with the theme 'Nacho Libre'. Myself and the team from Enola Gaye arrived shortly after 9pm and the party was already in full flow. In between drinks and dancing, wrestlers in full costumes took to the ring in the middle of the warehouse to put on a show for the guests. Being from a small town in England, I've never seen anything quite like this, so it was quite a sight to see (and it was only day 2 of SHOT!)






At 11pm, we were ushered outside for the main event of the evening, the Mission Volant Skydive! The party attendees lined up on both sides of the car park behind barriers waiting for the team of talented skydivers to jump from an altitude of 10,000 feet onto a tiny runway only indicated by spray-painted markings. As we looked into the night sky, we could see the tell-tale lights from the plane, and shapes darker than the night falling through the air at speed. As they came closer to the ground, the skydivers deployed their EG branded parachutes and Enola Gaye smoke was deployed for the landing. It was honestly, epic!  

Mission Volant

ASG Media Appreciation Dinner at The Grand Luxe Cafe, The Venetian

On Wednesday, the airsoft media were invited by ASG to attend an appreciation dinner at the Grand Luxe Cafe in The Venetian as a thank you for our work throughout the year! I attended on behalf of Airsoft Action alongside some of the biggest names in airsoft media. It was a fantastic evening of  American food and good wine.

*Note to self - the floors of the Grand Luxe are polished to the nines, must wear shoes with more grip next time!



Unicorn Leah and I being all fancy!

 A huge thank you to Action Sport Games for hosting us!

101 Tech USA Media Appreciation Evening at Top Golf, Las Vegas

On the same evening (I told you the schedule was packed!) the airsoft media was invited by 101 Tech USA to attend an event at Top Golf Las Vegas, Top Gold is a driving range in the middle of the city that is lit up with swanky florescent lighting. Whilst at Top Golf we got to enjoy an evening of great company, drinks and have a crack at the driving range ourselves.

What I learned from the evening is, do not attempt to stand on astroturf in 6 inch high heels *facepalm*, and that I am absolutely terrible at any golfing activity that isn't crazy golf!

Thank you to 101 Tech USA for hosting such a great evening!


Top Golf, Las Vegas

AMS Bo showing us how it's done!

Crye Precision LLC Roller Boogie Nights Party, Orleans Arena

Next up, is the Crye Precision party. The Crye parties are always legendary and always have super elaborate themes - this years theme was a roller derby/70s theme which meant the entire New Orleans arena was decorated in shagpile 70s print carpet with a roller rink on the outside. 

Quite honestly, I'm not entirely too sure where the party bus came from, whether it appeared out of nowhere or it actually came to pick us up specifically is a mystery to me (weird things happen in Vegas) but it picked us up from Top Golf at around 10am, and we arrived at the New Orleans Arena shortly before 11pm. 

The party was winding down by the time we arrived, but the attendees were still dancing on the retro florescent dance floor and spilling onto the shagpile carpet, on poles and of course whizzing around the roller rink. It was a pretty incredible sight. 

Crye Precision Party Bus

Boys from MilSim Media

Crew was lit AF

Thanks to Crye for hosting a hilariously awesome evening.

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