Clinton's Mothership brings out-of-this-world show to Alaska

FUNKY: More than 30 performers groove through seamless songs.

Revved up on T.A. P.O.A.F.O.M. -- The Awesome Power of a Fully Operational Mothership -- George Clinton and the P-Funk Allstars assailed a sparse crowd Thursday night at Alyeska Resort's Daylodge with nearly three hours of non-stop funk fugues.

The backbone of the 36-person troupe -- bass, guitars, keyboards, drums -- launched into a wah-wah-laced jam for the first number, and then a deep-bass voice announced: "Welcome to the world of the Funkadelic, ya'all . . . Tonight, we gonna party like it's 1979."

Midway through the second space offering, the boys had coaxed the crowd into a funk frenzy. Amid this harmonic chaos, the three-piece horn section kicks in, jiggering up and down a ladder of notes, trumpeting the entrance of the grandmaster himself. Clinton, clad in sunglasses, black velour jump suit, blond, black and red hair wound into a topknot, ambled onto the stage, looking all regal, like he owns the place. He landed in the center of this cacophony, stretched his arms over the crowd, funked them up.

Colored strobes of light slice the dark. Other members of the P-Funk entourage wearing Zoot suits, feathers, diapers, wide-billed hats, wandered on and off the stage. Sometimes as many as nine vocalists sang into the strategically-placed microphones.

Between the polyphonic rhythms and the interlaced vocals, these seasoned musicians achieved a harmonic dissonance not heard in these parts since Aerosmith's Sullivan Arena show five years ago.

Instead of each musician playing against or off the other, the old gray-bearded impresario has found a way to meld the instruments into one many-faceted sound, with the bass as a physical presence snaking from the stage.

To that extent, each number forms an extravaganza, an opus, a funk symphony, powering the ecstatic dancers down some shimmery astral river.

Clinton and his ever-changing entourage of funksters have always dallied in the sound of words, whether in harmonies or against the grain. Lyrics such as "put your foot on the rock and lemme see what you got" or 20 minutes of "Bounce to this ... everybody just bounce to this" don't sound like much in print, but when six, seven or eight voices take on the lyrics, well, the words are transported to a whole different realm of meaning and measure.

Countless solos -- vocals, sassy violin, screeching clarinet, bottom-heavy sax -- peppered such nuggets as "Bop Gun," "Hard As Steel" and "Get Your Funk On."

The seamless compositions ranged from prog rock to disco to reggae to crazy funk to hip-hop to piano-driven jazzy blues to '50s rock 'n' roll. The band's MTV hit, "Atomic Dog," more than paid for the $49 price of admission.

THC Mercenaries set the tone for the night, with 45 non-stop minutes of progressive hip-hop. The two rambunctious singers, backed by solid bass, keyboards, guitars and drums, wandered the stage urging the crowd to "Stick your hands, up in the air, now wave 'em, wave 'em."

atomic funk edit...
[This message was edited Sun Sep 21 20:48:32 PDT 2003 by july]

Alyeska Resort is the sh*t. Love the place. Got lost in the fog in the summer time while hiking down the mountainside.

July, glad you had a great time. With I was with you. ...

Brings back so many memories of my short 3.5-year stay in Anchorage at the military base there off of Government Hill gate.

I was so hoping for George and Sir Noze to grace Anchorage when I was there, but I had to go down south to Seattle to see them at The Fenix Ballroom. Was hoping to make George a specially-made gown if Pfunk came up to the 49th state. I had just missed Pfunk because the last time, before these few September 2003 dates, was at the Convention Center across the street from the PAC in October 1995. Eight years is way too long for a mothership landing.

Wonder why The Mothership didn't land at the PAC and instead traveled out to Alyeska some 20 miles down along the Seward Highway?

Missed the 2-nite stay with Aerosmith at the Sully too. Had tickets for the first show, but had to sell them because I had a training class out in the east coast at the end of April 1998. Also missed KISS too because I left Anchorage Jan 2 2000 for Ohio.

Ahhh, the memories of Alaska. I will be back, with the military or not. Have to go to Moose's Tooth and try some of their famous personal pizzas, their Hungarian Mushroom Soup and then head over to Glacier Brewhouse for their wood stove prepared bbq salmon and bread pudding with Yukon Jack sauce. To die for. ...

But have to tell you, seeing George at the end of March in 1999 at the Fenix in Seattle, before the 7+ quake that wrecked the club, was amazing. Four hours and 20 minutes. First time I heard The Ballad of Bill and Monica in the Oval Office. ...

Just caught them in Denver last Sat. This tour is not to be missed. The violinist and Blackbyrd soloing together is off the chain. 4 hrs of raw uncut funk!

a2grafix said:

George is Great!

They got 4 stops in California, but I can only make two.
I'll be boarding the MOTHERSHIP Saturday in Sacramento, then I'm gotta slip out and drive back to LA. Plan is to sneakout of work early on Monday so I can stowaway to San Diego that nite. Call my boss and tell him I'm gettin' sick, so I can sleep in on Tueasday.