A shroud of mystery follows a hooded being onto stage, and it will be only moments until realization strikes the crowd – everyone in the room is about to get truly “funked up.” The hood will drop to reveal a rainbow of dreadlocks, and for the next three hours song delineation will be blurred and the night will disappear into a whirl of funk. It could only be George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, in town tonight at The Promowest Pavilion.
In the roughly 30 years Clinton has been on the music scene he has inspired countless musicians, including his own granddaughter, Shonda “Sativa” Clinton, 26, who has been touring and rapping with P-Funk for the last 10 years.
“He’s made a lot of contributions to the music industry, and I think that’s what made me get into it,” she said.
Sativa Clinton relived her experience performing at the last Grammy Awards and recalled the people who approached her grandfather.
“It was great. So many people show him so much love and respect when they see him,” she said.
She believes the respect her grandfather earns from younger audiences comes from his beliefs about the roots of hip hop.
“He said ‘Funk is the DNA of hip hop’ so I guess that’s why a lot of the younger hip hop artists can relate to him,” Sativa Clinton said.
Not just hip hop artists harbor love and respect for George Clinton – the Promowest Pavilion is expecting music fans from all walks.
“A George Clinton show is unlike any other. The crowd that comes out is extremely diverse, drawing jam band and funk fans alike,” said Amy Troendly, spokeswoman for Promowest Pavilion.
Part of what makes the show so unique is the sheer number of musicians who take part. It’s hard to keep track of how many there are during the performance, but this is not a bad thing. There also is an advantage to the experience of traveling with so many people.
“It does wonders for you as an artist to be around so many people who have been around for so long. It can do a lot for an up-and-coming artist,” Sativa Clinton said.
The world travel aspect of being in P-Funk is something Sativa Clinton values. Amsterdam tops her list of her favorite places to play and last year she had the opportunity to present Amsterdam’s highest honor: The Cannabis Cup. Experiences like these help inspire her lyrics which make their way into the show already full of exciting grooves.
“We are always excited when George Clinton comes around. You should see the people dancing and having a great time,” Troendly said. “I think George just brings excitement to a city unlike any other artist.”
Tickets are $27 in advance, $29 at the door. Doors open at 7 p.m.
