This past Sunday was one that felt like an entire weekend all jammed into one day. It started with a plan to burn down Gratiot from Mt. Clemens into Detroit, with a side stop planned at a very awesome mural we had only seen glimpses of in the past.
On a building set a good 40 feet back from the rest of the store fronts along Gratiot stands a collision shop with this amazing, amazing Statue of Liberty painting. If you don't look over at the precise moment while you're doing 55 down the strip mall infested stretch of road, you'll miss it. We caught it at the last minute, pulled off the road just in time and rolled the scooters around front and center for a supreme photo op.
Continuing onward into Detroit, we meet up with a bunch of our buds for a taco night party before the FREE George Clinton show at the Max Fischer Theater on Woodward. Evan rolled up on his red rocket and I got to take her around the block.
And holy shit is that fucker is FAST!!! last three photos by Alyssa!
Shortly after, we all took off on foot for the show. I planned on getting there at 7:45, seeing as how it was a free show in a very small venue, and would most likely fill up very quickly, but the best laid plans don't always go as designed. We didn't get to the theater till about 8:25...
I approached the doors knowing full well that we'd have no chance of getting in, and as the usher at the door told us "show's full, no more room, sorry folks!" I just grabbed Kelly's hand and muscled right by him, with our train of funkateers following close behind. Standing in the lobby, there were still more signs saying "Venue full" followed by numerous people with name tags letting eeeeeveryone know that incase they hadn't heard already, the venue was full. Well fuck that. Nobody's gonna tell me there ain't no more room inside a free Funkadelic show... I've gotta see the Mother Ship! I AM the Mother Ship connection!
Gaining entry to the inside of the theater involved more infiltrating of security forces and worming our way around a packed venue. We eventually landed at the back of the standing room only section, not ideal, but better that out on the side walk. Just before the show started, I spotted a clearing right behind some chairs that provided for a great view, so I made a move for it, and only half the crew followed. We stayed there for bout half the show, boogieing down and having a ball, then I hit up the rest of our crew to see where they were feelin' the funk. They let us know they had a booth section on the second story, and there was more room to get down, so we made our way upstairs, more infiltrating, more chained arms breaking through barricades, and found the rest of our comrades. The view was amazing, and George was so close it was insane! He was looking extra fly in those neon pants and his slick hair cut, I must say for a man almost 80 years old, he was clearly the funkiest guy in the whole building by a long shot.
See the guy with the double guitar? Yeah, he slayed it during "Maggot Brain" and broke not one, but two strings on that double guitar. Last time i ever make fun of a dude for rocking a double necked guitar. I mean, he clearly needed all 12 strings, and somehow i feel like it still probably wasn't enough for him.
Encore was Atomic Dog, quite possibly the best song ever penned and Kelly and I's own personal anthem, and the show ended with no less than 70 some people up on stage just gettin' funky. George blasted off on the Mother Ship and just like that the show was over. Had it been a paid show, i'm sure the seats we had would have been easily in the 75$ ball park range. But that night, they were free. Free as funkin' free can get.
What a blast! Long Live the Mother Ship Connection!
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