The Rockabilly Lifestyle » Queen Mary

The Sonics at Ink-n-Iron 2009

Darkman — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 06:28:59 +0000

The Sonics

Here’s a gallery from Ink and Iron 2009 of the band “The Sonics”. The history of The Sonics is colorful to say the least and is part of the fledgling music scene in the Seattle, Washington area back in the 1960’s. The Sonics, however, are from Tacoma. Among The Sonics’ peers were Paul Revere & the Raiders, The Wailers, The Drastics, The Kingsmen, The Dynamics, and The Regents. This era of music, at that time in that area, is credited with the founding of Seattle’s well-known music scene that is still present today.

The Sonics are said to be one of, if not, THE first punk styled band back then. Though the punk scene or music really didn’t start until the 1970’s, they played a harsher style and sound than their contemporaries. The promoters from Ink and Iron brought The Sonics to the event in 2009, which brought in a big crowd of followers both young and old. The following gallery is the show they played at Ink and Iron that night.

All photos by Darkman.

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Ink -n- Iron Pt.2

Darkman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:53:31 +0000

Ink -n- Iron at Night

It’s Friday and Ink -n- Iron starts today! Ink -n- Iron got it’s start from being the Long Beach Tattoo Convention in 2003, to being renamed Ink -n- Iron when the convention moved to the Queen Mary the following year. Ink -n- Iron has been a huge success since and people from all over the world come to Long Beach to show their skill, their art, and their cars for Cash, Prizes and Prestige. The website says “280 artists from 30 States and 25 Countries” will be showing their craft and their different styles of pricking the skin to make tattoos. as well as Tattoos theres a ton of bands that are always playing and if they aren’t they are setting up to play. This years list of bands is too long to list here but you can go to the site and read the impressive line-up. Car competition will not be lacking as usual theres an abundance of contestants and then the usual suspects that show up each year, some to claim prizes year after year, some come to just show and enjoy the happenings each year. Girls, Girls , Girls… Along with Pinups and pompadors, theres Burlesque shows and beauty pageants, or maybe I should psay pinup pageants. Ladies Compete first on the website to become finalists then compete on stage to become Ms. Ink -n- Iron 2009. Vendors galor from shoes to painted statues of the Virgin Mary or Madonna representing the Day of the Dead Culture and memorabilia to clothing and accesories for that rockabilly type outfit and lifestyle. While I hesitate to say Ink -n- Iron is a rockabilly event, it does have that certain rockabilly allure to it, and anythign rockabilly can usually be found there. Don’t let me forget the vintage style barber shp booth where a guy can get it up “high and tight”, and clean around the edges for just a few bucks. Well kiddies, time for this excited photographer to get going and pack up his gear as he has a load of ladies to shoot this weekend. I hope to see you there.

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Ink -n- Iron 2009, will you be there?

Darkman — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:28:48 +0000

Ink -n- Iron 2009, will you be there?

So Ink -n- Iron 2009 is quickly approaching us, in fact it’s just days away, 2 1/2 to be exact, but who’s counting right? I’m one of the Official Photographers for the event this year. I have been assigned to photo the 12 finalists for the Pinup Pageant this year, and I am looking forward to spending a bit of time with each of the ladies. My Job is to photo each one for a calendar that Ink -n- Iron will be putting out, in their classy dress up regalia for the event. Now when I say classy, I mean tasteful, nice looking outfits, not some skimpy questionable outfit that you might find walking down the boulevard. Last year I was in attendance as usual, and the pageant seemed a bit uneventful. In so much as there was no tension in the crowd, there was no exciting competition between the contestants and when it was over, it was…well…over. That’s it, all done, like a bad ending to a movie that could have been done way better. You know, you’re watching a movie and it’s pretty good but then it’s done, theres no climactic ending, and your left sitting there asking yourself “That’s it?”. Yeah, that’s the way it was. Wow,That’s It? Yep. The year before, 2007, was very exciting and had a very climactic ending. One little lady that I really felt should have placed and didn’t, other than being a finalist, was Bombshell Frenchy. Frenchy had everything that I felt was classic pinup. Stance, posteur, attitude, outfit and SMILE. 2007 Ink -n- Iron Runner Up, Bombshell Frenchy. There was nothing trashy about this lady at all and she had the

Ink -n- Iron 2007 Pinup Pageant Runner Up, Bombshell Frenchy

classic pinup look down pat! I felt she should have at least placed but didn’t. Anyway to make a long story short, last year there were a couple ladies from the previous year that didn’t win and were trying again, not to mention a number of faces I had never seen or heard of. To me a pinup pageant is or should be won based on talent, look, poses attitude and outfit. 2008’s pageant didn’t have many of those aspects and seemed to be more of a battle of the booty. Outfits that barely covered or didn’t cover parts, outfits that were not classy or classic at all. It was as if they were trying to win on the merit of their bodies and not their talent or ability. Where were the poses, the posteurs, the smiles and attitudes that are classic pinup? I didn’t see much, if any at all. I am hoping this years contestants took some notes from last year, and polished up their poses, smiles and attitudes, because as I said before, last years pageant seemed to be anti-climactic. I want to be excited to see who wins, I want to see the contestants really working for their victory and showing us those classic poses, posteurs, smiles and attitudes, not tasteless outfits, fake smiles and catfight mentality. One thing that is THE hallmark of a good pinup, if you look at any good pinup art, picture or painting, she looks happy, is smiling and looks like she is having FUN. There is nothing phony or contrived about it, it is however over the top in many aspects but it is a believeable over the top. Know what I mean? Anyway, I am really looking forward to this years pageant and I wish all the ladies good luck and knock ‘em out!

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The Sonics at Ink-n-Iron 2009

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