The Punk Rock Museum in Las Vegas is celebrating year two with the 1st annual Punk Rock Tattoo Expo, June 21 to 23. Bringing together some of the coolest tattooers on the planet you can meet, greet and get inked by the likes of Tokyo Hiro, Oliver Peck, Bob Tyrrell, Alexandra Fische, Greg Christian, Durb Morrison, Shaun Kama, Jimmy Utah, KJ, Ruthless and Big Island Mike.
Located inside the PRM this all ages event will bring music and art together to celebrate the connection between cultures. Vinnie Fiorello, co-founder of Less Than Jake is looking after marketing for the space. He thought having a tattoo shop inside the museum only made sense.
“Punk rock and tattoos don’t just complement each other, they’re part of a lifestyle.”
Museum house band PTA (Punk Tribute Authority) will be playing opening night to kick off the three days of needles and ink. The expo takes place from 12pm to 10pm each day with a special discounted admission price of $25.
The museum boasts over 12000 square feet of punk rock history and memorabilia. The brain child of Fat Mike Burkett of NOFX the ever evolving space is always adding to displays, timelines and exhibits. Like the DIY spirit that saw punk rock evolve from local ‘Zines, garages and dive bars, (PRM has one of those too called Triple Down) the museum encourages punk fans from around the world to curate and submit artifacts from their local scenes.
“We want to shine a light on the darker corners and document the past, present and future of punk rock,” Fiorello said.
A working tattoo shop inside the museum brings the 50 plus years of punk rock to life. It gives seasoned punks and the casual visitor a sense of how the two art forms converged and how one compliments the other.
Tokyo Hiro has been tattooing for over 30 years and is excited to be a part of the expo. He’s now creating artwork and album covers for bands like The Offspring, The Foo Fighters and Motörhead.
“Punk rockers, skaters and tattooers have always been connected,” Hiro said.
An apprentice with Bob Roberts of Spotlight Tattoo in LA, Hiro got to meet his punk music heroes daily while learning his craft. His designs have appeared on guitars, sneakers, beer, soccer pads and skateboards.
He’s known for his east meets west designs and considers himself in the “middle school” of tattoo art design.
“I’m not old enough to be considered old school and not young enough to be new,” Hiro said.
Opened April 1, 2023, the Punk Rock Museum is an interactive experience with jam space, instruments, a telephone pole to post your own band flyers, a dive bar and a tattoo shop. It’s an institution formed and developed by veterans of many scenes, looking to be the gatekeepers of a legacy earned with blood, sweat and Pat Smear.
“The Punk Rock Museum is showcasing the humanity of punk and tattoo culture,” Hiro said. “I can’t believe it’s only been around a year.”
Punk Rock Tattoo Expo
The 1st annual Punk Rock Tattoo Expo this June 21st-23rd at the historic Punk Rock Tattoo Museum in exciting Las Vegas.
www.punkrocktattooexpo.com
Jason Murray is a writer from Eastern Canada who wrote a book called A Distorted Revolution. He spends his time trying to figure out the mysteries behind the drums, guitar and bass. You can reach him at DIYMedia.ca
