Insane Clown Posse - Live in Nashville
A wrestling match of 13 grown adults—twelve in standard costume and the thirteenth just dressed as a chef—all pummeling each other in a boxing ring at the center of the concert hall. A band performing horror metal as a woman clad in a tiny bikini & wolf mask gyrates on a Frankenstein priest. The artist who kindly warns those in the circle of death that “if they have hemorrhoids they should NOT be in the pit.”
These are just some of the highlights of the openers for the main act. Of course, such show shenanigans are for none other than Insane Clown Posse, playing the first show of their Train of Terror tour at Nashville’s Brooklyn Bowl on October 23rd, 2024.
What has always fascinated me about the horrorcore rap duo was the fan base, otherwise known as “juggalos” or “juggalettes.” One with an awareness of the band and their followers may have likely heard how these facepaint-wearing, Faygo soda-touting fans are actually “official gang members” labeled by the FBI themselves, as well as in the states of Arizona, California, Pennsylvania and Utah. Lucky for me—and the rest of the excited audience members at the sold out show—this concert is in Tennessee.
For my inaugural article for Purple Haze Magazine, I wanted to talk directly with these fans and get their perspective on what it means to be a juggalo. At ICP’s show I interviewed a dozen juggalos, ranging from ages 14 to 72, about what it means to be a juggalo. And through my investigation, there was one common thread among every person I interviewed: the usage of the word “family.”
“We may look murderous and we may look crazy—but we’re just a happy-go-lucky family of freaks,” an interviewee comments. Another interviewee echoed a similar sentiment, adding that juggalos are an “easy punching bag” from those who claim to be open-minded. “It’s because of what one associates with the socioeconomic status of fans, of how big their houses are, of their jobs, of their outward appearance. And it’s a notion that is deeply rooted in classism.”
As much as I didn’t expect to have a conversation about classism with a man in clown makeup, it’s true. Because of perception bias, one draws conclusions based on what is expected; and once that assumption is made, one either subconsciously or consciously looks for evidence that reinforces this mindset and disregards information that challenges it. So when a band’s primary fanbase are already viewed as “outsiders” by society for a variety of reasons—whether it’s for not fitting beauty standards, wearing alt fashion, being from a lower economic class, or even for just liking weird things—the vast majority of people aren’t going to see past the FBI’s false label upon the fanbase.
This is so unfortunate because the fans are incredibly welcoming and accepting of anyone and everyone. This is because their mantra is to create a space where one feels free to let their freak flag fly, to be who they are uninhibited by what is ‘the norm.’ “[ICP] just felt like they were different from everybody, if you didn't fit in at school, if you felt like everybody was against you—they brought you in. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, your age, race, creed: when you’re here you’re family,” a long-time juggalo of 31 years comments. “That’s why I was drawn to their music, and that’s why I’ve stayed.”
Another adds, “It was the first time I felt seen as a weirdo, and felt accepted as myself rather than an outcast just for being who I am.” This leads to the gang member allegations, which everyone interviewed at the show firmly denies. “It’s our concert culture, simple as that,” a young juggalette states. “It’s like those friendship bracelets at Taylor Swift concerts or people dress up for themes at Chappell Roan, or that guy [Steve Aoki] who throws cakes. But because we’re rowdier and weirder than them we get a bad rep.”
And boy oh boy, are those concerts rowdy. It’s awesome. My camera lens and I both tried Faygo for the first time that night when the dynamic duo took to the stage—their clown-masked henchmen close behind spraying liters upon liters of Faygo into the center of the concert hall. But even though I was stickier than a stick and smelled of sugary blue raspberry all night, it was so fun. Every song had this bouncy, manic energy that pumped everyone in the crowd up—unable to tear their eyes away from the spectacle on stage.
So, if you ever have the pleasure of going to an ICP show or a gathering, not only should you make sure to wear dark clothes to avoid soda stains, but you’ll also get to meet some fantastically funky and wonderfully welcoming folks. Are they loudly and proudly weird? Yes—and there's nothing better than to be around people who are so unapologetically themselves. Because next time I go, I’ll be sure to invest in some face paint.
Note: After the FBI labeled ICP as a “loosely organized hybrid gang” in 2011, ICP sued the bureau the following year, arguing that other fanbases like Deadheads and Beliebers aren't branded with being a gang. Yet, in late 2017, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the group, noting that they had failed to show that the FBI’s classification had resulted in legal consequences for them. However, this label still follows many fans and has affected business opportunities, such as Faygo having never done official collaborations with the duo. Full report from FBI declassified here.
View the full show gallery here!