Funk Fest '09 is returning to the Greek Theatre in LA on Saturday, August 8th.
The line-up is:
Morris Day and The Time
S.O.S. Band
Zapp
Midnight Star
ConFunkShun
http://www.greektheatrela...sp?id=1562

Below is a review of last year's show at the Greek
http://www.urbannetwork.c...?news=1472

Another one, wow. Good festmonth.
[Edited 8/1/09 14:51pm]

Shango said:

Diggin' the other one in Ohio a lil' mo' better. Was blessed to see Zapp and Roger several times and seeing Zapp without Roger...nah. The Time...well, I've seen the o.g lineup twice back in the day and Morris and THIS Time, I've seen them when Morris first rejoined this back in 95 so...But again, good for all of them that they can still have the chance to do it.

All of these bands are great,but Midnight Star is the main reason to go to this show.I've seen them in concert a few times in recent years and they KICK ASS!! They're performing just as good,if not better,than they were in 1984.I was on my feet,dancing and singing along during their entire set.

Hmmm, I never even would have thought about fucking with Midnight Star for some reason. The SOS Band and certainly Con Funk Shun always seemed cool. I know Midnight Star had "Freak A Zoid" and "No Parking On The Dance Floor" but that's really the only cuts I know by them. I have those on 45's. Oh yeah and I'm hip to "Wet My Whistle" but I was never crazy about that. I never bought any of their albums. Back then, they always reminded me of The Dazz Band for some reason. "Let It Whip" and "No Parking On The Dance Floor" was damn near the same song wasn't it?
[Edited 8/1/09 20:40pm]

blackguitaristz said:

Lol, now that you point out that comparison, yeah they sound similar.
And the later-released "Freakshow On The Dancefloor" by The Bar-Kays sounds similar to "No Parking On The Dancefloor"


You might also dig these :




[Edited 8/2/09 1:39am]

Shango said:

hella true about the Bar Kays cut. After Zapp's "Dance Floor" then it was on. Everybody was talking about the "dance floor" and shit. In that period, the early 80's especially, when it came to funk, my tastes were VERY specific. It had to usually have some real edge and killin' musicianship out front on the track. It had to sound somewhat "raw: and hard edged. Cats like Zapp, Roger, Bootsy's "One Giveth" album, George's "Atomic Dog", Prince, The Time, Cameo, Slave...THAT kind of shit is what I was really into. Their stuff was right for radio BUT it was also raw. Not TOO polish sounding as a group like Midnight Star. I forgot about "Operator". That was cool. I actually like The Bar Kays "Dancefloor" better than Midnight Star's "Dancefloor"!

I just don't like the Greek in LA. Concerts are too short due to curfew.

blackguitaristz said:

Yeah, when i went to a club with friends and Zapp's "Dance Floor" would enter the steel wheels, it was ON ! I dig the stretched keyboard in the video of "Operator" lol.
Funny coincidence that you mentioned Bootsy's epical "One Giveth" funk-opera. He also made in the same year a guest-appearance on that "Hot Spot" track from Midnight Star,
and Bootz thanks Midnight Star in the album-credits of "One Giveth" Both Vincent & Reggie Calloway performed later around the 90's in Bootsy's hornsection, and can be heard on Bootsy's live-album "Alive In '95".
Imo, Midnight Star turned it out on stage though. Drummer Bobby Lovelace, who you can see in the live-footage below,
used to be part of the group Mantra who had released one album produced by Cameo's Larry Blackmon and Anthony Lockett.


[Edited 8/2/09 7:49am]

blackguitaristz said:

Midnight Star is damn awesome in concert. I saw them at a festival with Zapp about 2 months ago, and they tore the place up. They are better than ever. They are one of the few 'old school' acts that still have all of their original singers in tact.
They should be on the TVOne UNSung Heroes series. All told they have been together for about 33 years.

RnBAmbassador said:

I thought Lakeside was in this line up...guess not...

RnBAmbassador said:

Yeah,Midnight Star are amazing in concert.I had a blast!! One jam after another: "Operator","Electricity","No Parking On The Dancefloor","Wet My Whistle","Freak-A-Zoid",even their classic ballad "Slow Jam".They do the type of high-energy show that keeps you on your feet throughout.I will never miss a Midnight Star concert.

RnBAmbassador said:

Cool...You're so sincere and adamant about Midnight Star that you've made a brutha want to check them out a lil' mo' betta and shit!

Shango said:

Me mentioning Bootsy's "One Giveth" was NO coincidence although I surely wasn't hip to the Midnight Star connection. I don't believe in coincidence. It's all cosmic, my brutha!

I wanna go to this show!

Oh well,we're having the Jazz Festival in my city this weekend,so it's all good.

blackguitaristz said:

PFunkjazz said:

Thanks for the tip. I've never been there and was actually thinking of checking it out. But I'll wait - as there are plenty of good venues and shows. ...And although I wish I could - I can't see `em all.

blackguitaristz said:

Me too. I was sleeping on them.