Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Grand Fun From Page i mainly because of lack of anything better to review. Besides, with the concert depression in Columbia, I wasn't sure whether I would have any other major concert to review in-the Coliseum this spring. I was also curious to see what Funk was like in 1975. From the beginning, though, an omen of doom hung over the concert. While walking down the Taw School steps we came across wo kids, no older than thirteen, ;moking pot and drinking PJ. With Ihis disgusting sight it seemed only too obvious that the future !ossibilities of enjoying myself 'ere bleak. The complimentary ticket I received to review the show was in a nightmare position on the front row, directly in front of the stage's htuge concert system. Realizing Liat my poorly positioned seating arrangements would result in a deafening earache during the course of the concert unless I was able to block the sonic sound vibrations by some artificial neanh, I made a strategic retreat to the men's room. While stuffing my ears with pieces of paper towel, another pathetic sight almost caused to to ieave the concert permanently. In plain view, five GIs were shooting smack. It was a miracle how they were even able to stand. Before 'eaving, I helped one of them over to the sink so that he could spend he night deciding whether he was going to puke his guts out or watch the pretty water trickling out of the faucet. Eric Burdon's new band was the pening act of the night. Judging f rom the reaction of most of the C : 5 e, faditte free) Woeek k derailed, I audience and also people I in terviewed during the intermission, few knew or even cared who Burdon was. Just in passing, Eric Burdon had been one of the most dynamic rock personalities of the 60's and early 70's. His contribution to music through his founding of the two groups War and The Animals, has had a lasting effect of music to this day. Burdon's new group consisted of three black musicians on lead guitar, drums and bass, a white piano player and himself on vocals. The style of music was very un traditional of Burdon, featuring hard rock that focused on the lead guitar. The fifty minute set included eight songs, almost evenly divided between new material and old Animal songs. The new songs are hardly 1worth mentioning and the old Animal numbers barely received a reaction from an unknowledgeable audience. Burdon's new arrangements of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and his low key bluesey in terpretation of "House of the Rising Sun" were terrible. However, my faith in Burdon was renewed with his gutsy singing of "It's My Life" and "The Real Me." Even though Burdon looked rundown in appearance as well as ego, he still commands respect with that marvelous roughhouse voice of his that has become his trademark. The band ended their set with a pure rock and roller called "Moving" that proved to be a real classic since Burdon has never been known to play that kind of music well. It was unfortunate that the majority of the audience S"J ARIv.a ..... E* but Coliseun 44 Russ Jottfeat was too young to remember Burdon or know of his career because they might have ap preciated his music more. After a thirty-five minute delay Grand Funk made their ap pearance onstage to be greeted by 8,000 screaming fans. With this kind of welcome, there could be no doubt who this crowd paid their money to see. The stage setup was simply designed and enormous amounts of dancing space for Mark Farner were provided. The organ was placed in the extreme left hand corner of the stage with the drums positioned centersta e. A movie 'UU t -J e i audience I screen was rigged over the top of the stage and was used to introduce some songs and supposedly give us insight into the background of Funk by providing a short film on their individual life styles. Grand Funk began their set with "Footstomping Music" featuring Mel Schacher's bass and a short haired, bare chested Mark Farner on guitar. What followed next was a panoramic display of Grand Funk's top forty hits including "Nothing But a Party," "I'm Your Captain", "Heartbreaker," "Some Kind of Wonderful", Shining On", "Loco-Motion", "All the Girls in the World Beware", "We're An American Band", "Inside Looking Out" and the encore song, "Gimme Shelter". While I personally disliked them, the effect of Funk's stage per formance on the audience was overwhelming and they absorbed the music and always came back for more. "We are loud," explained Mark Farner, "because we are creating an atmosphere in which there is nothing but the music, so it all becomes physical and you've got to groove along with it because it is all that exists. We're taking the kids out, away from their parents, their environments, where the only reality is the beat and the rhythm." Whether the reader believes this garbage or not is immaterial. The fact that the audience bought it hook, line and sinker is what hurts. - Grand Funk's stage antics were much more composed Friday night than they were when I saw them in 1970. Farner still struts, around on stage, but it is done in a more sophisticated, rich-man's manner. The group dresses better as their oves thems I glittery silk costumes would suggest. Craig Frost's keyboards and Mel Schacher's bass lines were of the most interest to me. Don Brewer's drumming was nothing short of horrible. He's got to be one of the worst on the music scene today. No one can deny that Grand Funk knows how to excite an audience and then increase that level of excitement with -ach successive song. With their final numbers of "We're An American Band" and "Inside Looking Out" the excitement reached its climax. There was little doubt about the return of the band for an encore. With the American flag glit tering on the huge light display behind them, Funk ended the night with their version of the Rolling Stone's "Gimme Shelter". Grand Funk is the epitome of the American spirit today, where four youngsters from Detroit can become rich by ripping off their fellow Americans through what they call music. Over 8,000 people paid an average of $5.50 a ticket to see them "do their thing." In addition to that, the group made an extra bundle of money selling Grand Funk teeshirts at $4.00 apiece and badges, posters and stickers from 50 cents to $1.00 apiece. Yes, indeed, they are an American band. But let us remember that the people who bought tickets did get their money's worth in their opinion, as they lo~ved every minute of the show. With the average age of the crowd being around 16, I'm not sure how much weight their opinions carry. Grand Funk cannot be criticized very much concert-wise as they do what they set out to do very well.