aaamusic | On 09, Jul 2012

The 8^th London International Tattoo Convention, which has evolved into the biggest, best, most significant, and utterly awesome convention in the world, has been confirmed for the weekend of September 28/29/30 2012 at Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, Wapping, E1W 2SF.

 

This year, the Tattoo Life Magazine event organisers have gone all the way to add even more attractions, amazing alternative entertainers, inspirational exhibitions, bands and musical acts at this inexorably expanding, world record breaking, mega event.

 

Even more of (the UK and) the world’s most famous tattoo artists will be practicing their art in public than ever before, working in every style of the art form under the sun in the thirteen sterile halls dedicated to tattooing.

 

Over 300 elite tattoo artists have already been confirmed and there is a waiting list of more than 1,000 big names still hoping to be accredited. Miami Ink / NYC Ink star Ami James and Miami Ink / Inkmaster star Chris Nunez, will come to the London Tattoo Convention for the first time.

 

A whole host of hot musical acts have already been booked for the London International Tattoo Convention 2012:-

 

The Neville Staples Band, Larry Miller, The Brothers Grimm, Vince Ray and The Bone Shakers, and Henry’s Funeral Shoe are all confirmed to play live in Vince Ray’s Voodoo Crypt, with many more to be added.

 

Neville Staples, the original Rude Boy, and his foot stompin’ band will headline the Voodoo Crypt stage on Saturday 29^th September. Neville Staples is a founder member of Coventry’s The Specials, who spearheaded the ska revival Two Tone movement in the late Seventies, released two top ten albums and scored huge hit singles with such anthems as ‘Too Much Too Young’, ‘Ghost Town’, ‘A Message To You Rudy’, ‘Gangsters’ and ‘Rat Race’. He then formed Fun Boy Three, (with Terry Hall and Lynval Golding after the Specials split up), who notched up even more hit singles with the likes of ‘The Lunatics (have Taken Over The Asylum)’, ‘The Telephone Always Rings’, ‘Summertime’, ‘The Tunnel Of Love’, plus ‘It Ain’t What You Do…’ (with Bananarama) and ‘Really Saying Something’ (with Bananarama). In the 90’s he worked with Rancid, No Doubt and Unwritten Law in California, before returning to the UK in the Noughties to form The Neville Staple Band.

 

Sensational Blues Rock Guitarist Larry Miller and his band are confirmed to play an explosive set on Saturday evening. Undeniably one of the must see blues/rock acts,  famous for his exciting, mesmerising guitar playing and rip roaring shows, Larry is a unique, electrifying showman. He holds the record for the most encores at The Cambridge Rock Festival (in 2009), returning the following year to a capacity crowd and a standing ovation. Larry Miller has released 6 albums since 1997, all of which have had great critical acclaim. The latest, 2012’s ‘Unfinished Business’ won a 5/5 review in Classic Rock magazine who stated that ” He’s the fieriest, fruitiest, ballsiest blues rock guitarist you’ll ever likely to hear”.

 

Back by enormous popular demand, garage blues duo Henry’s Funeral Shoe whose new album, ‘Donkey Jacket’, has just been released to rave reviews, are also confirmed to play live on Saturday. Mojo’s Andy Fyfe proclaimed in his review of ‘Donkey Jacket’ that “there’s much to admire on Welsh brothers Aled and Brennig Clifford’s second album…A mixture of White Stripes simplicity and crunching Black Keys boogie, the brothers distinguish themselves by entering at the ZZ Top end of the blues spectrum, and even Billy Gibbons might doff his sequined sombrero to Aled’s berserker riffing. The unreconstructed titles – ‘Love Is A Fever’, ‘Anvil & Chains’, ‘Heart On Fire’, ‘Gimme Back My Morphine’ – also match the unreconstructed whisky’n’slide blues within, so it’s no surprise to hear the occasional harp being blown or piano tinkled as they burrow through a world that may have been born in the Delta but has now found a raucous home in the Valleys.” Henry’s Funeral Shoe have just returned from a very successful week long US tour, which culminated with a headline slot at Minnesota’s Deep Blues Festival on July 1st. 

 

Legendary Blues Brothers tribute band The Brothers Grimm, who reformed to play their first gig in eleven years at the Bulldog Bash in 2010, are set to get back together again to star on the Voodoo Crypt stage on Friday.

 

Voodoo Crypt compere / host Vince Ray, (also an artist renowned for his unique record covers, T-shirts and tattoo designs),  and his band The Bone Shakers will play multiple sets all over the weekend. The Boneshakers, a classic rockabilly/punk trio with guitar, double bass and drums, who sound “Like Eddie Cochran colliding with Motorhead”, are an unmissable, truly organic rock beast, whose songs are the sonic equivalent of Vince’s artwork—all about foxy femme fatales, hell-bent hot rods and ghoulish grave-robbing greasers.

 

Legendary Soul DJ Tony Class will be spinning Northern Soul Classics from 8pm till late on both Friday and Saturday evenings in the Jamaica Inn Soul Bar.

 

Numerous mind boggling Alternative shows and performances are scheduled to take place throughout the weekend on the main concourse stage, including:-

 

Lucky Hell, ‘The Sword Swallowing Painted Lady’, a seductress of the stage with the dance moves to prove it, and a death defying performance artist with the scars to show for it, will present a full, 35 minute repertoire. Skilled in the artistry and theatrics of the classic circus and modern day sideshow, Lucky is a glamourous, badass showgirl who performs with one of a kind, fully rhinestoned swords, hammers and machetes to devastating effect.

 

The Fuel Girls, the edgiest, sexiest, most adrenaline filled kick ass fire breathing, rock and roll dance and stunt show on the planet, who were a massive hit with the crowds last year, will be back with select, unmissable performances throughout the weekend.

 

The Nerdy Stripper, who has been pushing the boundaries and challenging the rules about tattoos in clubs since she made her stage debut in Toronto in 2008, is set to thrill with her breath taking lapdance. As the ‘Most Heavily tattooed stripper in Toronto’ peels off her nerdy cosplay, she unveils tattoos of Yoda, Iron Man, The Hulk and Wonder Woman, tattooed by such famous artists as Chris Lowe.

 

Elegy Ellem, the sexy model and top Burlesque performer, who varies her performances from cute pin-up style with a twist to pure erotic fetish acts, will fly in once again from her native Sweden for the weekend. You never know what can happen when this sexy creature steps on stage, so prepare to be surprised and stunned when she performs.

 

Les Soeurs Tribales, a Tribal Bellydance & Modern Urban Fusion Dance troupe from Italy, will wow audiences with a brand new Improvisational Tribal Style format, inspired by Old School Tribal Bellydance, but with a contemporary twist.

 

Sabina Kelley an elegant and sensual pin-up girl with singular grace and style, and a hugely successful burlesque artist to boot, will be signing copies of the Tattoo Energy Calendar 2013, featuring her breath taking curves and marvellous tattoos, captured by legendary photographer Christian Saint, at the Tattoo Life stand.

 

There will be a parallel take on the world of tattoo, a cultural slant, marked by special visual art exhibitions and events.

 

The Amsterdam Tattoo Museum, will travel to London for the first time to exhibit a vast range of tattoo-related artifacts and collectables from the four corners of the earth. On display will be ancient tattoo machines, artists’ tools, acetate stencils, business cards, photos, drawings and examples of western tattoo styles including old flash from the 1950’s to the 1970’s.

 

Vis Dearum is an exhibition highlighting the massive contribution of female artists in the world of tattoo, in which the power of artistic creativity brings to life the divine in the female universe. Eighteen leading international women painters and tattoo artists, led by Italian Viola Von Hell, will display their images of gorgeous mysterious pagan divinities such as Aphrodite, Nìke, Parvati, Hera, Minerva and Kali.

 

Tattoo Nation Film, an 85 minute documentary about Charlie Cartwright, Jack Rudy and Freddy Negrete, the pioneers who boldly opened the first tattoo parlor in the heart of East LA’s Chicano community, will be premiered in London on September 29th. In 1975 Cartwright and Rudy hired Negrete, a recently paroled teenager who, while in jail, unknowingly established iconic images that spoke to an entire generation of Chicanos.

‘Tattoo Nation’ shows how a new, fine line style using detail and shading to achieve a remarkable realism, known as ‘Black & Grey’ was embraced as a new vehicle for self-expression by the Chicano community in East Los Angeles, and subsequently revolutionized the world of ink. For the first time, these legendary figures tell their stories in a feature-length documentary film.  Included are other important figures such as David Oropeza and “Chuco” Caballero, winners of many prestigious tattoo competitions.

 

The Pinhole Camera Project, is a fascinating exhibition on the world of tattooing by Jack Watts, which captures famous tattoo artists at work in their studios, using pinhole cameras. Pinhole cameras give a surreal insight into an artist’s space and the art of tattooing. What is so interesting about this exhibition is that it is not immediately apparent from the photographs what is actually going on. They almost look like operations being carried out. Each space reflects a particular artist on the tattoo scene, the work stations are personalised, and it’s as much about the detail around the movement as it is about the movement itself.

 

Beyond Tattoo, a truly unique graphics and design exhibition by some of the best-known tattoo artists in the world, will display the stunning works featured in this fantastic new volume of art from 30 of the world’s greatest tattoo artists, including Mike Giant, Javi Castano, Inma, George Campise and El Carlo.

 

Anatomy Of The Art – Burlesque Surrealism artist Michael Hussar, whose paintings are in the private collections of Warren Beatty, Francis Ford Coppolla and Leonardo Di Caprio, will be painting live  ‘alla prima’ at the convention on Saturday the 29th of September. One of the biggest names on the contemporary art scene, Hussar describes his work as “a voyeuristic snapshot of perceived humanity, complete with freaks and fakery; a gothic Wonderland illuminating the grey area between truths and lies.” Hugely influential among tattoo artists the world over for his figurative style and use of colour, Hussar will start working on a new painting and finish without interruptions – ‘alla prima’ – in just one shot.

 

Tattoo Contests – As always, the biggest show on offer is provided by the visitors themselves, who will compete in the Tattoo contests for ‘Best Of Day’, ‘Best Back Piece’, ‘Best Back Ornament’, ‘Best Colours’, ‘Best Black And Grey’ and ‘Best Of Show’.

 

A wide range of food and drink – catering for all tastes – will be available on site from restaurants on the ground floor and the outside food court, plus various traditional East End themed pubs and a dedicated real ale bar, all licensed until 1.00am, on the lower vault floor.

 

There will be a huge mass of tattoo equipment, flash and supplies stalls, let alone a humungous number of alternative merchandise and clothing plus massive fetish and vintage retro markets on the lower ground floor, making a wall-to-wall extravaganza of rockabilly, goth, 50’s pin-up, punk and rocker clothing.

 

For more info go to www.thelondontattooconvention.com, from which tickets are available priced at £20 for Friday, £30 for Saturday, £25 for Sunday, or £55 for a weekend pass.