Weekend Agenda: Oct. 24-25
What's going on in your town over the next couple of days
The names Shaggy 2 Dope and Violent J, the core of Insane Clown Posse and Psychopathic Records, may not mean much to the layman, but to an unanticipated number of followers, these two are iconic, underground—if not outright dismissed—rappers. Fans, a.k.a. Juggalos, are serious in their devotion to the duo’s Midwestern deviant style and usually violent hip-hop: ICP’s penchant for circus clown face paint was adopted early by its fans, as well as the mass consumption of Faygo brand soft drinks. Centered on a demented, carnival-themed ethos, ICP’s music has given a different life to horrorcore, turning it from an early ’90s fractured subgenre of rap into a highly profitable mini-empire. The group performs tonight at The Rave/Eagles Club.
It seemed like Brian Wilson was preparing to walk off a plank when he announced plans to revisit the legendarily lost Beach Boys album Smile a few years ago, but the stunt worked—and then some. The reconstituted Smile managed to actually sound good, and the success of it rescued Wilson from the history section of rock lore and placed him, more or less, in the present day. In 2008 he tried to capitalize with That Lucky Old Sun, an album that nobody will mistake for the sort of masterpiece that Wilson is famous for—it’s kind of rock ’n’ roll-y, with a weird studio gloss. But Wilson tends to stick to his multitude of hits in concert; even better, he’s developed into a surprisingly engaging live performer. He performs tonight at Pabst Theater.
Where would the modern singer-songwriter be without Grey’s Anatomy? It’s hard to say, exactly, but the show’s soundtrack certainly helped the ukulele-wielding Ingrid Michaelson, a Grey’s all-star also famous for the cloying Old Navy anthem “The Way I Am” that ravaged so many TVs not long ago. But none of that tramples too much on Michaelson’s unassuming charm, and she’s done a dutiful job of fulfilling the enduring role for smart folkies with geeky librarian glasses. Her audience has grown with each of her four albums, including the new Everybody, anchored by the polished ballad "Maybe." See Michaelson Sunday at Turner Hall.
