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
