I just got back from the Berlin tattoo convention and have to admit that it was a life changing experience. Never have I witnessed so much talent and appreciation at a tattoo show.
I hope to convey some of that in the newest episode of Tattoo Nomad, which is now up on my Youtube channel.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
Aloha!
Just got back from the Great London Tattoo Show and a guest spot at Trash Tattoo in Dendermonde, Belgium. What a fantastic time it was. Took a day or five to get used to the time change but after that I was good to go.
London is always sunny when I visit which prompts people to tell me to visit more often. I certainly would love to, since London is one of my favorite cities. We arrived a day after the Manchester bombing which was a bit unnerving. The whole place had a different vibe; not bad, just a kind of tension that seemed to infect everyone. But people soldiered on and apart from the presence of heavily armed police and incessant news coverage, it was quite pleasant.
I tattooed in Alexandra Palace which was a nice piece of old architecture. The show was busy and I did a neck piece on a gentleman, which was my highlight of the show.
Belgium took me by surprise. I didn’t really know what to expect and at first, I hate to say, but I had a bit of culture shock. Coming straight from London to the cobblestone streets of Dendermonde seemed like I had stepped back in time.
In a day or two, after gathering our wits about us, it began to make sense. And then it seduced me. I really like Belgium. Our hosts were very gracious and their shop was buzzing like a beehive from the moment it opened until the doors closed. It was an all female shop and the vibe was chill and welcoming; it was nice to see it doing so well.
We went to Brugge and Gent and had a great time in between days of me working like a dog.
And then we went to Amsterdam. Everyone should go to this place before they die. Needless to say, I enjoyed it to the fullest of my capabilities.
We did some filming for Tattoo Nomad, the show that I (and my wife) are producing. Belgium will be the first official episode. I am still waiting to release the pilot episode, which is about the Big Island and Polynesian tattoo, but have to wait as I entered it into a film festival and cannot show it publicly until I hear if I got accepted or not.
In the meantime, here are some pics that you may hopefully enjoy.
Aloha!
rolandpacheco
Living in Lava Land 