Nisei Showoff 2013

Words by Matt Willis

It seems like just yesterday we found ourselves in the scorching summer heat of downtown Los Angeles at 2012’s Nisei Showoff event. These days, its getting harder and harder for us to catch a break with so much stuff going on. Now that we’re heading full-speed into fall, we’ve got the Coronado Speed Festival and the most notable 2013 SEMA Show on our radar.

During Nisei Week, at Alameda and First, you’ll often find an intimate little car show going on. It’s called Nisei Showoff and this year’s was actually one of the largest we’ve attended. To my knowledge, the show management has gone into new hands since last year’s event and it is definitely evident. There was a significant amount of promotion this year, along with all sorts of cars and vendors attending. They also teamed up with StanceNation to further expand the event’s horizon. There were quite a few attendees too, more than usual I’d say. While it was still definitely warm out, it was nowhere near as hot as the 2012 gig…so that probably contributed to the event’s great turnout.

Intimate is a word I like to use when describing the Nisei show. Something about the venue and the people that attend really make the event very personal and true to the community. Unlike other “shows” where it’s all about marketing, music and models…Nisei seems to be a little more calm, relaxed and just that…intimate. You can spend time with the cars here without being too distracted.

Last year was a prime example. Despite the heat, it was still one of my favorite events to this day. The “Generations” lineup organized by the Chronicles was just awesome. And I remember going car to car and just noticing the details and dedication that went into every single build. At other shows, we’re often worried about getting shots or just finding the best couple of builds from the floor, before the terrible music and crowded atmosphere eventually drives us away. For some reason, that doesn’t happen at Nisei and I believe that’s why we come back year after year.