Ink Life Tour 2011 begins a series of national events promoting the true essence of today's tattoo body art lifestyle with its kickoff stop on February 18-20, 2011 in Amarillo, TX.

This three-day mega-event features world-renowned and local tattoo artists competing for the Best of Show award and an exclusive feature in Tattoo Guru magazine. The Amarillo event also includes a Battle of the Bands competition, tattoo contests, live performances by Mark McKinney, No Justice, Matt Hole and The Hot Rod Gang and Phillip Thomas and other events.

Ink Life is not the typical tattoo convention seen in the past. Ink Life is the only tattoo and music festival designed to attract today's mainstream audience of tattoo enthusiasts, unveiling the latest tattoo trends from acclaimed talent. As an added bonus, attendees may present their ticket stubs to any participating tattoo artist to guarantee a $20 discount for tattoos inked on location.

All events are in the Amarillo Civic Center. Tickets can be purchased online at www.inklifetour.com or at the gate.

"Twenty years ago, we couldn't pull this kind of an event off," says Ink Life creator Ragen St. Peter. "A negative stigma surrounded tattoos and body art in the 20th century. But, in the last 10 years, the tattoo industry has become one of the six fastestgrowing retail businesses in the United States. Ink Life strives to accommodate this new thriving market with an entrepreneurial spirit."

The Ink Life web site, located at www.inklifetour.com, includes a unique Guest Spot Locator that connects participating tattoo artists to local tattoo shops, so they may schedule guest appearances while they are on the tour.

At Ink Life Amarillo, participating tattoo artists will compete for bragging rights and trophies in 20 categories. The tattooist with the most Ink Life awards at the end of the 2011 tour will be featured in Tattoo magazine. The winner also receives a featured page on inklifetour.com and free booth space for the entire Ink Life 2012 tour (a $4,000 value). The event is hosted by two nationally recognized tattoo shops: George Galindo's worldfamous House of Pain, based in El Paso, TX, and Chico's Marked 4 Life of Miami, FL.

"I'm co-hosting the Ink Life Tour because I like its fresh approach," Galindo says. "We're creating a new concept that totally fits today's tattoo scene."

At the Amarillo kick-off, Ink Life launches its search for undiscovered talent with a Battle of the Bands competition. The winning band receives a $500 cash prize, a $150 tattoo gift certificate, and a chance to battle for a spot on the 2012 Ink Life Tour. Enter for your chance to rock the house at Ink Life Amarillo by filling out the form at www.inklifetour.com

Other Ink Life Tour stops include April 15-17 in Oklahoma City; May 27-29 in Myrtle Beach, SC; July 1-3 in El Paso Tx and July 22-24 in Denver.

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The Amarillo CVC is the premier marketer of Amarillo. Our mission is to increase hotel and attraction visitors by promoting the Amarillo area as a unique destination.

Visit the Amarillo CVC website at www.visitamarillotx.com

Visit the Ink Life Tour website at www.inklifetour.com