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Hi Brothers and Sisters in Funk...
There will probably be more reviews of the New Orleans Show coming later by other Rk's that were there, so let me be the first to enlighten...
My small group of Rkers arrived at the Holiday Inn at around 4pm and it seemed from then on that Roadkiller after Roadkiller started filing into the hotel lobby. Joyce (Martin) had arraigned for the lounge to open somewhat earlier than normal, and true to her word, it opened at around 4:30... We all filed in and started shaking hands and introducing ourselves to each other, and I got to tell ya... Roadkillers are THE most nicest bunch of people you'd ever want to meet.. We all sat and talked for about and hour until it was time to head to the Lafranierre(?) park where our boys where about to play. The park was about two blocks from the hotel so most of us walked over there from the hotel.
First of all, Jeff-Fest turned out to be a huge festival with rides, hotdog and popcorn stands, little knick knack booths, and yea, a large tent covered stage that looked out among acres of festival goers all neatly wrapped up in family and friends groups throughout the grounds. Some were standing in small groups as others were laid out on their blankets soaking up the rich 85 degree sun and 10 to 15 mph cool breezes... On stage, when we got there, was The Loving Spoonful doing the last few songs of there 5 to 6:30pm time slot.
Looking around you simply had to notice all the people there who seemed to be paying a little attention to The Loving Spoonful, but
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not totally quite into the moment, as they say... You could very easily move around in the crowd from group to group... We basically walked all the way to the front of the stage without any problems or resistance from any sort of overcrowdedness… Looking around at the thousands of people who were scattered throughout the grounds, it was obvious that they needed to experience a KICK ASS time... I made a couple of comments to my girlfriend and her friend to look over the crowd and see how loose and basically unconscious the people looked as The Loving Spoonful played even their best hits... Then I told them to watch how things will suddenly change when GRAND FUNK RAILROAD hits the stage...
At about 6:30 The Loving Spoonful show came to an end and the roadcrew began tearing down the equipment to make room for Our Boy's Stuff... Sound checks were made and equipment tested and at around 7pm, the local radio DJ in N.O. came on stage, along with a female companion, and threw a few Grand Funk T- shirts out into the crowd at center stage... Grand Funk will be just a few more minutes getting ready...
Before going any further, I must have to say here that my 8 year old daughter (Kayleigh) came with us to the show... It was a surprise to her because she had no idea as to what she was coming to N.O. to see... She, believe this or not because I got a few Roadkillers as witnesses now that they have seen it with their own eyes, knows every song by GFR by heart and can sing them without flaw and can carry each tune almost perfectly... She had a per
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fect spot right up against the left front stage rail in front of Mel... She had her Roadkill shirt on also… Plainly visible by the band...
OK... The lights go out and 2001 intro begins and the crowd is now going wild just waiting for Our Boy's to come springing through the back of the stage… HERE'S THE GROUP YOU'VE BEEN WAITING TO SEE... GRAND FUNK RAILROAD..!!! The band seemed pumped up and very, very much into it... I don't think Mark really looked out into the crowd during Are You Ready until the song was over... He then peered out into the crowd and you could tell by looking at his face as he scanned the acres and acres of fairgrounds, that he was truly in awe at the amount of people that had amassed to see them play. I turned and looked back and the crowd was shoulder to shoulder for at least two football fields back... It was such an awesome and yet emotional feeling to turn and see what seemed to me to be at least 30,000 people, maybe more screaming and shouting, and handclapping all the way back to the rear of the fairgrounds... ALL THE WAY ACK... It was poetry.. Nothing but poetry...
The song set was basically similar to BOSNIA except for the omissions of AIMLESS LADY, GIMME SHELTER, and at least one other... The sound was simply too much to imagine... Mel's bass was booming and in true form... And, he was somewhat active on the stage too... He moved around a lot more than he usually has at other shows... Donnie was on fire again... Man, he gave it
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