Musink a festival of Music and Ink

The relentless buzz of tattoo machines droned throughout the entire convention hall. Hundreds of them called out as if in a war cry summoning all available flesh to the battlefront. This was war and you were being called to arms. Musink is exactly what your parents warned you about and it was a hell of a ride.

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The tattoo convention and music festival was created four years ago by Kat Von D. The notorious vixen wanted to create something new, fresh, and something people would actually want to experience.

All who attend the event at the Orange County Fairgrounds got exactly that – an experience they would never forget, all 13,000 of them.

What would you expect when attending a convention featuring some of the world’s greatest tattoo artists, music talents, skater pros and after parties? Pure adrenaline comes to mind.

Headlining music acts like Yellow Card, New Found Glory, Alkaline Trio and Tiger Army performed for a wild crowd that couldn’t get enough of bass bumping guitar riffs.

“Tiger Army was killin it,” said Joe Gilbuena of Active Skate Team. “The bands have been pretty good … everybody’s hyped up.”

If you didn’t come for the music, you came for the art. Artists from all over the world showcased their art and tattoo work. Dan Smith, a four-year veteran of the popular TLC show “LA Ink”, said he was honored to be replicating some of the famous Sailor Jerry tattoos that have become so popular over the years.

“Sailor Jerry is considered the father of old-school tattooing. He has a legacy that can’t be messed with at all,” said Smith, “Every artist should be doing Sailor Jerry tattoos at some point in their career.”

Tattoos are no longer restricted to strictly guys. While attending a show like this you cannot deny the sex appeal throughout the convention. Women are a staple in bringing sexy back, and what better than to have the stunning Miss Musink walk around and greet patrons with her kind hellos and the story of her journey leading to such a coveted title.

There were some amazingly beautiful girls. I actually thought there was no way I was going to win this. They were totally amazing. I’m blessed I made it this far,” said Harmony Rosales, crowned Miss Musink.

The girl power didn’t stop there. Female tattoo artists were all over the convention, showcasing art and standing their ground in a world once dominated by men.

“I guess at first it was a little intimidating. It’s like a man’s world and you had to be manly, but times are changing,” said Alex Strangler, The Tattoo Chick. “There are a lot of female artists here, I was really surprised to see so many here. I love it.”

What would a tattoo and music convention be without someone getting their first tattoo? Dubbed an addiction by many, tattoos become mainstream body art used as an outlet of self-expression and to create memorable moments.

“All my tattoos are really personal to me,” said Bernadette Macias, a television host. “My favorite tattoo is probably “love all, trust few.” It’s super important to me, it’s what I believe.”

Sometimes those memorable moments need to be forgotten. Erase a Tattoo, which works closely with many tattoo artists and shops, was there to help with any questions one might have about tattoo removal. Divorce and breakups are the most cited reasons for tattoo erasure. The process is done every six weeks until it is gone or light enough to be tattooed over.

Whether you came for the Music, Ink or just to pass the day with colorful people-watching, Musink didn’t disappoint. Now that you are all grown up, that parental warning your parents preached makes you ponder – now that wasn’t so bad after all, was it?