The 13th annual London International Tattoo Convention, the supreme, most esteemed, exciting and enthralling celebration of body art in the world, will be held on 22nd, 23rd and 24th September 2017 at Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, London E1W 2SF.
More than 400 of the most prominent and talented tattoo artists on the planet, handpicked from every corner of the globe by the Tattoo Life Magazine organisers, will be showcasing their skills in public. The hugely diverse list of styles the world’s best inkers will be working in ranges from traditional to religious, to Japanese iconography, to geometric, to Samoan hand-tapped motifs, to photo realist and many, many more.
Drawing on the overwhelming success of our previous shows, 2017’s event is set to be the biggest and best yet, with an exemplary schedule of exhilarating live acts, cutting edge rock and metal bands, breathtaking entertainers, beautiful tattooed pin-up models and inspirational art exhibitions lined up.
The electrifying Fuel Girls the original and best fire-breathing tattooed acrobatic pole, pyro and aerial group in the world, once again return to star as the resident performers on the Fuel Girls Stage. After another full year of training, expect awesome new shows, ideas and themes to be unleashed, featuring flaming props and effects, aerial chains, hoops and silks, large scale fire shows, snake dances and unforgettably hot costumes twice a day, every day of the convention. www.fuelgirls.co.uk
Janet Fischietto, the seductive Italian “30’s Circus Burlesque” performer whose shimmering stage character embodies the “tattooed lady” of the circus, so typical of the side show and freak show imagery of the times, will also star on the Fuel Girls Stage. www.janetfischietto.com
The Pyrohex Stage, will feature high octane fire performance group Pyrohex’s breathtaking shows every day of the convention. Watch jaws drop as the sensational Cervena Fox, Shelly D inferno, Rebecca Crow and Sununu Hernandez amaze with sword swallowing, angle grinding antics and their latest amazing group acts with fire. www.facebook.com/wearepyrohex
Various other stages of electrifying entertainment will be positioned throughout the venue, including the impressive Tattoo Life Competition stage and catwalk, offering visitors the chance to fully observe and appreciate the most impressive skin-inked artworks of the weekend in detail.
Loads of amazing art exhibits will be on display in the new Exhibition Area on the Quayside. The Japanese Gallery will present a captivating collection of traditional woodblock prints featuring work by Kuniyoshi amongst others, taking viewers through an evolutionary journey of Japanese tattooing, conflating modern day tattoo styles with the popularity of ukiyo-e in the mid-18th century Edo period (1603 - 1868). (www.japanese-gallery.com) The Kintaro Kite Project will feature the work of 35 of the world's most prolific tattoo artists specialising in the Japanese style, who have been invited to unleash their creativity and vision on the canvas of a traditional Japanese kite. www.kintaro-publishing.com
Numerous other unforgettable exhibitions will also vie for attendees’ attention, including The Art Of Chris Guest (www.chrisguest.co.uk), The Art of Christopher Lovell (www.christopherlovell.com), Jim Philips’ The Art Of God Machine www.godmachine.co.uk,
The Art of Cam Rackam http://rackam.bigcartel.com, The Art Of Mathew James
www.matthewjamestattoo.com, The Art Of Graham Humphries www.grahamhumphreys.com,
the Black Top Tattooing Exhibit www.blacktoptattooing.com, The Raking Light Projects https://rakinglightprojects.com, The Imperial Tattoo Army www.thelondontattooconvention.com/entertainment/guests/post/the-imperial-tattoo-army, and
The overlap project www.thelondontattooconvention.com/entertainment/guests/post/overlap-project.
A dynamic new live music area in the stunning Grade II listed vaults of Tobacco Dock, ‘Live At LTC’, will host two evenings of raucous hard rock ‘n’ roll, with an incredible line-up of bands and DJ’s confirmed to perform.
Cutting edge Modern rockers Mallory Knox, ‘the vital voice of the modern rock generation’, whose hard-hitting, melodically euphoric, outspoken and open-hearted third album ‘Wired’ crashed into the UK Top 20 national album chart at 18 on release in March 2017, are set to headline ‘Live At LTC’ on Friday September 22nd. After Mallory Knox’s independently released first album ‘Signals’ hit number 33 in the UK national album chart in January 2013, a major record company bidding war broke out, resulting in them signing to Epic. Then, as well as touring to ‘insane’ crowds and playing with Biffy Clyro and Don Bronco, the band landed the prized opening main stage slot in front of a 40,000 strong crowd. Following the release of their semi-autobiographical second album, ‘Asymmetry’, which breached the UK Top 20 album chart in 2014, Mallory tore up Europe and America for 18 months, playing to 5,000 people every night on tour with Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens, then ‘stole’ the Vans Warped Tour in 2015. http://malloryknox.com
Support on Friday comes in the form of British trio Fort Hope, who blend pop hooks, rock riffs and post-rock inspired atmospherics to create emotive, anthemic, heavy and graceful tunes. After Fort Hope, who formed in 2013, were nominated as ‘Best British Newcomer’ at the Kerrang! Awards in 2015, and their indie single ‘Plans’ was featured as Radio 1’s ‘Track of the Day’ the same year, they signed to Virgin / EMI, who released the band’s debut album ‘The Flood Flowers Vol. 1’ in June 2017 to huge acclaim. www.facebook.com/forthopemusic
October Drift complete Friday’s line-up with their ‘beefy yet melodic’ sound; the group, who only formed in 2015, have gained a reputation for delivering blistering, high-energy live shows, a statement cemented by a string of sold-out headline shows across the UK. October Drift have also graced the stages of Glastonbury’s John Peel Stage, The Great Escape Festival, BBC6 Music Festival, Dot To Dot, Tramlines and Camden Rocks.
DJ Mike Rock will be blasting a set of heavy metal, classic rock and party tunes for the crowds to dance the night away to on Friday; his motto being ‘Drink, dance, break everything and worship Lemmy!’ expect a mad night… www.facebook.com/mikerockofficial
London-based heavy metal heroes Orange Goblin, ‘The UK’s reigning champions of balls-out, party-starting, booze fueled metal’, are set to head the line-up on Saturday September 23rd; “We are thrilled to be returning to headline the London Tattoo Convention again in 2017. It is a great event run by great people and after having our set cut short last year due to circumstances beyond our control, we feel we have unfinished business to take care of this year and look forward to another top weekend full of beers, riffs and tattoos!” states front man Ben Ward. Inspired by the gods of hard rock, heavy metal, punk rock and underground extremity, Orange Goblin have forged an admirable reputation as ‘one of the very best live bands of all time’ since their inception 22 years ago. Since the release of their ‘neck-wringing and sonically monstrous’ definitive eighth album, ‘Back From The Abyss’, the band have been busy bringing their explosive live set to fans around the world at huge shows such as Download, Wacken Open Air and the Metal Hammer Golden Gods Awards (for which they were nominated UK’s Best Band in 2017). www.orange-goblin.com
Grove Street Families, who are currently taking the underground hardcore scene by storm, will support on Saturday. With a unique blend of Thrash influenced hardcore and an aura of 90’s hip hop, GSF bring the reminiscent days of golden hardcore to the modern metal world. Whether its playing sweaty hardcore club shows or major festival stages, GSF’s undeniably fun and raucous live show has gained them a loyal fanbase of both ‘old school’ and newer fans. www.facebook.com/grovestreetfamilies1992
New British rock act Big Spring are set to open the show with a sound comprised of ‘beastly, chugging riffs, brooding lyrics and soaring vocals’ (The Independent). Radio 1 Rock Show’s Daniel P Carter dubbed them ‘Best New Band In The Country and gave them a slot on The Pit stage at Reading and Leeds Festivals last year. With their seismic riffs and tearaway attitudes, it's easy to see why so many have fallen under their spell. www.facebook.com/bigspringmusic
Kerrang! TV & Radio’s Alex Baker, ‘The premier voice for breaking new artists in the UK alternative scene’, famous for breaking new bands on his famous ‘Fresh Blood’ show on Kerrang! Radio, will be the masterminding DJ on Saturday. He states that “I can’t wait to get behind the decks at this year’s convention – the line-up of artists and bands this year is insane and I’m just looking forward to shutting the place DOWN on Saturday night!” www.alexbakerman.com
Incomparable elite Alternative pin-up models will be signing merchandise and posing for pictures at the convention, including Bibiana Atada www.bibiana-atada.com, Anna Quinn www.annaquinnuk.com, Cervena Fox www.cervenafox.bigcartel.com, Lea Vendetta http://leaslounge.com, Shelly D’Inferno www.shellydinferno.com, Jessica Wilde www.facebook.com/OfficialJessicaWilde Makani Terror www.makaniterror.com, Riae Suicide Girl www.instagram.com/riae and Lauren Brock www.facebook.com/TheLadyLauren.
An ever more wide-ranging selection of food and drink which will be on offer, and the huge, diverse vendors and traders market will be packed with even more head-turning alternative stuff than ever before.
Advance tickets, priced at £25 for Friday, £35 for Saturday, £30 for Sunday or £55 for a weekend pass, are available to purchase via www.thelondontattooconvention.com. Admission for visitors under 14 is free, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
Published on 18 August 2017 by Ben Robinson
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