CONCERT REVIEW
"MICHAEL F RZICZNEK"  VETTMAN@prodigy.net
Powers Auditorium in Youngstown, Ohio Tue 23 Jun, 1998

After a really lame opening act, a local band, and all the local radio
station promo, the audience was primed with a dark stage and the taped
strains of Also Sprach Zarathustra (opening from 2001 a Space Oddessy).
Grand Funk just jumped into Are You Ready.  I won't attempt to recite the
whole playlist, but I can assure you that they played all the "greats".   As
I have heard a few times lately, they actually play their old songs better
than ever.  I was introduced to this band by the album "Grand Funk Live" as
a gift from a friend.  As I started to buy their studio albums, I was often
amazed at how different they sounded from the live stuff.  But this time,
they were THE BEST sounding ever.  This concert, in Youngstown, Ohio was in
Powers Auditorium, a symphony concert hall.  Small crowd, all close to the
stage.

Mark Farner sang "Some Kind of Wonderful" with one of the crew's little girl
on his arm.  She even sang a little but Mel's bass drowned her out.  There
was often some commentary by Mark about their age.  At one point he
mentioned that he and Don had birthdays fairly close together but Don was
the old man.  He then joked to the audience that Don was going to attempt a
two hour drum solo, but then quickly countered with a comment that Don would
only last five minutes.  However, Don DID do a 10 minute solo including the
use of his forehead to play a couple heavy downbeats.  Between songs, there
was often "talk" by Mark to the audience.  No preaching, but warm talk about
family and friends.

They faked a finish with We're An American Band, but considering that they
had not yet played "I'm Your Captain/Closer to Home", we all knew they would
be back.  Again, as at the start, a dark stage, then an increasing flood of
taped orchestral medley of several GFR songs. But this dissolved into Closer
to Home.  Mark appeared at his mic in a single flood light and lead an
acapella verse with the audience of I'm Your Captain before the stage lights
blasted into life and the band started the most impressive performance of
this song I've ever heard.  They finished with Mark on his knees center
stage at the front reaching out to the audience.

My friend, Danny,who plays keyboards in a local band hadn't been to a
concert for about 20 years and was apprehensive about GFR but he left Powers
Auditorium as "A BELIEVER".  I always was.

Mike