Fright Fest, The Return of HOK Show Review
Nostalgia. It is something we deal in heavily around these parts. It is something that in times of uncertainty, like we seem to endless be in, is a comfort. That warm blanket you return to. Nostalgia is also something that has been milked dry and in many instances stripped of that warm feeling a glimpse into the past brings. Nostalgia is also a heavy hill to climb. The memories and feelings associated with something like the music of House of Krazees bring unrealistic expectations. Also factor in this music is not readily available in the age of streaming and how songs outside of Homebound, Nosferatu and Murderx3 would translate live in 2024. The question of how a House of Krazees set two decades removed from their last was on the mind. Would people care? would people come? Would those that did attend care about the music?
As the set kicked off with the track Trick or Treat, something only found on the 1994 album Season of the Pumpkin, it was clear the intimate setting of the Shelter in Detroit, Michigan would prove to be the perfect spot to answer these questions. The first House of Krazees set since Fright Fest 2004 and first headlining show in decades, would be a sprawling 19 song set that covered all corners of their short but memorable catalog. It would take 7 songs to even reach a track that has even appeared in any modern Twiztid set. It was a gamble, but by breaking this off of Fright Fest and giving it it’s own show at the Shelter, that gamble paid off as those in attendance were there for the deep dive into the catalog. With the glow of orange lights, spooky ghoul pumpkin masks, and minimal visuals, the Halloween vibes were in full effect. Something that was clearly on the mind of the dirty trio as the set would contain 7 tracks off of their definitive album, Season of The Pumpkin.
And it was not only the music of House of Krazees that took everyone back to another era, the openers brought a heavy dose of the 90-00s Detroit Hip Hop scene. Seeing acts like King Gordy, Mastamind, and Native Funk! in the Shelter definitely sent those locally in attendance back. Something that may not have been intentional by Majik Ninja Entertainment, but organically could be felt as the night rolled along. And modern acts like Alla Xul would bring a similar but modern style of this music, having the crowd live like any classic Shelter show of that era. As Monoxide recently pointed out, it was difficult returning to some of these early songs because of how much they have grown artistically. That it is always hard wrestling with the fans need for the old when wanting to showcase the new. But with this House of Krazees show, it was a one time trip back to the roots of not only Twiztid and The R.O.C., but to some extent, the roots of Detroit Hip hop in general. To hear tracks like Hallows Eve, Dead By Dawn or FX in The Shelter was a chance to return to a time before “juggalo” was a culture or movement. To for a moment feel that raw energy that made House of Krazees so appealing in the 90s.
And that ultimately was the success of night one of Fright Fest 2024. When you can take in a show and naturally feel that rush of nostalgia. Something hard to obtain in today’s day and age with so many nostalgic shows and acts making their rounds. And unlike the 2023 edition of Fright Fest, which also brought a lot of those feelings to the surface in it’s own right, this one felt uniquely Detroit. The music of House of Krazees and Native Funk is obviously considered part of “Juggalo” music history but it was only part of that culture after these acts broke in that scene. To take in a House of Krazees show in Detroit, in The Shelter, is a rare toast to acts lost to time in the greater Detroit music scene. And like Esham, ICP, Kid Rock and Eminem, The House of Krazees deserved their flowers as an integral part of that scene. Will we ever see the House of Krazees live again? Maybe, and with the new album, hopefully. But it won’t be like this, and probably shouldn’t be. October 29th, 2024 was a rare moment of true nostalgia that cannot be duplicated. It was years in the making and had to happen there. Like any great moment of nostalgia, it happened organically. but we would like to visualize the House of Krazees waiting on this night, as Dr. Loomis would put it ”sitting in a room, staring at a wall; not seeing the wall, looking past the wall; looking at this night, inhumanly patient, waiting for some secret, silent alarm to trigger him off. Death has come to your little town, Sheriff.” You opened the casket, now let them rest in peace.
Setlist
Trick or Treat - Horror Story - House of Krazees - FX - Haunted House - Hallows Eve - Home of The Deranged - Homebound - Dark Images - Down - Home Sweet Home - Call It Wat You Want - Dead By Dawn - It - Nosferatu - Terrifying and Terrible - Murder, Murder, Murder - Wash - Death 4any1 Who…..