Date: Friday July 17th
Event: Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival 2026
Venue: Ohio St. Reformatory
Town / State: Mansfield, OHIO
Featuring: Papa Roach, Cypress Hill, Hollywood Undead…

Ink 2026 is officially upon us and of course I had to be there bright and early as our Hometown boys IF NOT FOR ME were to take the stage at 11:25AM on the big main stage. That’s right our boys were opening the Yard stage for the whole weekend. I walked up to the front just as my phone struck 11:25AM. Then 11:30 rolled around and I began to wonder. These things aren’t typically shows to be starting late. I checked my phone and they had delayed the show due to the air quality. The thought was that it was to be getting better as the day went on and the singers breathing in all that yucky air might be appreciative of the best conditions possible. Eventually 1:00 rolled around and the crowd went off as our boys took the stage breaking right into “Retrograde” and getting the action and pits started off right. They absolutely belonged on that stage and earned it. The energy, the songs, the chorus’s they have are infectious and I can see them moving up the ranks of these stages year after year. They ran through a set featuring “Broken Throne”, the crowd pleasing “Say it To My Face” and “Blameless”. Vocalist Patrick Glover is extremely good with the crowd with his encouraging of pits and madness, while being thankful and grateful for the opportunity as well. If Not For Me are not a band anyone wants to follow at a festival or any other time. Kudos to our boys and I can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

Vocalist Joe Cotela of Ded performing on The Yard Stage at Ink 2026.

‍ ‍The next few hours consisted of partial sets mostly on the Yard and Redemption stages as unfortunately the Infirmary was having some major sound issues all weekend, but I think Friday was likely the worst. ENTHEOS, despite the sound issues put on a spectacular performance and I personally missed them but Heard SNUFFED ON SITE was awesome.

Guitairst Hayden of If Not for Me Kicking off Ink 2026 on the Yard Stage

Next up I would split my time between the Redemption stage where NEVERTEL was playing and then over to the Infirmary to check out a band I’d been hearing a lot of buzz on called VICAR BLOOD. Being it was closest I checked out a bit of Nevertel first. They are a very not poppy but not metal type of metal if that makes sense. They have some fantastic songs that I guarantee you’ll be singing after their set. They opened up with “Break the Silence” which conveniently is probably my favorite song by them. I was super happy to hear that live. They bring a great energy to the stage with a very happy vibe. I watched about three songs and then headed to Infirmary for a very different atmosphere. This stage saw the more Screaming metal and up and coming bands over the weekend. Catching the beginning of Vicar Bloods set, they had a stage set up that you couldn’t miss and matching attire with some face paint and I’ll tell you when you realize the vocalist is actually a female it makes it that much more impressive. Vieda Boss is the name she goes by and she makes her voice do some incredible things. They are labeled as brutal down tuned death metal and they are just that. Hailing just up the road in Cleveland They had the hometown pits going early. I’m going to give them a highly recommend. Back to the Yard for another band that I was super excited for DED. Ten years into their career and they are just getting stronger. The nu metal band out of Arizona made a splash with their track “Anti Everything” back in 2017 and hasn’t slowed down since. They seemed to be the Snot of this year as in my opinion they seemed extra loud. I know if its to loud your to old, which is very possibly true with me. They had the whole crowd singing “Fuck me and Fuck You too” which was a fun time. They also have a stage presence with the contacts they wear. The band opened the set with “Hate Me” and didn’t stop from there. They closed out the set with the afore mentioned “Anti Everything” to a thundering applause from the crowd.

Dying Wish performing on The Yard stage at Ink 2026