Billabong and Taylor Steele's Trilogy to Premiere in San Diego and Las Vegas

Billabong and Taylor Steele are about to send shockwaves through the surfing world with the global premiere of the highly-anticipated Trilogy surf film set to rock San Diego on Friday September 7th at the 2000 seat Copley Symphony Hall, during the ASR Trade Show.

The show will be headlined by rock group Angles and Airwaves who open the film with the first song of the soundtrack.

The following evening, Saturday, September 8th the show moves to Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Hotel, where Billabong and Macbeth will present a beach party complete with a wake boarding demo in the pool, the film premiere, followed immediately by an Angels and Airwaves concert poolside, as well as surprise special guests.

While the premieres are creating a major buzz globally, an equal amount of excitement has been generated around the movie. Legendary filmmaker Taylor Steele has produced a rare insight into the lives and skills of Andy Irons, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson, three master stylists battling neck-to-neck in a mad race for surfing's 2007 World Title.

Irons (Kauai, Hawaii), Burrow (Yallingup, Western Australia) and Parkinson (Coolangatta, Queensland) are a trio of Aces, wild cards and Kings rolled into one. With completely different backgrounds, personalities and style, they still share one universal characteristic: the ability to blow minds in the water and redefine the parameters of modern day surfing.

Trilogy's soundtrack (which includes an opening song by Angels and Airwaves, the highly-acclaimed band) is also creating a huge buzz from those who have heard it, none more so that Irons, Burrow and Parkinson who have the list on high rotation through their Ipod's.

Taylor Steele has become renowned for uncovering new bands and pumping out the best surf movie soundtracks in the business and Trilogy fails to disappoint. Other top bands are featured in the movie include Placebo, TV on the Radio, Mickey Avalon, the Sounds, Brazil and the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The movie's subjects bring excitement to the debut as well: the Andy, Parko, and Taj motion picture stars three of the greatest surfers of all time. The unique style each has stamped on the progression of contemporary surfing is immense, and the film will showcase their hottest footage from the past year and a half. Some of Trilogy's global premieres will also include appearances by the film's stars.

The filming schedule has been hectic: 18 months of traveling the globe in between world tour events and sponsor commitments, but the trio still locked down super-solid sessions in Europe, Morocco, Bali, Mexico and Hawaii.

While all three surfers have been featured in Steele's previous films (including Momentum: Under the Influence and Campaign I and II) it is the first time they have come together to create a dedicated feature film surrounding their lives.

"Obviously me, Andy and Parko have been competing against each other to see who has the best section," says Taj. "I can't wait to see the final cut. I hear Andy has got enough footage for three movies - that's fine though, it just drives me more!"

Of course Parko has heard the same about Taj: "Taylor and his crew keep rubbing it in how good Taj's parts are," notes Parko. "Taylor keeps rubbing it in to get me fired up. I like doing movies, so just a few good waves and I'm back in the hunt!"

Starring alongside tour rivals and Billabong stable-mates Parkinson and Burrow, Irons says the filming schedule has created a unique environment to showcase the trio's level of surfing.

"The filming of Trilogy has been awesome, we got killer waves in Mexico and then really good waves in Bali," says Irons. "Those two guys pretty much have the most amazing sections in any surf movie and they are my favorite surfers to watch, so to be in a movie with them is going to be really cool."

Growing up with the inspiration of Steele's original "Momentum Generation" films, Trilogy showcases the explosive and unpredictability of Irons surfing like no other surf flick before it.

"Taylor is the man; he is definitely the guru," says Irons. "I have been watching his surf films like Momentum ever since I was a grommet and they always amped me up to go surfing.

To now be in his crew is huge," he continues. "When you think you've got the best surfers and the best guy making it, it's bound to be awesome."

For Steele, the ability to work closely with three of the earths most talented wave riders is a unique opportunity to redefine the parameters of what is possible on a wave and on film once more.

"I have found that most top surfers are really busy these days," says Steele. "With all the CT's and other commitments it's tough, yet all of these guys have been great.

"They power when we are on a trip and if the waves are good they won't come in."

"My goal going into any project is to make it better than my previous ones," he says. "This one is shaping up to do that and I want this film to show who these surfers are and how crazy they surf. The movie will definitely be more rock n roll than mellow."

Co-sponsored by Surfing Magazine, Surfline.com, and Macbeth, the show promises to be the film of the season.

It will be followed by a series of Global premieres with dates still to be announced and be available for purchase on DVD in time for Christmas.

Photos courtesy of Billabong

--Press Release