Here we go again. Party time USA, wait I mean, party time Iceland! Number four was better than ever. Economic collapse and all, it seems like Iceland still kicks ass to me. I mean the people are a bit pissed at their government and banks, but in general the party still keeps rolling and the tattoos keep getting better. The popularity of the art form get is getting bigger as well. The fourth annual Icelandic Tattoo Festival was a great success but the experience in all was a rocket trip to the moon!

When I landed on the other world, Iceland, I was greeted by fest mastermind Ossur with open arms and a broad smile. I knew at that point, economic collapse of his country and all, that this was still going to be one hell of a trip and tattoo festival. Ossur is very connected to local media so he arranged live radio interviews,TV spots, and newspaper articles on Thursday morning and Friday morning for the artists and me! U.S. artist Erin Lambert and myself flew in on the same plane.We had no more than three early morning beers at Ossur’s bar, a shot, and 30 minutes of hospitality before we were put in front of live broadcast mics at two of the major alternative radio stations of Iceland. The first was hosted by a male and female DJ duo.The girl DJ quickly noted on air that I had a deep and sexy radio voice and it became a funny bit that I fully went with. In the second interview, the joke continued on a different station and I ended up doing a lot of the talking.The DJ asked me how I liked the fest and Iceland. I answered and hyped up how awesome Reykjavik was as a city.The DJ meant to say kiss ass but said “It’s always good to lick a little Icelandic ass when you visit!” Anything goes on radio in Iceland so I shouted, “ no, no, no I am not licking any Icelandic ass unless it’s a hot Icelandic chick ass and that’s still questionable!” That was the first hour of the trip and it only got crazier and crazier!

Chip Baskin of Queen of Hearts Tattoo "suffering" through another lower back tattoo

This year there was a different feel and artist lineup. The location was the same but new and revamped with a totally different feeling. Fest producers and super-hosts, Ossur and Linda, decided that the venue in the past was good, but not as good as it could be, so they decided to buy the place out and make it exactly how they wanted it. In the tradition of their first bar, Bar 11, they turned what was a generic pub/music venue into a very cool and modern rock club/event venue now called Sodoma’ (as in Sodom and Gomora).

Bar 11 is still the original (dirty in a good way) rock ‘n’ roll bar of Iceland but Sodoma’ is more of an “upscale” rock bar for lack of a better word.Over the fest weekend from noon to ten at night (though it never got dark) the bar was transformed into a tattoo festival room but was promptly turned back into a music venue each night so the artist and locals could rock out to great bands.

Event producers Linda and Ossur with two of their kids

The fest was as busy or busier than ever and was very profitable for all the U.S. artists. The Icelandic artists take the show a bit differently.To them its all about showing off their most amazing abilities and has nothing to do with making money or paying for an overseas trip. The mixing of the two only fits to the fire and ice mentality of the Icelandic lifestyle.The U.S. artists, of course, were churning out their best work but the demand for them was great and their numbers were few in comparison to the clients waiting so the pace was feverish and profitable for them. Meanwhile, the Icelandic artists worked at a much more relaxed pace doing maybe one piece a day.

Returning U.S. artists included Erin Lambert, Jason June, Chip Baskin, Rich Lajole, Thomas Asher, and Miss Sofia. Newcomer U.S. artists were Scott Ellis and Ezra Haidet of Triple Crown Tattoo and Jen Beirola of Grin and Barrett Tattoo. A good showing of the local Icelandic tattoo artists were in attendance that included Svanur of Tattoo & Skart, JP (Jon Pall), Buri and Fjolnir of The Icelandic tattoo Corp., and U.S. Icelandic transplant Jason Thompson of Black Diamond Tattoo.

Chuck B. midway through a Viking tramp stamp being done by Svanur

The Reykjavik weekend nightlife is world famous, almost as famous as their hottest commodity Bjork. So with that, after a blistering pace of tattooing, the U.S. artists fully cut loose each night. Some of the party highlights included a well inebriated, ball kicking, neck slapping, “friendly” bar fight between myself, Chip Baskin, and Jason June. I witnessed Erin Lambert having a head butting contest with a very large Viking which ended in two Vikings’ bodies slamming each other on a broken glass riddled sidewalk. It also included a jacked up version of myself, arm wrestling a Viking in the middle of a packed Bar 11, Sylvester Stallone Over the Top style. I lost two hard fought beer stained battles but the dude was huge, and I won the respect of all involved (my arms hurt for days after).That scenario ended up in a Viking on Viking arm wrestling match and a subsequent bar fight. Reykjavik is a great party city in my book!

On Sunday, the final night of the fest, I arrived early to get set up as primary speaker on stage.The venue was turned back to a music club/bar and the only people there were a middle aged Icelandic Barbie doll and her married couple friends.They looked confused so I offered my assistance. After a lengthy explanation of why there was no fest set up and an equally long explanation of why these people just arrived and how they were so bummed they missed it, I bought them a round of drinks.The aging Barbie doll looked me in the eyes and said “I know who you are.You’re the sexy voice guy on the radio. I work in a fish factory in the mornings, I listen to the alt-station and heard your voice and the DJ accusing you of licking Icelandic ass and cracked up!” She then proceeded to buy me shots and grope my ass with her fish cleaning hands and claimed, I was one of the reasons she wanted to come and she had the hot Icelandic ass for me to lick! Tattoo of an Iceland flag on it and all! It got pretty awkward at that point and I had to get out before I got eaten by a fishmonger in front of my U.S. and Icelandic peers. Drunk and molested, I took the stage and called out the awards telling bad jokes and bumbling a bit but closing out the show in fine form.The winners included; Jason June for Tattoo of the Day on Friday, Svanur for Best Black and Gray, Scott Ellis for Best Color, and JP (Jon Pall) for Best of Day Saturday and Best of Show.

Artists and fest producers at the Blue Lagoon - See you next year!

The fest really ended on the following Monday with an invigorating dip in the world famous Blue Lagoon and an amazing five course meal. I thought the trip was over and a great success and had reached its peak but I had one more jewel of an Icelandic experience. As I sat in the Icelandic airport wasted, spent, and drunk on the experience (quite literally), who sits down across from me? Mother freakin’ Bjork! I decided not to get my camera out in fear she would smash it and I would lose a weeks worth of work. I did however get the balls up to meet and chat with her for a few minutes.We ended up flying back to the U.S. on the same plane.As I sat on the plane beaming with glee from the over all trip I found peace with God as I thought well if the plane crashes with the most famous person in Iceland aboard, at least I’ll go out happy and make history in good company. Man I love Iceland!