Rating: Summary: Ever funkin' on, baby!!! Review: ..., THIS DVD IS ON THE ONE!!! I've been looking for classic concert footage of Parliment/Funkadelic for quite some time and this is the first recording that I found. It is a mid-70s concert in Houston,TX that includes the mothership landing! It is definitely an item to add to your collection. I only hope there will be more releases from the Mothership Connection era in the future. And remember, "Funk is its own reward"
Rating: Summary: Free Your Mind.....The year was 1976 Stupid! Review: All of you critics who write negative reviews about this DVD must have been born in the 80's and are spoiled by modern technology. Just think for a minute...this concert was filmed in 1976 using 1970's video equipment, stage props, lights, audio, and of course pop-culture themes of that particular time in history. This is a historical collector's item of live entertainment as we knew it back in the day. This was long before DVD's, CD's, MP3's, drum machines, digital cameras, digital audio and other modern technological "conveniences" that you Gen-Xer's couldn't imagine living without. Hell, even the VCR had just hit the store shelves at the time.True, the video quality pales in comparison to today's standards, but you must consider the times and the fact that the taping of this show was never intended to be made available for consumer home entertainment, especially on something called a DVD some 27 years into the future. Anyway, now that I've put this in perspective for ya, this is and was an awesome concert, and in my opinion, the second best live tour ever performed in music history next to the Earth Wind & Fire tours of the '70's. You had to have been there to really appreciate the landing of the Mothership and other special effects since the video does not "pan out" enough to visually capture the entire stage set-up. This was NOT a cheap production - nobody had ever seen anything this exciting at a concert before this tour hit the scene. This was George Clinton and the crew at their prime, singing the best songs from the "Mothership Connection", "Dr. Funkenstein", "Tales of Kidd Funkadelic" and "Hardcore Jollies" albums, all released the same year-1976. This was even before "Flashlight", "One Nation...." and "Knee Deep", so this was just the tip of the iceberg of what was to come from this talented group of musicians. So if your imagination can take you there, or if you're old enough to have witnessed the P-Funk Earth Tour of 1976, then just reflect or maybe learn something about the days when you paid ($7.00 - I still have my ticket stubs) to see real musicians, real singers, funky costumes and creative LIVE special effects, not just some thugs with a mic, turn table, computer and gold teeth rappin' about booty and ho's.
Rating: Summary: HOUSTON...WE DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM! Review: Anyone who would give less than five stars to the performance on this DVD must be on some advanced form of crack-cocaine. I've had this concert on bootleg video for years and let me tell you the quality(video and audio) of this DVD is superlative. This is the U.S. Funk Mob at full tilt. To correct another reviewer, Sly Stone does not make an appearance at the end of this video. Several members of band do, including background singers Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva who would later make up the first incarnation of the Brides Of Funkenstein, another P-Funk spin off act. The only objectionable thing about the DVD is that it is credited to George Clinton when it should be credited to Parliament-Funkadelic. This performance was also done at the beginning of the 1976 "Mothership Connection" tour and yet they still tore the roof off. Take it from somebody who has been archiving P-Funk for 22 years, you cannot possibly go wrong with this DVD.
Rating: Summary: Flashback Time Review: For all of the new funk fans that want to know what Parliament sounded like before George changed over to "solo", buy this DVD! I have a second copy unwrapped and stored away for my Grandchildren to see some day. What can I say, this is in a time when musicians played real instruments, and singers sang. Glen Goins (R.I.P) was "on it" as usual. The grooves were tight. The customes were, well, you know. Jerome was showing why he was the best. The horns were at a level, which only they could reach. The stage act was the bomb. The Mothership, ohh The Mothership...I still get goose bumps when George comes out to the intro of Dr. Funkenstein. Sometimes, I catch myself standing up and cheering when he walks down the stairs. What an act they were. What can I say? All true P-Funk fans expect nothing less than the best. For their time, they were the best dam show on earth. The editing on Dr. Funkenstein could have been much better. I would tell everyone to buy it. A classic if there ever was one.
Rating: Summary: Let's Take It To The Stage, Suckers!!! Review: Funk upon a time, in the days of the Funkapus....there were actual music extravaganzas! This DVD takes us back to the times when bands really tried to entertain. To see the uber-talented Glen Goins in full cahoots with the Prime Minister of P-Funk brought sustenance to my funk-starved soul! And there has never been two more juicious tarts of succulent reknown than Lynn Mabry and Dawn Silva, the immaculate Brides of Funkenstein! With the possible exception of OutKast, there isn't an act today who can touch P-Funk for power, precision, and showmanship. Don't be fooled by cheap imitations, this is the Bonafide Bomb!!!
Rating: Summary: Funk 101: Required for all funkateers. Review: Having lived with this DVD for two years, let me tell you what the other reviews didn't. First off, the audio is damn near perfect (there is a problem with a guitar in Cosmic Slop, but it sounds like it was a problem with the show, not the DVD. I made a CD of this DVD, and it rarely leaves my Discman. The sound is remastered in 5.1, but mostly that just puts the crowd in the rears and spreads the music across the front. 5.1 isn't required, the stereo downmix is still excellent. As for the video, well, it was recorded in the seventies, and looks it. It seems like it was recorded for a VCD or something...there's gaps where the audio continues but the picture reverts to still frames for a few seconds or so (not as distracting as it sounds), as if they were changing videotape or something. A strange interference pervades the whole concert, but hey, it could be worse. The mothership DOES land, and it's not a big eyeball (the guy that wrote that seems to have only watched about 10 minutes). And all the music is funky as HELL. Nothing compares to P-Funk live, but what I would give to be back at that show...a DEFINITE buy, with the only issue being the video quality.
Rating: Summary: OH FUNK ME!!!!!! Review: Hey, I'm a hardcore Parliament/Funkadelic fan and I was born in 1978 so let me tell you I was 'happy as a monkey with a peanut machine' since I've purchased thid dvd!!! Words cannot begin to describe how much i love and value this dvd!!! For years i have been trying to locate footage of a P.Funk concert from the 70's (i've heard that there was a copy of the "1978 Flashlight Tour" available on vhs) but could never locate a copy. A reviewer of one of P.funk's shows in the late 70's said that the only thing that could upstage a P.Funk concert is the landing of the motherhip. I can't really agree with him because this entire dvd 'ain't nothin' but a party' from beginning to end!!! Man, I would have killed to have been given an opportunity to see this show!! The part where Glen Goins (who is the best male singer i've ever heard) ushers down the mothership and the motherhip lands and George appears as Dr. Funkenstein at the top of the staircase gives me an adrenaline rush like i've never experienced!!!! And then the Music!!! Like other reviewers who have converted this dvd to cd, it has been in my cd player on rotation nonstop!!! It's definitely a better listen that the "Parliament live: the P.Funk Earth Tour" album. The horn, vocal and drum arrangements for this concert are far more superior and if it were released on vinyl for consumer use at that time, it would have been twice the success of the "P.Funk Earth Tour" album. It's also a real treat to see the band members doin' their thang on stage, most notably Michael, Gary, Glenn, Bernie, Fuzzy, Jeannette and Debbie but there ain't nothin' like seein' George work that crowd in his various gettups (the long - haired sucka is my favorite)!! The Jam session at the end of the concert is also a rare treat since it features Bootsy (too bad this dvd doesn't capture his opening act) and members of sly and the family stone, not to mention a closeup of Dawn and Lynn who were touring with sly before they decided to REALLY get funked up!! The only minor downside is that the portion of "Dr. Funkenstein" has so obviously been edited, but it still gives you more of what you're funkin for! Also, the concert was taped at the tail end of 76 so jams like Bop Gun, One Nation, Flashlight, Aqua Boogie, and Knee Deep not to mention footage of Sir Nose being shot with the bop gun by Starchild and dancin' like crazy can only lead one to imagine how more thrilling and exciting this show could have been. Still, all in all this show is a funk opera extravaganza if i've ever seen one and definitely worth owning (I already have 2 copies)!!! So stop reading and buy this dvd now. It's PARLIAFUNKADELICMENT FUN at it's best!!!!!
Rating: Summary: Review From A Funk Collector Review: I am a Funk collector. I have every Parliament, Funkadelic and George Clinton on LP as well as CD now. Since ordering this DVD, it has become one of the most valuable pieces in my collection. I have played it so many times that I fear I will ware it out, I may need to order another copy. I can not believe any True Funkateer would give this a Bad review. They are Just Faking the Funk.
Rating: Summary: OOOOO Mamma Review: I am so glad I bought this. Best 15 bucks I've spent in a long time. This concert is absolutely slamming. Some of the songs of Clones sound so much better in concert. When George is struttin down the steps of the mothership with his furry cane and the bassline from Dr. Funkenstein hits it is just straight nasty! PIMP! This concert rules I like when George blows some sticky icky into Glenns mouth in the middle of his singing. HA! I laughed so hard. The funk on this dvd is so slammin its impossible not to start dancing. When Bootsy comes back out I get the chills, too good.
Rating: Summary: Rare Essential Funk History Review: I can't believe that any P-Funk fan would not be absolutely crazy about this DVD. The video quality leaves a lot to be desired, but the re-mastered multi-channel audio is fantastic. It's a rare chance to see the undiluted funk mob in full flight including Bernie Worrell, Jerome Brailey, Fred Wesley, Maceo Parker, and Fuzzy Haskins who you are not likely to see with the All-Stars live anytime soon. Also, you get spectacular vocals from Glen Goins, who is sadly no longer with us today, and cameos at the end by Bootsy Collins & Sly Stone. This is a rare and important document for funkateers everywhere. Only complaints are the lack of credits (not even a list of band members), video quality (source material problem - not mastering) and the edited "Dr. Funkenstein" (still need the "Earth Tour" CD if you want to hear a full-length take). P.S. Don't panic when you hear the initially awkward sound mix on "Cosmic Slop" (e.g. you can barely hear Gary Shider's guitar). They fix it by the time the song is over - and the rest of the concert sounds great!
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