Boulder Theater
Boulder, CO
Words By Kevin Hahn
Photos By Brad Hodge (www.bradhodgephoto.com)
I will admit, the annual Mountain Sun Funky Good Times concert is one of my favorite nights of the year. People come from all over Colorado to get a glimpse of a once in a lifetime musical super-group rage it for four funky ass hours. There is good beer, good people, and just overall good vibes throughout the entire performance and evening. This year was absolutely no different. Yes, it is true that the lineup of assembled musicians might not have been as spectacular as last year… but we still had the only full-time members of the Pearl Street All Stars, Kyle Hollingsworth and George Porter Jr. keeping the groove smooth and steady while the various rotating cast of musicians fill in year after year. This occasion we were treated to some newcomers to the Funky Good Times scene as Brian Jordan (Pimps of Joytime) and Dap Kings saxophonist, Cochemea Gastelum, brought some awesome energy and youthful spunk to the group. Boulder’s funkiest dance-party starters The Motet, also let the Mt. Sun borrow Dave Watts (drums) and Kim Dawson (vocals) to round out the superstar team. But would all of these very different musical personalities mesh well on stage to form a harmonious, funky, and just downright good time?
The evening started with some great funky riffs from George Porter Jr., who still is one of the funkiest men alive and it became very evident that he would be leading the charge this night. The first set was a great way to wet our lips and get our feet moving just enough to battle the cold conditions outside the theater. Kim Dawson’s voice worked perfectly with the very unique playing/singing/musical style which is Brian Jordan of the Pimps of Joytime. Brian seems to bring a suave character and overall “cool-guy” approach to his music, and I believe the intense/beautiful vocals of Kim Dawson came through with this night really played well with him in particular. Dave Watts is a beast on the drums and his constant tempo changes and seamless transitions make him a must-see on the Colorado jamband scene. Song after song it was evident that this superstar band had practiced (at least a little) and Cochemea on the saxophone was killing it all over the place. High notes, low notes, or even multiple notes, it just didn’t matter with his precise timing and amazing skill coming through with each breath he took. As the 1st set came to an end, everyone in the crowd knew that the 2nd set would be even more funky, and more dance-filled.
Set One: Funky Miracle, Ain't No Use, Stealin, You Got What You Wanted, Janxta Funk, One Way, Wrap It Up
To start it off “Shake” came ripping through each band member’s instrument with Brian Jordan and Kim Dawson singing the well-known chorus “Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake your booty on the dance floor”. What a great way to start off the second set! The crowd was re-energized and ready to rage for another two hours. The String Cheese Incident classic “Lost” was paired with Sly and the Family Stone’s “I Wanna Take You Higher” and we were given the first real glimpse of Kyle Hollingsworth’s funky-ness as he was quite contained for his usual quirky self. Kyle’s hands flowed freely along his different piano/keyboard instruments and it is always good to hear a band do a great rendition of an awesome song. As the Pearl Street All Stars transitioned into “Higher” the crowd roared in excitement and in my opinion pure appreciation for the highlight of the night was taking place. As the Sly Stone classic ended we were treated to the first true surprise of the night as Kyle and Brian Jordan shared lead vocals on The Flaming Lips tune “Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots." Being a Flaming Lips fan this was a unique and interesting tribute, but if you were not familiar with the song I apologize. (Half the crowd seemed to be wondering what in the hell was going on) But as the Lips song faded away the band picked up the pace again with the Talking Heads dance-fest “Life During Wartime" The vocals were rough and transitions not very clean, but to see the band having just as much fun on stage as we were having in the crowd is always a good thing to see.
Set Two: Shake, Play It Back, Lost> I Want To Take You Higher, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots> [George Tune], You Met Your Match, Life During Wartime
For the encore, George Porter Jr, took the reins again and led the all-star group through the Meter classic “People Say,” which transitioned smoothly into “Dance to the Music” to end the funky night on a very energetic and high note. Overall the night was a true success. Yes there were some hiccups here and there, but what can you expect from a band that only gets a few rehearsals to get there timing on track and shit together. In my opinion the group would have benefited from a true lead guitarist (Last year Davy Knowles was insane), but Brian Jordan provided a fun and spunky energy to the lineup. We will see what next year brings us, as truly any musician could be involved with this awesome event. Maybe a couple more members of String Cheese will join the party? Or New Orleans will make an even bigger presence? Who knows, but I will definitely see you next year! Happy 19th Birthday Mt. Sun!
Encore: Que Sera Sera, People Say> Dance To The Music
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www.mountainsunpub.com
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