This weekend was the London Tattoo Convention. The venue; three floors in the beautiful restored 18th century Truman Brewery building in Brick Lane at the heart of London's Bengali Community.
I can't imagine anywhere else where so many disparate types would rub shoulders: Old asian guys going about their business, Hoxton-ite media-fashion victims, fetishists, skinheads, butch gays, new-age crusties, fifties revivalists, bikers, and otherwise straight-looking types with glimpses of full bodysuit tattoos peeking out from under their clothing.
It was very crowded and pretty hot, but I was struck by how good-natured and laid back the whole thing was. At the trade shows I have to attend for work I am constantly barged and jostled by aggressive sales and execu-types. The Hells Angels provided the security for the show, but despite some 10,000 people attending there didn't seem much for them to do.
I had the same feeling my first time at the Kent HA's Custom Show over twenty years ago and ponder how the further removed from mainstream society the more tolerance and mutual respect there seems to be.
I can't imagine anywhere else where so many disparate types would rub shoulders: Old asian guys going about their business, Hoxton-ite media-fashion victims, fetishists, skinheads, butch gays, new-age crusties, fifties revivalists, bikers, and otherwise straight-looking types with glimpses of full bodysuit tattoos peeking out from under their clothing.
It was very crowded and pretty hot, but I was struck by how good-natured and laid back the whole thing was. At the trade shows I have to attend for work I am constantly barged and jostled by aggressive sales and execu-types. The Hells Angels provided the security for the show, but despite some 10,000 people attending there didn't seem much for them to do.
I had the same feeling my first time at the Kent HA's Custom Show over twenty years ago and ponder how the further removed from mainstream society the more tolerance and mutual respect there seems to be.
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