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George Clinton & the P-Funk Allstars
Review 06/18/97 From: Mike Theiss
Concert Review/The pains of being a P-Funk Fan Bitch Session part umpteen George Clinton & The P-Funk All Stars The Showbox, Seattle, Washington June 18th, 1997 Maybe, I just go to too many P-Funk concerts, but last Wednesday I almost fell asleep during the 3 1/2 P-Funk show at the Showbox. I mean, it WAS the P-Funk All Stars there were over a dozen talented musicians on stage gettin' off. But I wish that George and whoever else that's responsible for the setlist would try some variety, and maybe cutting 2 or 3 songs shorter than 8-10 minutes would be helpful... The show sounded about exactly like the reviews I've been reading hear since December or so, except, fortunately some of the heavyweights that have been out for awhile are back. (Most notably: Rodney "Skeet" Curtis -- also Greg Thomas and Boogie Mosson) The show started out with Garry Shider, Billy Bass, Mike Hampton, Frankie "Kash" Waddy, Blackbyrd, Clip and Razor sharp playing a slow somewhat tired sounding instrumental. They then went into "One Nation Under A Groove" -- with Garry singing the lead. It sounded kind of sloppy --- Billy Bass doesn't really fit with this song -- especially cause they used to always play an arrangement with a slap bass solo (Jeff Bunn and Skeet shine bright on this song...) The next part of the show was pretty cool --- Red Hot Mama, followed by Hit it And Quit It. But after each song turned out to be 12-15 minutes or longer it was easy to get bored fast. Especially cause it's basically the same material they've been doing for years ad a few newer songs (such as "Summer Swim"). Also Frankie Waddy tends to sound a bit stuff on most songs, and this makes long grooves less withstandable. Highlights: --Skeet's solo on Summer Swim --Greg Thomas' scat call and response section on "Knee Deep" (though I think the 25 minute arrangement drags on a bit long the song was pretty tight the other night) --Greg Thomas' sax solo on "Flashlight" --Billy Bass breaking out the 12 string on "Maggot Brain" --The solo trading thing on "Free Your Mind..." breakdown riff (like on the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame show) --sitting in the front row and being able to hear what each guitarist was playing since their amps were right in front of me. Lowlights: --Not having the oppurtunity to put the P-Funk sign in the air and exclaim "YES!!!!!!! Belita finally learned a new tune and it sounded beautiful!" --George's tired, overworked, strained voice --no horn section (even if Greg Thomas played a few of their lines solo) --same old tiny slice of the p-funk repetoire --No Mudbone!!!!! Lineup: Vocals: George Clinton, Garry Shider, Michael "Clip" Payne, Sheila Brody, Belita Woods, Paul Hill, Steve Boyd, Greg Thomas, Lige Curry, George Clinton's daughter (couldn't understand her name --'Chrissie'??? sang on Summer Swim), Louie 'Babblin' Kababie P-Funk Guitar Army: Mike Hampton, Dewayne "Blackbyrd" Mcknight, Billy Bass, Garry Shider,Cordell 'Boogie' Mosson, Unidentified Funking Object (Larry Mosson?????) Bass-in-your-face: Rodney Skeet Curtis, Billy Bass, Lige Curry Boom-n-bipulators: Frankie 'Kash' Waddy, Ron Wright (on 'Summer Swim') Keyboards -- Joel Johnson Saxophone -- Greg Thomas Approximation of set list (noIwasn'twritingitdownwhileitwashappenningIWASdancingandIDIDN'Tbringmytap erecorderbutI haveaprettygoodmemory) (instrumental groove) One Nation Under A Groove Red Hot Mama Hit It And Quit It Cosmic Slop Summer Swim Flashlight Underground Angel (no Shonda -- George did the rap) Booty (w/ Kababie) Dope Dogs / Just Say Ding (monologue) Loving You More Than Words Can Say (Fuck That Shit!)/ hard instrumental Maggot Brain Fly On (dedicated to the late Darryl Clinton) Dope Dogs/Just Say Ding Fast/Rock version Not Just Knee Deep Atomic Dog/Pleasures Of Exhaustion Free Your Mind And Your Ass Will Follow (breakdown instrumental where they trade solos like on the RRHF broadcast) Overall summary: the show was alright, but the mob has had much better days. The shows last summer and fall KICKED ASS!!!! What happened? Since I was bitching about repetoire -- here is a small section of the seemingly endless list of p-funk classics I'd like to see at future P-Funk Shows that they never or rarely seem to play anymore: Dr. Funkenstein (no half assed 2 minute radio edit as in last 4th of July if they can get away with a half hour Knee Deep this one can go on for a WHOLE hour!!!!) Rumpofsteelskin Loose Booty Sir Nose Dvoidoffunk Children Of Production Hardcore Jollies I Got A Thing, You Got A Thing... I Bet You Nappy Dugout Be My Beach Butt-to-Buttresusitation How Do Yeaw View You? Smokey Comin' Round The Mountain Cholly (Funk Gettin' Ready To Roll) Uncle Jam Funk Gets Stronger Icka Prick (Trey Lewd can do this one! :-) Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication (full song) I've Been Wathcing You (Move Your Sexy Body) --- (Steve Boyd could sing this one) Funkin' For Fun Deep Theme From The Black Hole Agony Of Defeet Let's Play House Get Dressed Loopzilla Cookie Jar Chocolate City Big Footin' Smoke Signals Never Buy Texas From A Cowboy Disco To Go