BOOTSY COLLINS

BOOTSY COLLINS (Tivoli, Dublin)

“ARE YOU faking the funk?” was the question put to the massed hoards of funkateers in The Tivoli by the inimitable, absolutely fucking amazing intergalactic ambassador of funk, Mr Bootsy Collins. If they were, no-one could tell, as the whole place erupted in a frenzy of rhythmic apoplexy before the (apparently) gangly, star-adorned legend of funk. From the moment the words, “The Mothership has landed,” boomed out of the PA and the eleven-piece band rolled out on stage, we knew we were in for some seriously double-jointed manoeuvres of an extra-terrestrial kind.

His mission was clear. The one-time James Brown bassman came to preach the funk, spread the funk but more importantly to play the funk. He did not disappoint: ‘Do That Stuff’, ‘P.Funked Up’, ‘Cosmic Slop’, ‘Flash Lite’ and hits like ‘Bootzilla’, ‘Reach Out’, ‘Pinocchio Theory’ and ‘Stretchin Out’ boomed out of the sound system with an earth-shaking impact.

Bootsy himself was a veritable visual feast, with his star shaped, turbo-powered bass guitar, glittering get-up and unbelievable headgear. The band, which included the irresistible charms of the horny horns, razor-sharp rhythm guitar, spacey keyboards and funky percussion were the tightest ensemble seen on a Dublin stage in a long while.

At one point, the sonic overload reached such tremor-like proportions that Bootsy’s bass rig blew a fuse – temporarily halting his frenzied attack. But he was soon back in action and he made up for it by playing forty minutes over-time, not leaving the stage ‘til the house lights were turned up.

“Keep the funk alive,” was his final message “we’ll be back soon.” It’s early days yet but this surely is a hot contender for gig of the year. You just had to be there.

• Colm O’Hare