If you happen to like quality tattoos done by amazing tattoo artists, then Austin, Texas has got to be in any rational person’s top 5 Best Of list. I mean, there are tons of unbelievably talented artists in the Austin area as well as first rate tattoo studios. Which is why tonight’s event at Austin’s Red 7 is not really what you’d expect from such an acclaimed tattoo community. Or is it?
In more cynical terms, The first annual Worst Tattoo in Austin contest might be seen as simply an opportunity to laugh at people. Yet somehow, the organisers of this event have managed to keep it focused, professional and above all, fun. What it all boils down to is a celebration tattoo. Where any other contest of this stripe might give away a grand prize of tattoo removal, the Austin contest rewards the winner(s) with more tattoos. Hell yeah! Says event founder Devon Tincknell:
‘The Worst Tattoo thing is sort of a misnomer, because we’re not really looking for the shittiest tattoo or tattoos that are just uninteresting or bland, because if that’s what we wanted to do we’d just give out prizes to everybody on 6th street that has a tramp stamp or tribal tattoo. What we’re looking for is more indefensively bad tattoos in the hilarious sense – something that is just so regretted or so fucked up that it’s going to keep the person from ever getting a normal job. We want to award those people for making such horribly great decisions.’
Aside from the competition, there will also be bands, drinks, laughs and lots of tattoos. All for a measly five bucks! Sounds like good times indeed.