Something festive this way comes: the inaugural Music City Ink-N-Iron Festival, August 6-9, 2015. The festival will be a celebration of hot rods/kustom cars, live music, burlesque, art, ’20s-’50s fashion, and the World Renowned Tattoo Convention. 280 top shelf tattoo artists from 30 States and 25 Countries, representing all the tattoo styles, will be putting needle to skin on the floor of Municipal Auditorium. The Motorama car and bike show will be a major part of the event, with classic rides on display for viewing (and, let’s face it, for creating gloriously envious feelings among the bystanders).
Okay, so that’s that’s the ink and iron part but what about the music? Well, that’s where it get’s really good. Thee gathering will feature a cooly eclectic music lineup on five stages in Bicentennial Mall Park, in the shadow of the Capitol building. Highlights include a 2-hour headline show from Merle Haggard, Shooter Jennings with his dad’s band, Waymore’s Outlaws, Memphis rockabilly legend Sonny Burgess, Suicidal Tendencies, Misfits, Coheed and Cambria, Wanda Jackson, Jim Lauderdale and many more.
Closing the festival on Sunday night will be soul stalwarts Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings in what will no doubt evolve into a massive dance party. Kudos to the festival organizers for including a wide scope of American roots music.
Tickets are on sale now at various levels, depending on whether you want to see the whole magilla or prefer to attend events a la carte. If you are planning to register your car for the Motorama show, details are here. Don’t miss what will surely be one of the most unique events to happen in Nashville this summer, or any summer.
Ed. Note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly listed Social Distortion as part of the musical lineup. They are not a part of the festival and I apologize for the misinformation.
