Words: Michael Phillips | Photos & Video: Sean French & Mike Alexander
For the 20th Anniversary installment of the beloved Forbidden Fantasy show we knew it would be something extra special. Bringing back that old school river run vibe, mixed with our favorite Slam’d Mag motto “Quality Over Quantity” this show has recaptured that West Coast vibe and restored our faith in mixing old school and new school for a modern take on throwing a show–getaway. For the inhabitants of the custom Slam’d scene, this means lower, badder, radder builds as the years go on and it’s only right to showcase these builds in a setting fitting for the dedication taken to see the finish line of these masterpieces. For thousands of enthusiasts all across the globe, the annual Forbidden Fantasy Show N’ Shine held at the Avi Casino in Laughlin is now that perfect opportunity to enjoy the top tier of custom trucks and cars.
For the past two decades, the Forbidden Fantasy truck club has hosted their show, each year steadily raising the bar of excellence. The show is largely dedicated to trucks that lay flat to Mother Earth along with their other ultra-custom brethren. Particularly elaborate examples of lifted trucks and bagged cars can be found on the premises as well. The standards in place require that all the participants in the main show are fully painted and sport finished interiors. While there is some extra space available for in-progress builds, the main body of vehicles is dedicated to displaying the best of the best. These guidelines make for rigorous competition, ensuring every builder brings their a-game.
Set in a dramatic location the FFF show takes over the Avi Resort & Casino in Laughlin, Nevada and this staggering desert oasis provides the perfect backdrop for some of the flashiest machines on four wheels. Stretched out across the resort’s lawns are rows of candy painted trucks, doing their best to leave the grass trimmed a little closer to the ground. This venue makes for a great destination for out-of-towners as well as a little family getaway to enjoy a nice weekend of custom machinery.
At the 20th celebration of the event, the spectacle featured a massive presence of traditional minis. These bodied compact trucks displayed innumerable colors and intricate paint schemes and the graphics and subtle details that help to set individual builds apart sure worked beautifully with the natural broad spectrum of colors present at the Avi resort. Desert sunsets, lake reflections, and hand-built masterpieces formed a kaleidoscope to be taken in, no matter the direction participants looked.
The show encourages the participations of whole clubs and their family-like members. Jaw- dropping trucks represented the world’s biggest truck clubs, including Bio Drop, No Regrets, Severed Ties, and of course, Forbidden Fantasy. Events like Show N’ Shine bring the best out in every member of the industry, reminding them of a common passion and sense of comrade that propels the scene into unknown territories. #TeamSlamd continues to love and support events like FFF and can’t wait to see what everyone has in store for next year!
