| Grand Funk Railroad's 40 Years of Funk |
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 Saturday, August 15, 2009 Spotlight 29 Resort Casino Coachella, California Story by Lisa Robyn Lawrence Photos by Cathy Jardine To see more Cathy Jardine photos of Grand Funk Railroad, click here. All-A-Board! Saturday night, Aug, 15, the energy was palpable at Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella, Calf., near Palm Springs, as Grand Funk Railroad took the stage. The first chords struck by keyboardist “Dr. Tim” Cashion punched me in the chest and shook the room. The lights came up with the rest of the band igniting the room with the volatile song “Bottle Rocket.” Bassist Mel Schacher, aptly nicknamed “The God of Thunder,” kicked the bottom up. When lead vocalist and harmonica player Max Carl, drummer Don Brewer and lead guitarist Bruce Kulick, all hit the stage, the room’s energy went ballistic. Talk about “feeling the vibe.” The iconic Grand Funk Railroad did not let up. They got the audience on-board with their highly contagious GFR energy for the full two hour concert. What a wild “funkin’” ride.
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After many break ups and reincarnations, Grand Funk Railroad’s most current band consists of two original band members, Brewer and Schacher, and some more recent and very talented band members — Carl, Kulick and Cashion. All of this GFR band’s members are music veterans with impressive histories. With this much talent together on one stage, it isn’t a wonder the band really kicks in its 40th year. 
Brewer set the stage on fire with his more than 15-minute drum riff that took on a life of its own and drove the audience wild. Carl really pumped up the energy in each song with his unbelievable soulful vocals, harmonica and guitar playing. He proved that he is one of only a of a very few of “the best blue-eyed soul singers.” “Dr. Tim’s” harmonies and pumping keyboards blew the audience back in our chairs. “The God of Thunder” Schacher poured out some major room-quaking bass riffs. Kulick leveled us with his screamin’ electric guitar solo of “The Star Spangled Banner” and unimaginable guitar riffs. How apropos for Saturday’s performance, the actual 40th anniversary of Woodstock.
There were many first timers in the audience, like Carol Norheim who had never been to a GFR concert, and who just had to experience Grand Funk Railroad in concert. Norheim exclaimed the concert was, “Wonderful … it’s crazy to think (how much) I used to listen to them in the 1970s and ’80s ... it really takes me back to the good old times!” When asked if she planned on attending another GFR concert her reply was an emphatic, “Absolutely!”
The night would not be complete without Grand Funk Railroad’s hit song written by Brewer, “We’re an American Band.” This was Grand Funk Railroad’s song for their standing ovation and screams for more from the audience. GFR’s iconic song, “helped us party it down,” especially when Brewer came out in a red, white and blue top hat, and he and the band threw GFR beach balls out at the crowd.
