Zero-Sugar Faygo, making it less sticky to get showered and survive armageddon at Insane Clown Posse shows since 2024.
Before a typical concert, The Ritz is always buzzing with excitement. A sense of unspoken camaraderie among strangers hangs in the air. But Juggalos are built differently. Here, camaraderie isn’t unspoken; it is screamed from the rafters. Hours before Insane Clown Posse took the stage, the venue felt like a massive, welcoming family gathering. Granted, it was easily the most unhinged family reunion imaginable, but by the end of the night, even first-timers shared the same reaction: “I belong here.”
Opening the night was Mr. Sadistic, a sharp-witted, commanding presence well known to the Juggalo family. Alone on stage without props, he relied exclusively on raw lyricism to elevate the room’s energy. Echoing shades of an ’80s L.L. Cool J or a more “gangster” Fresh Prince, his rapid-fire delivery and captivating flow ignited the audience immediately.
If at any moment there was a perceived softening of the noise in the room, cries of “ICP!” or “whoop whoop” were guaranteed to fill the void. In the short time before Wicked Wood took the stage, Juggalos continued to raise the energy and let their beloved headlining band know they were ready for them. Wicked Wood is a hip-hop duo also well known to the Juggalo family. Catching photographers in the photo bit completely off guard before they took the stage, the duo’s “#1 Dad” personally thanked each photographer for capturing their show and appreciated their work. Yet another example of Juggalo family inclusivity and love.Wicked Wood delivered a hard-hitting set, complete with a life-sized dancing gorilla as their backing dancer. Extremely danceable and undeniably catchy, Wicked Wood had the audience jumping, dancing, and celebrating being together on their special night.
Wakko The Kidd took no time whatsoever to connect with the writhing sea of fans and deliver a destructive set that pushed the barely controlled chaos in the venue to its limit. A proud Juggalo himself, Wakko the Kidd was incredibly thankful to Insane Clown Posse for helping him to live out his Juggalo dream, thankful for the Juggalo community who embraced him so warmly, and thankful for the opportunity to be performing this evening. On stage, Wakko the Kidd delivered a high-energy, rapid-paced, bombastic performance deeply rooted in appreciation and love for the Juggalo community. Off-stage, Wakko the Kidd made every effort to connect individually with each and every Juggalo who wanted to say hello, take a photo, or just talk for a moment. He was one of the family who differed only in having the opportunity to perform on stage. An incredible example of the bonds formed within the Juggalo family. As the headlining slot neared, the atmosphere hit a fever pitch. Chants of “Whoop Whoop” grew louder and more heartfelt. The moment Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope materialized on stage, the room exploded into pure chaos. Opening with “The Show Must Go On,” it took less than a minute for the Clown Posse to rush out and unleash the first Faygo shower of the night. “Shower” is an understatement; it was a total drenching that left everyone within 30 feet entirely soaked.The setlist tore through fan favorites like “Boogie Woogie Wu,” “My Axe,” and “In My Room” before culminating in “Pass Me By.” For the finale, members of the opening acts and 20-ish selected fans stormed the stage to unleash a true Faygo Armageddon, releasing hundreds of bottles into the crowd. When it was over, Juggalos danced their “Singing in the Rain” impression in the puddles of Faygo throughout the venue. The Ritz team, also thoroughly drenched, looked about wearily, knowing they had a late night coming up, removing sheets of plastic from every surface and cleaning gallons of Faygo still dripping off the walls.
ICP delivers a one-of-a-kind experience. Beyond the soda, the show featured streamers, intermission skits, and dancing demons amidst a backdrop of crowd surfers and mosh pits. Yet, this “choreographed chaos” never translated into malice. Barring one minor scuffle and a gentleman ejected after shimmying down from the rafters, the room was filled with pure joy. More than a concert, this was a revival.
Insane Clown Posse continues touring through October 3, ending in Anaheim, CA.
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