By Chuck B.
From the April 2008 issue of PRICK Magazine
PRICK Publisher Chuck B. and Chris Collins of Steadfast Brand Clothing atop the slopes at Brighton Resort
The 5th Annual Salt Lake City International Tattoo Convention, held Feb. 15-17, proved to be yet another resounding success. Not only was it a stellar tattoo convention, a ton of snow was dumped across the region just days earlier. This meant that the famous ski and snowboard slopes of the greater SLC area were bangin’!
Arriving the day before the convention, I was able to take full advantage of the snow. So I boarded for about six hours. Exhausted—but stoked—I hit the opening party at the Jack-a-Lope bar later that night and, by this point, the show was most definitely on. Convention producer Nate Drew, owner of the Jack-a-Lope and Lost Art Tattoo, his crew, and CJ Starkey (Flaco Productions) did things right from start to finish. Every attendee was more than well cared for throughout the duration.
The convention floor stayed buzzing all weekend with artists from around the world steadily at work. There were tons of killer tattoos brought to life amidst the genuine camaraderie of some amazing artists. Some of the non-tattoo highlights were the premier of the Board to Lose skateboard collection, featuring 100 skateboards painted by tattooists that skate. (Stay tuned for the book, "Board to Lose.")
Also present was the ever entertaining and world famous sideshow circus owner, Jim Rose. Some of his performances included Nate, C.J., other volunteers from the Lost Art crew, and a few of the attending artists. Jim smashed cinderblocks on volunteers’ crotches, threw darts into their backs, snapped mouse traps on their tongues, covered their faces in rubber bands, swallowed and regurgitated razor blades, and knocked out a little person with a frying pan. He continued to torture himself by laying his face in a pile of broken glass and had a real life woman stand on the back of his head. Big fun all around.
The event was hosted by the always colorful and dapper Chris Longo. He kept the contests flowing and the audience precisely informed. You know it’s going to be a good show when Chris is involved with it. All in all, the show went off without a hitch and proved to be entertaining yet again. S.L.C. is a pretty awesome place, what with the world class snow sports and the Salt Lake City International Tattoo Convention being as awesome as it is. I can’t wait till next year.
