Hallowicked 2011 Review
Highs: Faygo Armageddon, The Shelter.
Lows: Milner Hotel, Oversold VIP/Afterparty
My reviews tend to start out with the stale and build up to what was good, so stick around. This is purely a opinion of my experience.
This show was pretty last minute for me. Car and Money all lined up just in time for me to hit the road. Right off the bat was told I would not be given a “Photo Pass” so you’ll see the pictures are pretty low quality – Droid Bionic is nice, but its no concert camera. I ordered tickets on the way there, as I was told things where near selling out. Will Call ticket 50, Will Call VIP 100, Will Call After Party 13. Now I have been to a ton of ICP shows over the years. I have plenty of autographs, and have met the artists before. The VIP for me was faygo armageddon and well worth the 100. The After party show for me was the 2nd Highlight, the show was different, new. The Hallowicked Show was the same all 3 artists have been doing for shows for quite awhile (Gathering, American Pyscho Tour, Bang Pow Boom Tour, etc) The travel to Detroit for this show when you could of seen it in your home town, makes it a questionable trip. (VIP at a smaller venue or local town would of been much more memorable)
Hotel:
Before the show, I got checked into my hotel – The Milner hotel – Priceline is always a gamble when booking a hotel at last minute, but really got the short end of the stick here. The online reviews pitched this place as a charming old building with no problems. Lets just say – if your going to be staying in Detroit and have a choice, choose elsewhere. 10th floor, Elevator broke once while there, Rooms had either no heat or to much heat, Breakfast was stale muffins and a unfunctional waffle maker. For a similar price, could of stayed somewhere else in walking distance of both events without the hassles this place has, and I am being nice by just suggesting you stay somewhere else. The small food place attached to the hotel (Mike’s) is hella good though.
VIP:
Early Monday I walked over to check on my will call tickets, and see what was going on, the crew was unloading stage set trucks to the Fillmore, box office not open. Did notice they had Jack-O-lanterns carved up for the ICP Stage sitting out back. Check the photo gallery for some quick pics of this time. Went back down do the Fillmore later to get in line. Was given my Will Call ticket, then they split people up into two lines. VIP line and Regular Line. It was pretty clear to tell early on that VIP was oversold, when the line wraps back down the side of the building, hard to imagine all those people on stage, let alone funneling them all through Blaze, Shaggy, J, Mono, Jamie for a pic and autograph.
I was up near the front so got through all that pretty quick. The problem here was as they let us through the front door (late) – they funneled us all through one person where you had to show your ID for your VIP. then you got patted down, then you went across the room to get your free Hallowicked Tshirt, Hallowicked CD single, Tour CD. Then you where funneled to the artists – then in all that chaos of people trying to get to artists they remember to hand out the Laminates for VIP. Little chaotic and lack of preparation, this whole process was slow and ended up making them let the regulars in latter then planned and the show started late. Little streamlining and limit amount sold in future would go a long way.
On a side note, due to all the press about the Mug Shots: I would like to say that Jamie looked great before, during, and after the show. Even gave a little fat kid a good pep talk about not stuffing burgers down his gullet during the VIP time. Keep it up homie, the renewed energy shows during your set, glad your healthy ninja!
Hallowicked:
Big Hutch announced after his set that he had a record coming out on Psychopathic Records, other then that his set was back round noise. I’m not a fan, and was busy chatting about the 9 dollar beers the Fillmore was selling, and the 20 dollar bar stools you could sit on. However that all faded away when Blaze hit the stage. Then energy in the place was like a explosion, it shoved everyone up to the stage where most people didn’t move from, till lots of us tried to funnel over to the VIP waiting line during ICP’s set. Blaze was all over the stage, doing his hits, and everyone was following right along. This is the first time I’ve hit a concert in ages without a lette – its a whole lot different when your not trying to make sure someone don’t elbow your girl in the face.
Quick transition (pulled down the clock background for Blaze which had the Padded Wall Set piece behind it) Then Twiztid lit the whole place on fire, also did their regular set list we are used to, however you can see some new energy from Jamie and Paul. Both at Hallowicked and the The Shelter – they where the stage presence that got you hyped up. Blazed joined them on stage and that pumped the crowd even more.
If you have not seen the clowns perform – nothing I or anyone else can explain it to you. Even if your just hearing about all this Juggalo stuff in the media and are not sure what to think, I would advise you go hit a show. It’s something that cant be fully understood reading reviews or checking out some pictures/videos. Its pure energy. If you watch the same episode of your favorite show 10 times, it gets stale, this is just simply not the case at a ICP show. Even know the set list, seeing it all before, it was still amazing. Looking forward to the MDP tour. I assure you shows are as safe as any other concert, fun, and outsiders are always welcome!
Faygo Armegeddon – all I can really say, as someone who has attended multiple shows, events, gatherings, this is the one thing that I’ve always just watched from the crowd. Some how Bang Pow Boom went from being a really long song to lasting what only seemed like seconds. Somehow in skate shoes I kept my footing in all that chaos, there was inches of faygo covering the stage, and far to many people up there fighting over a ever declining amount of faygo 2 liters. There was not a dry spot on me or any of the stuff in my pockets, it was like I went for a swim in faygo. Far different then the usual dousing you get in the crowd. THIS IS A MUST EXPERIENCE – if you ever get a shot. (Bring a 2nd set of shoes and plastic bag for your belongings)
After Party:
The one benefit of the Milner hotel is its on the walk from The Fillmore to St. Andrews Hall – which is good cause standing outside drying in the cold while standing in line for a hour would of sucked had I not stopped and taken a quick shower, changed close, etc. So by the time I got to St. Andrews hall, they had still not opened the doors and it was becoming clear very quickly – that just like the VIP packages, this was over sold as well. The Shelter (Downstairs, is a very small venue – and this is where the live show was set to be)
Upon entry I was reileved to see decent beer prices. I’ll be the first to admit, I grew out of my wrestling phase 20 years ago. However with it being shoved in your face like it was this event, your forced to watch. The energy of the crowd made it worth attending and watching. DJ Clay spinning some good tunes helps to. I didn’t catch the match going on at the start. However did catch Rhino and 2 Tuff Tony’s match – a good show that they won of course. This was followed by Bull Pain vs Corp. Check out our photo gallery of some pictures of the whole JCW event. Both guys bloodied each other up, was a weapon match. Corp brought home the win in the end.
After this match it was announced that the entire psychopathic family would be performing in the shelter downstairs, so that ensued a mass rush of juggalos trying to make it down the one stair case and around the small stage. The JCW event was worth the 13 bucks, to chill with the lo’s/lette’s – but hell a live show to? Not just any live show, all the guys up on the stage together just feeding off each others energy and the crowd which was insanely packed. This isn’t something you see at a regular event, this is something that the Juggalo that hits 2 tour stops each tour and then the gathering every year lives for. A much needed way for the clowns, and all of psychopathic to end the year for me as a juggalo. We’ve all seen the lack of focus or organization with things over the years. But this 13 dollar after party live show is what made the year.
As a closing I’d like to thank the open responses from psychopathic, even though we where not allowed a “Photo Pass” to bring you guys some high quality shots of the action, the fact that I get a open response about it, is better then previous years. I had fun, and that goes a long way. Anyone who tried to get up at me during this event, I apologize for any lack of response, I was having a phone issue or 3 over the whole thing so facebook, text, twitter, etc where slow responses.
The VIP Merch:
Laminate is just that, a laminated necklace, you can see it, the shirt, cd single in my photo gallery below. The shirt has nothing on the back (lame), the single cd simply labeled Hallowicked 2011 – is a song many juggalos will pick up on quick if they have read the Behind the Paint book – I dug it a lot. The tour CD has been out for a long time now.
