The Wall of Death Is Still Alive, Thanks to These Devoted Riders
A handful of daredevil motorcyclists are keeping an old-school carnival attraction going
The Wall of Death, a cylindrical wooden stage where talented riders pull off all sorts of stunts on motorcycles, was once a mainstay of American carnivals. Only a handful are in use today, passion projects for a few dedicated fanatics. “You’re not going to make too much money doing this,” says New York City photographer Jay Kolsch. “You have to maintain it while you’re on the road, and build it up and take it down everywhere you go. It has to be something you care deeply about.”
Kolsch went to a carnival in upstate New York to document Danny Weil’s Wall of Death over several days in the summer of 2022. At the time, a back injury prevented Weil from riding the Wall he’d built in his Florida backyard, but he continues to feature it in carnivals up and down the East Coast. Initially, Kolsch was drawn to the discipline and athleticism involved in riding the Wall. But ultimately, he decided on a different approach. Instead of focusing exclusively on the flashy motorcycles and death-defying riding, “I also wanted to give space to the Wall itself,” Kolsch says. “It’s beautiful to see this imperfect thing someone built with their own two hands give joy to a bunch of children and thrill all these people.”
A rider known simply as Johnny Dare (left) and Robert “Rookie Bobby” Leverentz warm up the crowd at the beginning of the show.
Danny Weil erects the last curved panel.
Leverentz rides with no hands.
Johnny Dare watches as the Wall’s top is hoisted into place.
Weil supervises assembly.
Bikes and brews stashed outside the team’s RV
Leverentz ascends the Wall’s upper reaches.
Speeding sideways around the track, Leverentz appears to defy gravity.
After laying out the Wall’s pieces, Johnny Dare prepares to assemble it.
Building spectator stands
Leverentz’s bike, with tips from appreciative fans