Funk legend George Clinton celebrates Water Street Tavern’s 10th anniversary

Funk legend George Clinton, lead singer of Parliament Funkadelic, performs at the Water Street Tavern Sunday. Photo by Photo by Daniel R. Doherty special to the Daily Kent Stater.

Funk legend George Clinton, lead singer of Parliament Funkadelic, performs at the Water Street Tavern Sunday. Photo by Photo by Daniel R. Doherty special to the Daily Kent Stater.

Dawn Einsel

Sans his legendary coif of many colors, the grandfather of funk swaggered through the doors of the Water Street Tavern. And as the line of people wrapped around the block to the Venice Cafe, it was clear that Kent wanted the funk.

George Clinton and his more than 20-member Parliament Funkadelics took the stage for the bar’s 10th anniversary celebration Sunday night, a free show that drew a crowd from community and campus.

“I wouldn’t be out here for nobody else but George Clinton,” said Chuck Clayton of Akron. “I’ve been riding with George Clinton since the ’70s, since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. That’s always been my cat.”

Clinton took the stage shortly after 10 p.m.

“I lost my voice, but we’re still going to turn this mother out,” he said to the crowd before him.

Mark Dreyer, of Kent, the first in line to get into the performance, was parked by the entrance since 2:30 p.m.

“There wouldn’t be a lot of music without George Clinton and the tracks that he’s laid down,” Dreyer said.

The Water Street Tavern has live entertainment three to four times a week without cover fees and Beder said the anniversary show would be no different.

“I’ve never charged a cover for anything that I’ve done at the bar,” he said. “First of all, I want it to be a party that celebrates the bar and what the bar is about and has become and charging wouldn’t be right.”

Beder said he hadn’t considered any other acts before receiving an e-mail from an agent about George Clinton, even after a friend informed him that DJ Paulie D would be in the area.

“There’s a lot of those acts out there that might even be more relevant with the students right now, but Clinton is definitely someone who has stood the test of time,” Beder said. “The nature of the party being a 10-year anniversary party, I think want to bring someone in who spans generations.”

The age difference in the shoulder-to-shoulder crowd wasn’t surprising.

“I think the diversity just comes from good music, just feel-good music,” said Emilio Vidal, freshman anthropology major.

George Clinton was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, along with 15 other members of Parliament Funk. The band ended a month-long tour in Glenside, Pa., earlier in the day.

“It definitely is a rare opportunity to see a band of this stature and size in such a small place,” Beder said.

Contact Dawn Einsel at [email protected].