Blog — Page 239 of 282

Australian Tattoo Expo 2017

International Convention Centre

Sydney, AU

March 10-12, 2017

With over 45,000 visitors annually, the celebration of creativity and art The Australian International Tattoo Expo proudly represents, has become the biggest in the Southern hemisphere.

Boasting over 300 local and international talented exhibitors from a myriad of tattoo genres showing their craft and techniques, the convention offered opportunities galore over three days to either just enjoy the art on display, have a chat with the artists, be inked or pierced on the spot or stroll through markets of merchandise, aftercare, tattoo supplies and hand crafted gifts.

This year’s incarnation at Sydney’s schmick looking new International Convention Centre was the biggest to date.

Meet some of the featured artists:

Arlo Dicristina from Arlo Tattoo started Tattooing in 2010 and has a pedigree in professional wrestling and boxing before he decided to focus on mastering his tattoo skills and his other artistic endeavours, i.e. oil painting, airbrushing and wood burning. Influenced by Jeff Gouge, Tony Mancia, and Justin Nordine, his area of expertise is face morphs and colour realism.

Benjamin Laukis from Black Mark Tattoo started his craft in 2008 in Queensland, Australia and eventually among other international awards, scored the “Artist of the Expo” award at one of the previous incarnations of the Australian Tattoo Exhibition. Some consider his style “neo baroque” – call it what you may, fact is that his emissions are informed by contrasts and look painted: Shadows and harsh light give them depth, which accentuates the colours and makes them pop. His work shows that he is inspired by fine artists like Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Reni, as well as contemporary artists like Hussar, Kassan and Llewellyn. Other than tattooing he – not surprisingly – given his inspirations, likes to paint in oils and also uses aerosol. While is tattoos are realistic, i.e. portrait work, he manages to gives it a twist by infusing it with his own style.

Brodie Pedersen, aka “Leisure Bandit”, is a tattoo artist that sticks out with his trademark retro styled neo traditional. His style is based on 80s culture: Think bright, fluorescent colors, weird shapes, wacky animations, and questionable fashion choices, adding animalistic elements for hilarity. 

He’s the go-to if you fancy getting a winking dolphin decked out in Miami Vice gear sipping a cocktail against a sunset.

Tater Tatts focuses on colour realism as well: Inspired by artists like Boris, Nikko, Carlos Rojas, Carlos Torres, Mike Devries, Mick Squires and others who earlier on really pushed realism tattooing, he encapsulates a wide ranges with both black / white contrasting as well as using colours.

The convention was framed by appearances of the multi-skilled performance group Fuel Girls, who entertained with scantily clad fire and aerial shows; an Australian Pin Up Pageant; the Girls of Ink contest as well as Australia’s most extensive tattoo competition which was comprised of five rounds and subcategories that ranged from best neo-traditional via best lettering / script to best Polynesian tattoo.

As far as tattoo culture is concerned, it does hardly get any more comprehensive than this expo.

With the effective way proceedings are organized and the enjoyable and immersive atmosphere it provides, it’s a fun day out no matter what sort of body modification strikes your fancy.

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Photos by KAVV

Meshuggah

Enmore Theatre

Sydney, AU

March 12, 2017

It has been twelve years since I last saw Meshuggah and while their performance at Cleveland’s Peabody’s Downunder was tight and technically impressive, it pales compared to the relentless force of nature Meshuggah has matured to as a live band.

With so many things going on simultaneously and despite all the intricate arrangements, i.e. complex polyrhythms and Djent antics, technically ferocious death metal riffing and a detailed, sumptuous laser light show that bathes the protagonists in silhouettes while at the same time being in sync and accentuating the music, the adjectives that come to mind to describe Meshuggah’s performance is “pulverizing” and “vitriolic”.

Framed by Keerych Luminokaya’s album artwork, which was appropriately illuminated and animated with the light show, and songs from their new album The Violent Sleep of Reason, no time was wasted on banter as the Swedes powered precise like clockwork through signature changes, syncopations and every other odd thing their progressive metal on steroids has to offer.

Tech-metal, djent – call it what you may – has become a genre. Bottonline is that Meshuggah invented it and for the first half of their career there was no one to even come close to them.

What to the untrained ear might sound like seemingly repetitive riffs with offbeat drum patterns and barking on top on record, reveals itself as a complex adrenaline fueled symphony that both bludgeons, completely absorbs and digests the audience.

It shows that Meshuggah’s live show is well thought out and expertly orchestrated with no move going to waste. It takes their music to the next level with the band being completely in control, pushing buttons with maximum impact focusing on the essence of their craft and thereby appealing to man’s primal instincts.

A layered, unwavering wall of sound that feels solid enough to lean against emitted from a band with an imposing presence – an understated presence as the protagonists behind Meshuggah take a deliberate step behind the music, literally and figuratively.

A unique,pummeling and immersive live experience.

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Photos by KAVV

Twelve Foot Ninja

Manning Bar

Sydney, AU

March 10, 2017

The genre blending breed of metal of Melbourne’s Twelve Foot Ninja might best be described as “fusion”.  A versatile, charismatic frontman effortlessly transitioning from crooning to vicious screaming, polyrhythmic djent riffage, at times bright melodies, catchy grooving, funky basslines and all consuming climaxes.

A down to earth mix of traditional metal, funk, psychedelica, jazz, salsa with all ingredients schizophrenically mixed up and served with technical brilliance and near flawless execution, which instantly commands the attention of the willing audience.

Starting off not un-Ninja like in stealth mode with an atmosphere that is ethereal in nature, Twelve Foot Ninja then reared polycephatically (yup, neologism a-go-go, enjoy this new adverb) its multiple, energetic heads and embarked into more dissonant territories, ultimately prompting the audience to indulge in mosh pitting.

Based on the guitars being perfectly in-sync, McKinnon providing the 4-stringed backbone along with Hayes’ drumming, vocalist Etik delivered a vocal performance that was on point no matter what registers he employed.

The non-chalant way in which they lay down their performance almost looks too easy.

Seldomly has the soundtrack to bi-polar disorder been executed in such a tight and coherent manner and transported accordingly on stage.

One of Australia’s genre hopping bands that you would want to check out.

Mardi Gras
Sydney, AU
March 4, 2017

With a longstanding history of almost four decades, Sydney’s Mardi Gras builds on a strong foundation from which they champion LGBTQI individuals and communities. 2017 seed then celebrating their achievements but also sheds light on new ways to work for LGBTQI diversity and highlight blind spot in which inequality and ignorance still reigns supreme.

The Damned
Metro Theatre
Sydney, AU
March 10, 2017

Musically and artistically, The Damned has always been one of the most accomplished and versatile forefathers of punk and alumni of the class of 1976, both shaping and enriching the formula that was coined by The Clash and Sex Pistols with their own gothic, pop and psychedelic twists.

40 years after The Damned’s inception, the band is far from a nostalgia act and tonight’s tight, frantic and brawny set is testament to the band’s legacy, relevance and niche they have carved out for themselves.

The sole constant member of the operation, vaudevillian Dave Vanian, has aged graciously, which is not a very common occurrence among Goth royalty, still appearing formally dressed yet less heavy on the make up and melodramatic cabaret, and still effortlessly commanding the loyal crowd with one of the smoothest crooning voices in rock.
Captain Sensible with his trademark tartan bondage pants, denim vest, sunglasses and adorned with his signature red beret caters to the other end of the spectrum, propelling the irresistible adrenalin rush that is The Damned forward.

The Damned is an institution.

With a back catalogue that is smothered with a plethora of genre defining hits, Captain Sensible and comrades meandered through the different phases of their oeuvre from the amphetamine addled jittery, sinister punk with acid prog-rock of the 1980s (from their Strawberries, Phantasmagoria and Anything albums), with which they survived the demise of the first wave of English punk rock, to their more straight forward, energetic iconic numbers from their classic early emissions Damned Damned Damned and Machine Gun Etiquette albums.

If you get a chance, make sure to witness one of the truly great and often overlooked groups of the 1970s punk and early 1980s proto-Goth eras that is still brimming with deadpan cool.

They do not make them like that anymore.

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Photos by T