crooked tongues magazine News Features

We left the whole socialising thing alone for a minute while we worked on the site and argued, but September's proving a big month for us on the events front. The Crooked Tongues 10th Anniversary BBQ is just weeks away, and is shaping up to be excellent (last year's "do" was pretty spectacular even if we do say so ourselves), but when New Balance approached us about a little something to coincide with the 576 Pub Pack's launch, we thought it sounded fun, even if a fair proportion of the Crooked crew remain resolutely alcohol-free. Inviting a few buddies along to the cosy confines of Hoxton's Red Lion pub, we hadn't seen an NB event in London since the anniversary get together in late 2006, and this night out seemed to resurrect that spirit.

Admittedly, Hoxton Square's Red Lion is still borderline fancy, but gnarly spit and sawdust boozers in Hoxton are an endangered species. Some familiar faces, pork scratchings and pies, piccalilli, a quiz, pub rock and alcoholic beverages were plentiful. We even joined in with our own Crooked Tongues branded tankards and plastic pints as giveaways to form a tipsy trinity alongside the complimentary duo of beermats and bar towels. We'll use any excuse to create branded drinking paraphernalia—given half the chance, we'd label up a beer bong. In this era of tie-in social media, brand architecture and communication solutions, it all felt a little simpler and deeply British to the core. With the classic pub environment in danger of being eclipsed by ciabatta bread, gourmet crisps and fanciful drinks, we like what the shoes stand for.

Who the heck else—in an era where it's all about an athletic message and blank-faced tech specs—would celebrate the jaundice-wallpapered home away from home? Only New Balance would, and it's one of the reasons we love their heritage division on these shores. It doesn't hurt that the shoes are extremely clean, bar those deliberately tasteless linings and Flimby made-a reason why we rate the brand so highly. We might prefer our pub food a little rough around the edges, like chicken in a basket or Scampi Fries, but we prefer our sports footwear locally sourced. Don't let these pictures fool you—there were plenty of females in the building too, but a global gathering of NB family wielding tankards is always worth a snapshot, and we think that in future all shoes should be shot in the proximity of pub food.

Many, many thanks to Boris and all at New Balance UK, the whole Canoe team and everyone who turned up, got lean or/and covered the event online today. Next time we see you, the drinks are on us. The New Balance Pub Pack is in the store now, and they're shifting like it's last orders at the bar...