I'm not a funkman, but things got pretty funky at the Central Station in Darmstadt last Friday night.
Maceo Parker brought his band to town. They played their guts out for three whole hours. More than five pieces could have been played, but funk jammin was never gonna result in three-minute hits.
The crowd of a couple of hundred jiggled about like crazy. One skinny wild white girl in front of us was so funky, she was dangerous. Her elbows were everywhere. People around her exchanged furious glares. Sure, the music was electrifyin', but the German crowd still had a sense of decorum and general respect for a modicum of personal space was upheld.
Reared in the mosh pits of Nottingham, I personally wouldn't have minded a bit more jostling, if not good honest barging in the crowd. At least then, everyone would get a spell right up front, centre.
The music had a great syncopation and rawness to it. The drums and bass sounded awesome - and the rest of the sound was CD quality too. My only gripe was that the keyboards were virtually inaudible to me. Granted, it's a rhythm/backing instrument, but so too the guitar and that was belting out like a ballistic squawking seagull. And rhythm is what this music is all about.
Maceo played some mega slick flourishes on his gleaming sax and the other brass, trombone and trumpet, whipped some wild riffs out of the box too.
It took me a while to really get into it and 'feel' the music, even though I enjoyed the whole concert. There was no support act and this didn't help. Even an appalling support act can really get you in the mood for the real thing. And standing right near the front, meant that access to the bar was limited. Don't get me wrong, I don't need to be wasted to enjoy music, but a certain level of alcohol can certainly lubricate the nerves connecting ear-brain-soul.
The bands presentation was immaculate, suits and all. And they rotated nicely during the set, giving each member alternately a chance to shine and a chance to ooze backstage. Their presentation was reassuring, but I didn't need the music to be that immaculate too.
Things never got dirty or outta control. In fact all the funky choruses of 'We love you' started to piss me off. Repetition of simple phrases was the order of the day rather than poetic lyricism.
Maceo, may have tuned his funk to such perfection, that it's just lost its rawness and dirty vibe. But who am I to say; I'm not a funkman.
Maceo Parker brought his band to town. They played their guts out for three whole hours. More than five pieces could have been played, but funk jammin was never gonna result in three-minute hits.
The crowd of a couple of hundred jiggled about like crazy. One skinny wild white girl in front of us was so funky, she was dangerous. Her elbows were everywhere. People around her exchanged furious glares. Sure, the music was electrifyin', but the German crowd still had a sense of decorum and general respect for a modicum of personal space was upheld.
Reared in the mosh pits of Nottingham, I personally wouldn't have minded a bit more jostling, if not good honest barging in the crowd. At least then, everyone would get a spell right up front, centre.
The music had a great syncopation and rawness to it. The drums and bass sounded awesome - and the rest of the sound was CD quality too. My only gripe was that the keyboards were virtually inaudible to me. Granted, it's a rhythm/backing instrument, but so too the guitar and that was belting out like a ballistic squawking seagull. And rhythm is what this music is all about.
Maceo played some mega slick flourishes on his gleaming sax and the other brass, trombone and trumpet, whipped some wild riffs out of the box too.
It took me a while to really get into it and 'feel' the music, even though I enjoyed the whole concert. There was no support act and this didn't help. Even an appalling support act can really get you in the mood for the real thing. And standing right near the front, meant that access to the bar was limited. Don't get me wrong, I don't need to be wasted to enjoy music, but a certain level of alcohol can certainly lubricate the nerves connecting ear-brain-soul.
The bands presentation was immaculate, suits and all. And they rotated nicely during the set, giving each member alternately a chance to shine and a chance to ooze backstage. Their presentation was reassuring, but I didn't need the music to be that immaculate too.
Things never got dirty or outta control. In fact all the funky choruses of 'We love you' started to piss me off. Repetition of simple phrases was the order of the day rather than poetic lyricism.
Maceo, may have tuned his funk to such perfection, that it's just lost its rawness and dirty vibe. But who am I to say; I'm not a funkman.
I believe it's the pineal gland that connects Funk to the soul.
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