Hello! This time it’s my turn (Breo) to write a story about my adventure in Las Vegas, attending the 27th Professional Piercing Conference (APP).
My travel companion was Gemma, which made this adventure much more pleasant and entertaining. At the airport we met Jason Heeney and Jess Farrar, who were also attending the conference and had the same flight as us.
We started with a direct flight from Manchester to Las Vegas that lasted ten and a half hours. They gave us food, drinks and even a cocktail! We had blankets, pillows and a screen with movies, music and series to keep you entertained throughout the trip. Once we arrived we could feel the heat blast, a sensation like opening the oven door on your face, but constant. It made me realize how far away I was from home and I got a little nervous, but I don’t think anyone noticed haha.
When we arrived, there were already two piercers at the casino spot that will become the meeting point for hundreds of piercers over the next week. One of them was Zakk, a person who has become very dear to me. Zakk guided us to the area where I finally met Caitlin, Jacob and Marina, the main conference managers and volunteers, in person. At times there were too many of us and we were tired and jet-lagged, so I had a hard time learning names and recognizing faces. After helping with some tasks for the grand opening, a few volunteers went for a walk around and saw the city at night, and went to rest.
The next day, all the volunteers left the hotel to have a luxurious breakfast at the Bouchon, in the Venetia hotel (courtesy of the APP). It was amazing! We had free time to socialize and get to know the surroundings.
And then the day of the grand opening arrived! The conference space was huge, but it quickly filled up with 1,704 piercers in a matter of a couple of hours, all getting their credentials and certificates. I’ve been to many piercing conferences throughout my life, but I’ve never seen so many piercers together in one space, and I was so impressed by the number of people in attendance.
The first class I attended was on forward facing nostrils (aka mantis piercings), taught by Sala. It was a very interesting class and I learned a couple of important keys to doing them better.
After leaving the class I met Joeltron in person, an icon!
The next class was on stretching. I learned a ton in this class, especially what not to do and the consequences of doing it wrong, all very useful to be able to implement in my work.
In the evening we had an opening party at the private pool of the famous Flamingo hotel, with tacos and drinks and a giant, beautiful pool, full of hundreds of piercers having a good time. It was memorable.
The next 3 days were spent almost exclusively volunteering and taking classes. I learned a ton about anxiety management, how to be a boss in the piercing studio, Guich piercings, troubleshooting, genital piercings, trauma informed piercings.
I also had the great honor of meeting Jim Ward in person, it was a moment I will cherish for a lifetime. I attended a lecture by him about the beginnings of Gauntlet and modern piercing. It was amazing to be able to hear the stories of our beginnings from the main character. Without Jim, none of us would be here. Thank you Jim!
And with that, we have arrived at the big closing dinner of the event. Everyone in attendance looked very elegant and fancy! The all-you-can-eat buffet was very rich and varied. After dinner we celebrated Jim Ward’s birthday (which of course is also International Body Piercing Day).
After dinner we had a private disco for all the piercers, and I know I’m repeating myself, but it was amazing!
I have to say that this experience has changed my perspective on how I see the piercing industry and the community I am eternally grateful for having given me all these memorable moments, having met so many beautiful people, and meeting all my idols in person. I am eternally grateful for having been chosen among thousands of piercers to volunteer, I would do it again a million times without hesitation!
Thanks APP.
Kind regards,
Breo Hoek (he/him/his) | Professional Body Piercer
