Tattoo The Earth Tour Features Slipknot, Sevendust, Tattoo Artists

The Tattoo the Earth tour, featuring rock acts such as Slipknot, Sevendust and Coal Chamber, will kick off on July 15 in Portland, Ore. The tour will also feature renowned tattoo artists, including Paul Booth, Hanky Panky and Sean Vasquez.

The summer tour poses a particular challenge to members of Slipknot, who perform onstage in masks. Drummer Joey Jordison told CMJ New Music Monthly that, even under the best of circumstances, the masks are uncomfortable. "Everyone passes out two or three times per tour. It never happens 'til the end of the show. People are like, 'I don't know how you do it with the mask on, let alone one-piece wool coveralls in 110 degree heat.' But it's the music that drives us, and we've built up a tolerance for it."

"When the kids catch the vibe between the musical artists and the body artists, they are going to get off in a big way," said festival creator Scott Alderman in a prepared statement. "Nothing represents the counter youth culture like music and body art. It is a statement of purpose and a passport to another way of living. We're simply creating a venue where it can be expressed."

The tour is scheduled to run for 30 dates, though not all have been confirmed.