Follow me on this…

For the last several years, FrightFest has come through Knoxville, TN.

Last year, we “technically” got a FrightFest only without Twiztid (cuz they were off doing the Warp Tour ‘er whatever-the-fuck) which consisted of everyone else BUT Twiztid, so was not billed as such…

When Twiztid began announcing 2018 FrightFest dates, I expected to see something to that effect… Nothing. Hmm?

The venue for which both Twiztid and ICP have been booked in Knoxville is the same one I’ve been making veiled dispersions about regarding how they manage their DJs… but is also pretty much the only MAJOR venue in the city capable of hosting the likes of both the Riddle Box & Great Milenko shows as well as acts like Marilyn Mason and the Excision tour.

Honestly, it is because of Twiztid that the promoters felt it to be a good idea to book ICP after Twiztid had played there 2yrs in a row already… but that’s beside the point.

No FrightFest this year at all. Well, fuck. Why’s that?! Most communications had stopped altogether.

4th quarter holiday clubbing season was beginning to come up and I’d gotten used to the announcement of FrightFest as the starting block for DJ bookings for the rest of the year (actually going until Valentine’s)… IOW, if there was no FrightFest, what has the venue got planned for all of October (usually a big Halloween party at the least)…

Nothing.

I look at the event calendar, pretty much nothing. As time goes by, I wait for updates and announcements… none. There is NOTHING (almost) for the entire rest of the year!

I go looking and find:

https://www.knoxnews.com/story/entertainment/music/2018/05/30/international-close-leaving-concourse-under-new-ownership/653159002/

Apparently, while I was off Gathering… some shit went down. Only because I know some people that know some things more than what’s in that article and because I’ve been fuckin’ around nightclubs for 20+yrs… I’ll just say that there is some shady shit afoot about the whole damn thing…

Other than the fact that the closing of this place has COMPLETELY imploded the local seasonal DJ market (which is why my OWN booking prospects suck so much), it also means that ICP and Twiztid are NOT gonna be coming through Knoxville any time SOON! So any thoughts as to either of those groups “ignoring” the area, it has more to do with the fact that there’s nowhere to book them (so far).

I’m sure all Juggalos can attest to how ICP shows require unique venues capable of hosting them… Twiztid, on the other hand, could still well play as they have in the recent past on the Concourse side (now the ONLY SIDE), but hereafter every booking is weighed against a completely new profit outlook.

To be sure… I’M NOT EVEN FUCKING FROM HERE!!! And I know how fucked up this is!

Talk about a fuckin’ “one horse town”! I really had no indication that this venue was pretty much the ONLY “venue” that wasn’t a bar or some honky-tonk with a dancefloor…

So no ICP shows in Knoxville cuz there’s no other place that can deal with the Faygo… and no more Twiztid shows because there’s no other place willing or able to host just them if they wanted to come through.

I moved from Orlando to Knoxville back when these people weren’t playing Orlando and got to see them all over and over… now… they’re playing Orlando more often, and the FUCKING VENUE SHUTS DOWN!!!

I’mma just say this… if you’re the owner/manager of a decades old staple of nightlife in a city… and you feel the need to short sell cuz you got bored or busted… LET SOMEONE ELSE DO IT! Don’t fuck over a whole city to turn it into a fuckin’ WINERY and a parking lot for the College Football Cult! Argh!

[hashtag slimelite]

Bonus Flavor

This was filmed inside The Concourse

This was filmed inside The International

I got all this pent up DJ energy cuz everybody and their fuckin’ sister is out there slingin’… shitty weather for it…

8+9=17