The Big North Total Tattoo Show

Last year, the Big North Tattoo Show made its debut at the Metro Radio Arena. Despite large numbers of advance ticket sales, the team behind the show had no idea just how much support they would receive from people of the North East and beyond. With a constant buzz of machines, top-notch entertainment and almost 10,000 people through the doors, the show has firmly made its mark on the tattoo convention scene and it is here to stay!

Fun and entertainment are an important element of this show, live music, cabaret, comedy and fire acts are just some of what you can expect throughout the day across the two stages as well tattoo competitions.

This year, the organisers have taken the show and made it even better; the tattooists attending are truly world class. The reputation of the show has reached the four corners of the globe, with artists coming as far away as New Zealand and Japan to take part in the live tattooing across the weekend. The show will also have a male and female piercer available all weekend, with their selections of high quality body jewellery.

All styles of tattooing have been taken into account when curating the award-winning list of artists. From life-like realism, to naïve outlines, there is something for anyone who is itching to get some new ink. This year, in addition to modern tattooing with machines, the convention will showcase the talents of traditional tattooers who use a ‘hand tapping method’. Among them artist Horiyoshi Jisho-Kenzo V, who hails from Japan and is the fifth generation of one of the world’s most famous tattoo families.

If you are unable to get tattooed, then don’t worry! The hand-selected traders will have clothing, house wares, jewellery and even taxidermy on sale over the weekend. There’s also plenty of food and drink available to sip and munch on whilst you enjoy the free amusements and exhibitions.