|
|||||
| basement tapes | concert reviews | cd reviews | interviews | ticket swap | music news |
 George Clinton |
 George Clinton |
|
Story and photos by Andy Argyrakis When it comes to the history of funk, few are as regarded as George Clinton, if only for his pivotal role in leading both Parliament and Funkadelic to mainstream prominence. These days, a super group of members from each act back the 70-year-old on the road, and between their collective and solo smashes, there's no shortage of brass-infused throw downs in the arsenal.Filling The Venue at Horseshoe Casino to the brim, Clinton and his band jammed all through the night, delivering the expected classics that have since influenced everyone from Prince, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lenny Kravitz on down. "Flashlight" served as an early example of the troupe's funk/rock/soul/R&B hybrid, which despite its age, sounded like it could've come out anytime in the past ten years. The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer remains charismatic as a leader, but is essentially a celebrity conductor at this point, sparsely sharing his noticeably horse vocals and letting the supporting singers carry the weight. Nonetheless, the band's searing horn section carried the chart topping stomper "(Not Just) Knee Deep," a true dance hall anthem that had attendees spilling over into the aisles. A similar type of abandon unfurled on "Give Up the Funk (Tear the Roof Off the Sucker)" and the solo crest "Atomic Dog," both of which are frequently name-checked by the hip-hop community. Though the momentum never took a dip, Clinton and company often found tunes flowing nondescriptly into one another, which turned tedious, if only for the seemingly endless improvisations. Eventually, the players found their way home and settled back into the original plot, but radio versions would've certainly sufficed and allowed them to pack more songs into the 90 minute set. Even with that overarching drawback, the night suggested the veteran still has a voracious appetite for some funk, and with a lot of help from Parliament Funkadelic, can still fulfill fans after over forty years in the game. Openers Cameo might not have quite as much endurance on its side, but having been in business since the late '70s, the New York-bred players still showcased plenty of their contributions to the scene. In addition to possessing pounding bass lines, cuts like "She's Strange" and "Single Life" also told colorful nightlife tales, though "Word Up!" was the true crowd pleaser, anchored with one of funk's most contagious choruses of all time. |
 George Clinton |
 George Clinton |
 George Clinton |
 Parliament Funkadelic |
 Parliament Funkadelic |
 Parliament Funkadelic |
 Parliament Funkadelic |
 Parliament Funkadelic |
 Cameo |
 Cameo |
 Cameo |
 Cameo |