They are good fun normally but once you've been to a few they can get a bit samey. Wear comfy shoes, go with some friends, take cash for the stalls if you plan on buying merch.

What one are you thinking of going to? Have fun :)

I like them, never been tattooed at one. Would be cool because so many artists in one place. Im curious how their rates compair to when their working in a shop. Ive heard they charge more a few times but ive also heard the charge less if you book ahead. Not really sure.

the costs can also be higher because the artist pays out money for travel, booth and accomodation and loses time traveling that s/he could be working in their studio so that will play a factor.

I personally prefer getting work done at the artists own studio where possible as they have their full set up there. I had both lower legs worked on at conventions and compaired to the comfy bench in the shop the make do set up was not much fun for a 3 hr, 5 hr and 4 1/2 hr sittings I had done at shows (the longer ones weren't even planned but my artist wanted to work on a regular and another piece had to get resized and mine just needed the stencil doing for the first sitting, the 2nd was at a quiet tattoo convention at the start of the first day and he wanted to work and my leg was unfinnished).

I think I burnt out on them as I went to so many in the space of 3-4 years, 4 trips to Brugge, 2 to Emmen, 2 to Berlin, 2 to the Republic of Ireland, 2/3 to Belfast, 2 Isle of Man and they were just the ones I flew to, lost count of the mainland UK ones. For some I was helping out as booth or supplies staff and others were for the comps and traveling with friends. It was a lot of time and a lot of the same faces at most of them.

I went to my first one since Brugge 2005 earlier this month and although most of the faces had changed I went for the roller derby tournament at it (strangely enough one of the girls we used to travel with plays for one of the leagues who played and her husband was in the crowd too). I barely looked at the tattoo's in progress as the only big name I saw I'm not fussed for his work, had a wee look at the hand work as I love lesser used techniques to watch and want to expierence (so far have one piece that was done in a studio by Sakura with a hand poke technique).

If the artist you want to get work from is localish I would go to the shop, if not contact in advance to discuss designs and costs/timeframes.

Have fun at it though :D

Best of the Midwest is a big deal and if you have a chance to go you should! A lot of really cool artists are going to be there. :)

Looks like there will be a lot of great artists there. Here is the list, check out their sites & work and see if you can find someone you like. :)

http://www.shaneoneillproductions.com/attending.html