IN PICTURES: Dutdutan 2023 unleashes ink madness and live performances from Gloc 9, Zild, Sandwich, and more

Another year of showing off the creativity and skills of the Pinoy tattoo community at Asia's wildest and biggest tattoo exhibition and music fest, Dutdutan 2023, kicked off at the World Trade Center in Pasay City from Sept. 30 to Oct. 1.

Tattoo fans witnessed this one-of-a-kind event highlighting the most awaited tattoo competition from local tattoo artists across the Philippines.

During an exclusive interview with Alfred Guevara, Dutdutan and PHILTAG founder shared that staging this event since 2007 has given the Pinoy tattoo community a safe space and lifted the stigma regarding tattoos.

"Maraming artists ngayon ang magagaling, and nakakaganda ngayon is wala na yung stigma kasi dati kapag nakita na may tattoo ka negative element agad, pero ngayon kung makikita niyo ultimo pari may tattoo, mga professional katulad ng doctor at senador may tattoo, kumbaga express yourself, kasi kalayaan niyo yun bilang tao," Alfred said.

(There are many artists today who are great, and what makes it more remarkable is that the stigma is gone because before, when you saw a tattoo, you were immediately a negative element, but now, if you see even a priest has a tattoo, professionals like doctors and senators with tattoos, it's like expressing yourself, because that is your freedom as a human being.)

International band named (hed) PE, a.k.a. Planet Earth, made their way to the main stage, joining OPM rock bands and other artists, including Gloc 9, Sandwich, Typecast, Zild, The Chongkeys, POT, which gave the audience a rock-out performance during the two-day event.

"We're always proud, and It's been a tradition for us every year na tumugtog dito sa Dutdutan kasi it's like a gathering ng mga people like us, kaya it's so nice to see them again parang reunion kasi the pandemic took a toll on how we feel right now kasi nagkaroon ng dutdutan before pero online lang, and then ito lang ulit yung may live performance, so it feels fresh again, " Chongkeys frontman Benjie Estanislao said.

(We're always proud, and it's been a tradition for us every year to play here in Dutdutan because it's like a gathering of people like us, so it's so nice to see them again like a reunion because the pandemic took a toll on how we feel right now because there was a dutdutan before but only online, and then this is the only one with a live performance, so it feels fresh again.)

Aside from the tattoo competition, Tribal's Bikini Contest returns with a vengeance – only sexier, kinkier, and wilder! Leaving almost nothing to the imagination, competition will surely be fierce.

Presented by Tribal Gear, The Lower Left, and PHILTAG, Dutdutan 2023 will be housing scores of tattoo booths and the usual horde of artists, collectors, and ink enthusiasts from all over the country and the world.

Flying in for the big show is Tribal Gear founder Bobby Ruiz, with badass graffiti master and street artist Huit of France, and notorious inkers Carlos Macias and California Ames. An exhibition of amazing pieces from The Lower Left Manila will also be setup to fill everyone in with the brands' unique artistry.