Brandon Marshall
Audio By Carbonatix
Colorado Springs is well known for its Air Force cadets and Focus on the Family crusaders. What the city is less known for – but may very well boast in even greater numbers – is a thriving population of Juggalos.
And every one of those Juggalos will be thrilled to know that Insane Clown Posse is heading to the Springs in May, ready to baptize the town in a holy flood of Faygo.
Even if you can’t stand the horrorcore duo’s music (and most can’t), even if you loathe the misogynistic lyrics (many of which are indeed loathable), and even if you find the idea of face-paint-wearing, hatchet-wielding Juggalos with dreadlocks drenched in corn syrup to be the kind of counterculture you’d prefer to counter, an ICP concert is a bucket-list experience.
Born from the same Detroit hip-hop scene that birthed Eminem, the duo has been spouting gruesome songs to fans since 1989, turning rap concerts into a cousin of the horror film, where the crowd chants along to songs about chopping people up. The shows are loaded with low-price spectacle. Actors dressed like monsters join Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope as they strut around like Bozo on speed.
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While some Juggalos may grumble about how things aren’t like they used to be in the good old days (and what those good old days were depends on whether the Juggalo is 16, 25, 40 or 60), drugs abound and booze flows.
But the ICP substance of choice won’t get you high. Just sticky. Ungodly sticky.
Yes, getting soaked in Faygo is gross. But watching two-liter bottles whiz, twirl and spray through the air with the splendor of a laser-light show is a type of sublime most people never get to experience.
Immerse yourself in the wonder of getting down with the clown. Even if you regret it, you’ll have made memories for life.
Whoop whoop.
ICP will be joined by Rittz, Mushroomhead, Mac Lethal and Kissing Candice at 3 p.m. Friday, May 17, at the Black Sheep, 2106 East Platte Avenue, Colorado Springs. Tickets are $37.50 to $40 at ticketfly.com.
