WORLD RECORD BREAKING INTERNATIONAL LONDON TATTOO CONVENTION 24/25/26 SEPTEMBER 2010: Tobacco Dock, 50 Porters Walk, Wapping, London E1W 2SF,  is all set to be even bigger and better than 2009’s record breaking event.

The ‘Guinness World Record For The Most People Being Tattooed Simultaneously’ was awarded to The London Tattoo Convention organisers after 178 of the world’s top tattooists and their clients collaborated in achieving this milestone record at Tobacco Dock on September 24th 2009. Established in 2005, The London International Tattoo Convention, organised by the global Tattoo Life Publication, has now evolved into the most important and crowded convention in the world, let alone the Number One Alternative Event Of The Year in London.

In 2005, it was estimated that one in eight of all British adults had been inked. Now, in 2010, it is estimated that a fifth of all British adults have got at least one tattoo; among 16 – 44 year olds, both men and women, this figure rises to 29%. It comes as no surprise, therefore, that the London International Tattoo Convention will take up even more of the vast space at Tobacco Dock than 2009’s tumultuous, vibrant event, when well over 20,000 members of the public converged on Wapping. Tobacco Dock, a completely renovated hidden treasure of beautiful Victorian architecture, built in 1812 to store and market tobacco imported from the East, just a few minutes from Tower Bridge, has proved to be the perfect location for the convention, which had outgrown the original venue, Brick Lane’s Old Truman Brewery, by 2007.

This year, more than 200 of the world’s most famous tattooists will be practicing their art in public in all the spacious sterile areas on the vast ground floor level of Tobacco Dock, including such UK stars as Nicole Low (London Ink), Phil Kyle (London Ink), and Lal Hardy (New Wave). A whole host of international artists will be flying in from all over the world, including Tim Hendricks from Miami Ink, Filip Leu (the only convention he is attending this year), The Horiyoshi III family from Japan (who work by hand in the Tebori style), Jose Lopez and Chuey Quintanar (the best Chicano tattooers), Robert Hernandez (famous for horror style), plus Jondix and Mike The Athens (Tibetan style), to name just a few.

There will be a mind boggling amount of alternative events and complementary entertainment to enjoy, including numerous photographic exhibitions, artistic events, live rock bands, tribal dancers and seductive Burlesque performers from round the world. The massive, spectacular, semi-submerged underground vault floor boasts wide lounge areas where various dark, jaw-dropping, alternative performers will astound at regular intervals throughout the weekend.  There will be a huge amount of alternative merchandise and clothing, tattoo equipment and supplies stalls etc, plus massive fetish and vintage retro markets on the lower ground floor.

A wide range of food and drink - catering for all tastes - will be available from restaurants on the ground floor and the outside food court, plus various traditional East End themed pubs and a dedicated real ale bar, all licensed until 1.00am, on the lower vault floor.

The ‘Vince Ray Rock’n’Roll Voodoo Crypt’ stage will once again be hosted by the charismatic musician (and talented artist) himself whose band, Vince Ray and The Boneshakers, will perform live each day. Other attractions include 50 Foot Woman (www.50ftwoman.com) and bonkers rockers King Kurt  (www.kingkurt.com) on Friday September 24th, the (Tribute) Blues Brothers and London Calling (Clash tribute band) on Saturday September 25th and Smokey Bastard (www.myspace.com/smokeybastard) on Sunday September 26th.