DEAN BIRKHEIMER | Go Venue Magazine
“Funk em’, just to see the look on their face”. – George Clinton
On Sunday, September 17th, the home of Funk, was The Steelhouse in Omaha, Nebraska as George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic took the stage for the final time in Nebraska with one goal in mind. To Funk us up.
Before P-Funk took the stage we were given a real treat in George Porter Jr. One of the original founding members and bassists of The Meters. He still brings that New Orleans funk sound that The Meters were famous for. Porter has worked with almost everyone in every genre, including Paul McCartney, David Byrne and Leo Dorsey. To watch this man play is like getting a free bass playing lesson. Let’s not forget to mention the fellas he brought with him, who all had shinning moments as well. Michael Lemmier (Keys) Terrance Houston (drums) Chris Adkins (guitar). Thanks to them and songs like Fiyo on the Bayou and Sissy Got Blues, a tone for the night had been set.
One of the cool things about this iconic 70s band was their ability to mix different sounds, tempos and melodies into their songs while always maintaining danceable beats. P-Funk packed the stage with a large ensemble of performers, but leading them all on the nearly 2-hour journey was the 82-year-old Clinton. At 82, it’s o.k. if he has a seat a time or two. Let us not forget, this man started out as a doo-wop singer, before Elvis became “The King”.
Highlights of the night included a cover of Jump Around and of course, Flashlight and Give us the Funk, during which there were chants of “We want the funk, we gotta have the funk. One Nation Under a Groove and Maggot Brain were also huge crowd favorites. P-Funk boast highly talented artists that included some extremely gifted guitarists who had ample opportunity to showcase themselves. Along with the masterful instrumentation, P-Funk is full of superb vocalist, many of whom are related to each other. It was a family affair.
Although the classic 70s UFO stage prop was not available for this tour as it sits in the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, the production values were awesome, and the lights were spectacular. What a great way to spend a night. To be entertained in a manner that will be unforgettable by unforgettable people.
This is billed as their final tour, to which I say, if you’re gonna go out, then go out Atomic, Dog.
Parliament Funkadelic
George Porter Jr.
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