George Clinton with P. Funk All Stars on the Up Close And Personal Tour, Keziah Jones, Omar at Festival Vernier sur Rock on Friday, 6th of November 1992 in Salle des Fêtes du Lignon
Together with Rashid I went down to Geneva by train. It was difficult to find Vernier sur Rock. We had no address and didn’t know the name of the place. We only knew the festivals name: Vernier sur Rock. But neither in Geneva nor in Vernier anybody on the street never heard of it. Finally we found it. I had Rashids tape recorder with me to go in. But then we saw at the entrance they are body-checking everybody. We’re talking about our plan, what to do, when we catch. However, I was pro with the recording machine to get in everywhere. So I took it into my pants, in the front and carefully hide everything else that was necessary for the recording. I told Rashid, the bodycheck, but they don’t touch the front of the pants. So it was. We’re inside and I was very careful with the recording. Rashid asked me to record George Clinton (he’s a fan of Prince). Until today I never heard the recording. Maybe Rashid still have the tape somewhere. Maybe I have a copy somewhere… (blush)
What a show. Mad Whisper I can’t remember. The first act I realized, was Omar. He was not very famous at the time, but this tune I knew already. I remember it not really boring, but it was quite a time until the concert was finished.
The next show with Keziah Jones was great entertaining, but still quite boring (after a while). Rashid didn’t like all of them. This video shows a bit the fame of the time Keziah had. I remember I was working in a record store and we sold the record like hell.
Many people at the festival came because of Keziah, that was absolutely clear. It was the highlight of the evening. Many left the place after his show. It was already long after midnight. Rashid and watched each other and asking ourself if George Clinton will play his show anyway.
In the lobby of the hall there was this special T-Shirts for the presidential election for the USA. The election was already done on 3rd of November, but the George Clinton tour with this t-shirt started before the final election days. Funny fact was, that George Clinton was the winner in both ways. The one George (Bush senior) against the other (Bill) Clinton crossed his name anyway. By the way Bill Clinton won.
I’ve found this video from the same year in France. How amazing that is today. There was absolutely no chance at the time to find anything recorded. I like the trombone solo at about 25 minutes a lot.
I’m really sorry, but I have no tracking list nor is any of the musicians known to me. I can’t say, who really was performing in Vernier or if the show was almost the same as the one in France. But I saw George Clinton later that year in Winterthur and that was completely different from Vernier, for sure. Like another band.
In Vernier it seems, that everything was fine, because they played the place down to the ground. The funk was in every inch. The little group that stayed for George Clinton were infected and didn’t left until the very end. And believe me, that was such an amazing show, it endured three hours!
After the show Rashid and I were quite tired, but we had to walk back to Geneva to catch the first train back to Luzern. What a night.
On November 14th in 1992 I went with my brother Roger to Winterthur to see George Clinton again.
But this show was completely different from the one in Vernier. Remembering, that there was a very long break. The promoter told, that the crew was kept for hours at the border from Italy and on their way to Winterthur, that take about three hours. Don’t remember well, but the show started way far later than expected. There wasn’t that fire in the band. To me it looked like, they will do their job, but that shall be enough. The audience was not that power funky people, but many first time listeners. There is not more to say.
I always remember the Vernier show as the one with George Clinton as president for the P. Funk All Stars. Hotter than hot.