Fling concert slowgoing

There was a diaper-clad man. There was a diverse group of brightly clad P-Funk All Stars. But there was no George Clinton -- at least not until almost an hour after his band took the stage.

Clinton was the headlining act for Friday night's Spring Fling concert, held on Hill Field and also featuring Lucky Boys Confusion, Pete Yorn and De La Soul.

But his notable absence during his band's set made many wonder whether the headliner would be taking the stage at all.

"George Clinton had some nerve to come onstage 50 minutes after his band," College sophomore Jared Lazarus said. "It was disappointing for George Clinton to first take an hour to get ready, and then not come out until an hour into his performance."

Lazarus said he was so perturbed that he ended up leaving the concert early.

"I left early because I was disappointed," Lazarus said. "We left before George Clinton came on because we had to wait long enough, and the band was mediocre at best."

Ironically, at the outset of the concert, Clinton garnered the most excitement.

"I was originally a George Clinton fan," said College senior Lee Gerson. "Before George Clinton signed on, I was not very big on coming."

And George Clinton certainly did not disappoint everyone. Tim Ofak, the co-director of the Social Planning and Events Committee's Concerts branch said that after months of planning, the concert was well worth the hard work.

"I thought his concert was really good," the College junior said. "I thought it was a wonderful time. It was a very safe and fun event for everyone."

Ofak said he feels that Clinton's delay -- the P-Funk All Stars took the stage at 11:20 p.m., but their main man Clinton did not appear until 12:10 a.m. -- was more a reflection of his selflessness than anything else.

"I liked the intro of letting his band play first," Ofak said. "It focused on his band and not just him. He shared the glory."

Other students, however, were less appreciative of Clinton's absence.

"It took too long after De La Soul ended until a new act came on," Wharton freshman Alicia Galbo said. "I just got really tired and did not know any of George Clinton's music, and the people I was with also wanted to leave because we were all really tired, so I left before George Clinton even came on."

And Galbo had reason to be tired. Even with the gates opening at 6:45 pm, 45 minutes after scheduled, it was still a six-hour concert experience in the midst of light drizzling rain which lasted well into the night.

But Galbo said that all was not lost because she enjoyed many of the opening acts.

"I really liked Pete Yorn and De La Soul," Galbo said. "I did not know anything either of them played before I got there, but I really liked the high energy level that they brought."

Despite a high energy level, De La Soul still had some difficulty in rousing the audience.

During one song, after calling on the women in the audience to sing but facing minimal response, one band member said, "Ladies, you all look good, but you sound like shit!"

This line finally drew loud applause from the audience.

Stewart Kaplan, a second-year student at Bucks County Community College, said he was one of those applauding De La Soul's performance.

"De La Soul is awesome," said Kaplan, who traveled over 45 minutes to see the Fling show. "They are a great band. I had never seen them live before, and I came here for George Clinton, but De La Soul is just a bonus."

Kaplan said he also had high praise for Lucky Boys Confusion, but did not particularly enjoy Pete Yorn.

"Lucky Boys Confusion was pretty good," Kaplan said. "Pete Yorn lacks the flavor. He is like that dull popsicle that nobody likes. We want cherry, but he is lemon."

Despite mixed opinions for all the artists, Wharton freshman Joey Cohen said he felt the concert was still worth the ticket price.

"Considering the rest of Spring Fling is absolutely free, $15 for four great bands is absolutely reasonable," Cohen said.

In fact, Cohen said he had nothing but praise for the entire concert.

"I actually only caught the end of Lucky Boys Confusion, but they really had a lot of energy and pumped the crowd up," Cohen said. "George Clinton and Pete Yorn can really rock. George Clinton is funkin' awesome."

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