Thousands drive across country for 2023 INKcarceration on 'Shawshank' prison grounds
The prison yard at Ohio State Reformatory overflowed Friday afternoon with 25,000 willing convicts who were guilty of loving music and tattoos.
They drove from across the country to Mansfield for the 2023 INKcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival, a three-day event that blends the biggest names in rock, alternative and metal music with some of the most talented tattoo artists in North America.
Lawns more than a mile away from the venue were filled with the cars of those who would rather pay $20 and walk than spend $125 for a weekend pass that would get them a little closer to the prison made famous by "The Shawshank Redemption" movie.
The Reformatory's lot was speckled with license plates from every state that borders Ohio as well as several further away: Florida, Texas and Wisconsin.
Limp Bizkit, Pantera and Slipknot headliners
INKcarceration was first held at the Reformatory in 2018 after a previous festival shut down.
Bands play on three different stages each day. Limp Bizkit was Friday's headliner. Pantera was scheduled for Saturday night and Slipknot for Sunday.
Puffs of smoke, streams of water and a bouncing beachball could be seen above the crowd as thousands of fans waited eagerly between sets.
Some wore black lipstick, fishnet pants and Converse All-Stars. Others were adorned in shirts from their favorite bands: Metallica, Iron Maiden, Misfits and Seether.
There were nonmusic shirts, too, with phrases like "F--K CANCER" and "Be Kind To Your Mom."
'A great (expletive) time'
In a dark shirt that read "Death To The Patriarchy," Matt Cleaves lumbered through the crowd, his long, black hair in tow.
"I was here two years ago," the Vermont native said. "It was a great (expletive) time."
He knew after the 2021 event that he wanted to return. Eight months ago, he and his girlfriend decided to buy tickets to the 2023 INKcarceration. They drove 12 hours and planned to stay at the festival every second it was open.
Cleaves wore a red hat that, in white, read: "Sinner." A ring hung from his nose.
"With all of the travel expenses, hotels and everything, I would say it cost close to $1,500," Cleaves said.
It was worth it, because he got to see his two favorite bands: "Memphis May Fire" and "Motionless In White."
The only drawback was the 87-degree heat that caught Cleaves a little off guard.
"I don't really know what I was thinking," he admitted. "I've been drinking a lot of water and trying to stay cool."
Shaded areas were few and coveted as the sun beat down on festivalgoers Friday. A few attendees who wore brightly colored hair sat under their black umbrellas. Head coverings were diverse: a cowboy hat, a Yankees cap and a yellow fedora.
Attendees carried fanny packs, snacks and beverages of all types.
"It's 130 degrees!" a man wearing nothing but shorts, sandals and tattoos shouted as he fell to the ground.
'Being here with my kids means a lot'
Standing on a hill toward the back of the crowd was an unlikely group.
"I made them all come," Sarah Dinan explained.
Two of them were her sons, Alex and Luke. The other was her childhood friend, Julie Berman.
The Dinans live in Boston. Berman is from Columbus.
"We were coming here for a birthday party," Sarah Dinan continued.
Her nephew turns 2 Saturday. Her sister lives in Delaware.
"I saw that the concert was this weekend," Dinan said.
She hasn't listened to metal in years, but reading about INKcarceration brought back good memories.
"When I was in high school, I listened to Limp Bizkit and Rage Against the Machine," Dinan said.
She ran the idea of getting tickets by her friend, who checked the lineup. She realized Volbeat was playing when Dinan wanted to be there.
"They're from Denmark," Berman said. "I love Volbeat, so I'm excited to see them."
The younger Dinans, though, were still learning about the genre.
"It's pretty good, I guess," Luke offered. "I'm still kind of new to it."
Their mother was just glad they agreed to go with her and her friend to the show.
"They live out of the house now," Sarah Dinan said. "So, being here with my kids means a lot."
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This article originally appeared on Mansfield News Journal: INKcarceration draws 25,000 music and tattoo fans to Mansfield
